Work Experience Issue

Laydee

I am currently doing work experience where I am supposed to be shadowing a health care assistant. The problem is she's always running off & I can never find her. When I do ask her anything I feel like I'm an inconvenience to her.
She is the only healthcare assistant on this particular ward for me to shadow. I want to be transfered into a new ward because I am not enjoying my work experience because I am lost in terms of what to do. I was told to sit & read a magazine last week, not exactly what I had in mind for my work experience

If I get into nursing next year I want to be an oncology nurse, would it be cheeky of me to ask to be transfered to the oncology ward? That way it sounds as though I want to be in an area that I intend to aim towards in my career & it doesn't include me moaning about this HCA.

I don't want to approach it from the angle of the healthcare assistant never being there, if I don't get moved it will cause tension & when I'm finished my work experience she'll still be working there & I don't want to say anything against her.

Larianne

You could ask whoever was in charge of placing you with the HCA, the ward manager(?) that you're interested in Oncology and would it be possible to maybe get a few hours on the ward one of the days?

Also, maybe say to the HCA that you'd be interested to see how she does X,Y,Z and if she would tell you when she is about to do X,Y,Z and could you watch. I know it's what you are supposed to be doing anyway but sometimes they get so busy they forget about you and also if she is the only HCA on the ward she might be too busy to bring you everywhere. (I used to be a HCA ).

Maybe the nurses could show to some things? If you explain what you want to do they may show you some stuff/explain things? No harm asking.

Laydee

I said it to the nurse but she was reluctant to take me anywhere because I should have been with the HCA.

She is busy, I know that but I feel like I'm in the way. I might say it to the nursing educational coordinator, she's hard to get hold of apparently but I'll try to talk to her at some stage.

She showed me how to use the machines in the sluice room for when I've finished doing the bed pans, I've never done this before & we were told in the college that we'd learn when we're out on experience. I will do the bed pans but I won't be comfortable doing it alone. I'm finding it a bit disheartening.

God, I sound like such a moan but I don't mean to come accross that way. I had a blast at my last work experience placement but in this one being left alone is very uncomfortable to begin with.

Larianne

Just say to her, "Listen I know you're busy, but any chance you could show me how to use the machine again? I don't feel comfortable doing it on my own".

Make a list of what you'd like to observe being done and say ask can she show you 'X'. How long is the work experience for? Who told you to sit and read a magazine?

I think sometimes when on work experience you will feel like being in the way. It really depends on who you shadow. Do you talk to the patients at all? Keeping patients company is an experience in itself and meeting people from all walks of life and how to handle them is all part of the experience.

Laydee

I will say it to her the next day.

Work experience is 15 weeks, 1 day per week. I've done 2 days so far & I did nothing. It's a private hospital so I've been told not to bother patients. Most of them have visitors most of the time too.

I was looking for the HCA & the nurse told me to read a magazine. I had great chats with the UCD students there but other than that I was not doing much. I read all their policy books to pass the time.

tallaght01

I know it sounds cynical, but it doesn't really matter what you don on your work experience. Hang out with the other students and find out what they do.

But in terms of your application,you just need to be able to say you did it, and waffle a bit. Loads of ppl just sit round doing nothing on work experience.

Laydee

Well, today was a different day altogether! I did loads & had a great time.
I was with a different HCA & she showed me everything & stuck with me all day so that from now on I can work independently of the other HCA. I am so much more confident now & I didn't read any magazines

Tallaght, I know what you're saying, one of the other students advised that I just sit & chat to nurses as that might give me more of an idea of what the job is instead of making beds. I just like being hands on. I met a few patients too & they were just great characters. I can't wait for next week.

Larianne

^^ Great stuff!!

I'd be the same regarding getting stuck in! Would drive me nuts not doing so.