Nursing Conference

Late last year, i discovered a leaflet in the sixth form common room about a Nursing workshop conference, my eyes were instantly drawn to the word 'nursing'. I took the leaflet home and asked my parents straight out if they would let me go. In all honestly they had to say yes, i'm hoping to go to university next year when i'll be away from home for months on end so a 2day course should be a piece of cake, they finally accepted on the condition I paid which to me was a given and something that i would have done anyway.


Months went by and in the mist of all my exams and coursework, i did actually forget about the course all together. But it was soon the 6th July and i was packing my bags and heading for the train station for the 2 hour train journey from Corby to Nottingham. I got there through all the flooding and raining and had made it all in one piece, just a very wet one.

I got their at around 11.30 and went straight to sign in and got my key for my room, phoned my mum and had lunch as at 1:30 the lectures started.
FRIDAY 6TH JULY 2012nursing courses and careers- Liz RobsonI found this session very helpful as Liz talked about the differences between all the fields of nursing that clarified that child nursing is the nursing field for me!

Physical Examination and Diagnosis- Workshop teamThis made to be my one of my favourite sessions of the whole conference! the lecturer, James Ridgeway was AMAZING  he made me laugh and smile which was good as i was a little nervous for the conference as everyone else had come with friends from school and i haven't so knew nobody but i did manage to quickly made friends. Anyway James was amazing the way  he communicated with the audience was inspirational, it truly was. His story and background was even more inspiration and made what he was saying about you can do it, much more believable.

Opportunities in community Nursing- Sarah Corby
i had never previously been interested in nursing within the community as the hospital environment had always appealed to me more, however it was an interesting sessions as in many ways it prepared me for what to expect if i do become a nurse and go on placement as some of them will be the community so in that sense was very helpful.

Clinical Nursing- Tiffany LloydIt was clear from this session the changing role of a nurse and how much it has progressed in recent years. Many people have their own idea of what a nurse does however many of this perceptions  are very far from the reality of being a nurse.

Nowadays nurses do what more that just the basic nursing like; personal hygiene, dressing, dental hygiene, nutrition, mobilsing, toileting, wound management, all of which are still very important as they are the basics, the foundation however the role of nurse has now built from that and now includes; adminstation of intravenous meds, prescribing meds, venapuncture, cannulation, catherisation, requesting xrays, sutyring, plastering, ECG's, defibrilation, minor surgical procedures, all of which many people, (myself included as only couple of years ago before i really knew that nursing was the one, i would have thought the same) would have assumed such activities to be a doctors role.

The student Nurses Tale- student nurses
yet again a very helpful session. They talking about the interview, what to expect, what to do if you dont get in, starting the course, accommodation, money etc.

Here is the list of the student nurses survival tips:
-make the most of holidays
-keep an eye of your money
-try and get along with mentors and staff
-try and make time for family and friends
-learn to say no
-treat yourself once in a while
-look after yourself
-use resources wisely
-take deep breathes and count to 10
-have fun and meet new people
and the most important of all when in doubt just ASK!
The edge Session- Workshop teamOne word and one word only, AMAZING!from this session we covered:
-a UCAS form that stands out
-excellent report from school
-improving your grades
-who interviews and what what ask
-how to give a brillant interview
-what if my grades are poor?!

Lectures finished at 11:10 at night, so i went straight to bed as i had a another long day ahead of me, along with an early start.

SATURDAY 7TH JULY 2012a&e nursing- Sharon Sandersonwhat can i say, a&e nursing is fast-paced, diverse and challenging all of which i love, i hope i do get the opportunity to work in a&e hopefully as a placement, as i really want to be nurse so im not giving up!
Midwife: community or hospital- Caroline Farrari personally have never been interested in midwifery but found the session very interest anyway, as being a woman i may have before pregnant in later life, who knows.


Paediatric Nursing- Caroline Farrar.
from this session i learnt about the many factors that nurses have to keep in mind when dealing with a patient thats a child

MEDICAL: their medical history, what is currently wrong with them
SOCIAL: diet, upbringing,  environment (parents smoker?) finianal status
FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES: parents job, size of family, family set up (step-parents, siblings etc)
CULTURAL: religion and beliefs.
and most importantly communication!

overall the whole conference was amazing and very helpful, i learnt so much about not only nursing but about myself and on top of all that i made so really good friends, who i hope like all the other people of the course fore fill their dreams wheather that is to be a nurse or midwife etc. :]