When it comes to preparing for nursing placement, there are several strategies an aspiring nurse should – and must – put into place, ahead of hitting the hospital floor.
Of course, it goes without saying that you’ll first need to complete the relevant nursing courses to qualify you to excel in a real-world healthcare environment. Just as importantly, you must prepare yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Budding nurses can also benefit greatly from implementing self-care strategies ahead of commencing their placement programs, as well as seeking support from those around them.
Here’s how to do it.
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Complete Your Qualifications
The first step on your journey to securing your clinical placements? Acquiring the relevant qualifications. Completing accredited nursing courses like online MSN FNP programs is essential, as these will equip you with the skills, tools, and industry knowledge you’ll need to succeed in your placement rounds.
Of course, studying for any type of degree is never easy, especially if we’re also in full-time employment. As such, it’s essential to implement a study routine you can stick to. Just as importantly, in between assignments and cramming for exams, take care of yourself, too. Burnout among nursing students is common, as high as 29%, so to avoid becoming a statistic, be sure to integrate some self-care into your schedule.
Prepare Yourself Physically, Mentally, and Emotionally
To best prepare yourself for your upcoming nursing placement, we suggest;
Physical Preparation
Nursing placement can be physically gruelling. Long hours spent on your feet, running from one patient’s bedside to another, with only a few short breaks in between. Exhausting, for the best of us. In preparation for your placement, then, it’s essential to implement healthy routines to ensure you’re in peak physical condition to tackle your placement duties head-on.
Focus on consuming a healthy, balanced diet full of rich nutrients to keep your body nourished and primed for the long, tiring days ahead of you. Stay active, even in your downtime, as exercising with purpose can actually energise you when you’re fatigued. Even moderate exercise, like a light walk or jog around the block, can get the oxygen flowing and blood pumping, ensuring your fitness stays on point so you’re in top form to run around the hospital ward.
Mental and Emotional Preparation
Preparing yourself physically for your upcoming placement is only one piece of the puzzle. You’ll also need to prepare yourself both mentally and emotionally. Yes, as well as being physically taxing, nursing placement can also take a psychological toll: the stress of a high-pressure, fast-paced environment is not for the faint-hearted.
To get yourself in the best possible mental and emotional space ahead of your placement, then, take measures to set your self-care in place. Consider learning how to implement stress relief strategies such as mindfulness, meditation, and journaling.
Remember, if it all gets too much, there is also professional support available. You might find that seeing a therapist helps you put things into perspective and allows you to talk it all out in a judgment-free space, especially when the pressures of your placement role start to feel overwhelming.
Seek Support From People Around You
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, always remember that you’re not alone.
Seek support from your nursing peers; they’re going through the same thing you are. It’s okay to turn to each other: your fellow aspiring nurses will completely understand how taxing going through clinical placements can be. Fortunately, you can support one another by offering advice based on your own learnings and experiences in your respective placement programs.
Also, don’t be afraid to lean on your loved ones. When we’re going through formative life stages and prioritising our personal and professional growth, it can be easy to lose sight of what’s most important: our relationships with those closest to us. Ask for help from friends and family for anything that feels too hard to tackle on your own: household chores, cleaning, meal preparation, or even just scheduling a social catch-up so you can enjoy a lighthearted moment together.
Preparing for nursing placement takes commitment: from completing the relevant coursework to becoming the best version of ourselves in all aspects, and learning how to seek support from those around us.
If we dedicate ourselves to our preparation, however, we can ensure we get the most out of our placement rounds, setting ourselves up for a challenging yet rewarding nursing career.