Stressed Nurse v. the World

"A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" That is the World Health Organisation's definition of health. It is broad, and so it should be because health is broad. It specifically mentions mental and social well-being, because mental and social health is not inferior to physical health. 20% of the UK's population has a mental health condition, that is 10.2 million people. 10.2 million families. 10.2 million stories and lives. In comparison 30% of the UK's population has a long term condition, that is 15.4 million people. Long term conditions and health are so widely talked about, there is very little taboo or stigma surrounding them and the care provided is far superior. Mental health is hidden to the eye- this can be both a blessing and a curse. Okay so everyone you meet might not know you are ill, and you can cover it from people who you don't want to tell. But then try and tell someon...

Summer is lovely, warm evenings, the sun doesn't set until 10pm, sunshine all day long, *sneeze*... oh yeah and hayfever. With summer in full swing now; though it may not quite be what I described, this is only England, hayfever has exerted it's death like grip on me. I say death like because sometimes I do honestly feel like it is trying to kill me by making me scratch my eyes out or drown in snot. I know quite a few people suffer from hayfever so I thought I'd share some of my lifesaving techniques and medications. Tablets - Taking one of these is the first thing I do every morning. There's several brands but I find the Boots own brand stuff works just as good as anything branded. Do make sure to get non-drowsy though or you'll be asleep mid afternoon! There are two different active ingredients - Cetirizine Hydrochloride and Loratadine. I take Cetirizine Hydrochloride as it is the only one that works for me. Eye Drops -  I keep these on me at all times, wh...

So I've been so bad at keeping updated recently. I've let everything slip in the last month, but I'm back, focused and in control! I finished my fourth placement at the end of May, thoroughly enjoyed working in Urology and Vascular. I learnt a vast amount, not just about nursing, but about myself and the nurse I want to be. I found a lot of confidence by taking care of 12 patients whilst on shift. But I also enjoyed taking advantage of my supernumerary student status and spending time talking to my patients. Working on a vascular ward we had a large number of diabetic patients coming in for amputations due to foot ulcers and diabetes related vascular issues. Now it's obvious having a foot or leg amputated is life changing but when nurses and healthcare assistants rush around doing jobs we can overlook the person wrapped up in the middle of everything. There was nothing more satisfying that being able to sit and chat to a patient for half an hour about their concerns...

As you all probably know I'm a second year nursing student and currently on my fourth placement. In the last 4 weeks I've worked on two junior doctor strike days; one was a full walkout including emergency care, and one was a 'half strike' (emergency care unaffected). I think the easiest way to sum up how the strikes affected patient care - they didn't. Patients were still seen by a doctor in the ward round, there were still emergency admissions and emergency surgery. There were even some routine operations! Shock horror - the NHS didn't fall apart. When the junior doctors walk out, all of the consultants come into work, as oppose to just one or two on a normal day. All of the nurse specialists come into work, as oppose to just one or two. And in my current hospital we have military doctors step in to help. It is effectively all hands on deck to maintain patient care. This can be done for a couple of days here and then to cover the strikes, but it stretches st...

Do you feel irritable, aggressive, or tired all the time? Unable to enjoy yourself because of pressure in your life? Anxious, over-burdened and uninterested? These are all common symptoms of stress. Research has shown that around 12 million adults in the UK see their GP with mental health problems each year. Most of these suffer from anxiety and depression, and much of this is stress-related. 13.3 million working days are lost per year due to stress, depression and anxiety. So, why when 1 in 5 of us will be affected by mental health are we suffering in silence? Common signs of stress  - The initial signs of stress are physical ones; commonly tiredness, headaches or an upset stomach. When stressed our bodies are in 'fight or flight' mode. This means we release a large amount of hormones, mainly cortisol and adrenaline, causing heart rate and blood pressure to rise. As a result we feel generally unwell and in the long term it has a negative effect on our physical health. ...

As a student nurse on placement currently I'm spending most of my money on travel expenses so have little money left over for food and other expenses. Whilst I will get my travel cost reimbursed the upfront cost is putting unimaginable strain on my bank balance. When money is stretched I firstly, stop going out that often as it costs a lot of money. Secondly, I look at my food shop and try to cut the cost. Where you shop plays a big part in the cost of your food. Now we all think supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl are cheapest, with Tesco, Morrisons and ASDA taking middle ground and Sainsburys and then Waitrose at the top. I am a Sainsburys shopper, I prefer their store layout, I like the range of food and I find the price about right for the quality you get; plus the nectar card offers are great for me. I know quite a few people who buy pre-prepared food, eg, the packs of pre-cut veg for roasting or cooking with. I always think these must cost so much more than buying the fres...

My fourth placement started last week, and with it life has become hectic. It has only been one week but I'm hating the daily commute to Portsmouth and the 6am start. Placement does give me a routine though, I plan my days off so I don't waste time and I put more effort into making healthier meals. Which is useful after two weeks lazy chocolate eating over Easter! One of my favourite meals is from Joe Wicks'; The Body Coach's 'Lean in 15' cookbook. It goes alongside a weight loss programme, but I'm not following it. I just enjoy the meals because they are quick, healthy and very tasty! The lentil burger is easy to make, uses ingredients most people have in their cupboards anyway, and I cook 4 in one go and freeze them. The portions seem big but, because it's packed with slow release lentils it fills me up for the whole day, which is great when I'm on the wards. I tend to make just the 'patty' and not the rest of the burger, I've ne...

The clock change last night means it is officially British Summer Time, although the driving rain and wind outside makes me doubt this! BST and Easter always mean a fresh start to me, a second 'new year' if you like, and this time around I'm hoping to be more stress free.  I've given myself 5 top tips/ways to lowering stress which hopefully will become part of my normal life!   Be mindful. One of my housemates is a mental health nurse and constantly tells us we need to be mindful. She can sound like a broken record and we tease her for this, but 5 - 10 mins each day does help. I like to spend 10 minutes in the morning to be mindful of how I'm feeling, what worries I have, and what I need to complete that day. I take any thoughts on board and plan how to deal with them. I usually do this in bed when I wake up, it's an excuse to spend a bit longer in bed! I also spend 10 minutes in the evening going over what I've done that day, emotions, feelings,...