I am a 3rd year nursing student. Since my last post, I have been pulled from my placement so I am ploughing into my assignments
Due to COVID-19, how we complete our degree is changing, it looks like we will go out to practice much sooner and join a temp register.
This temp register is open for students in their final 6 months, this will be me come June and that is when my university is aiming for us to start.
There will be a transition period of 6-8 weeks where we will be paid as band 4’s then we will move on to band 5’s and be paid as such. We will still have student time and assessors/supervisors but we will be counted in the numbers and treated like any other member of staff.
We had the forms through in the last couple of days asking for our details, our trusts, if we opt-in or out etc. It was a 50:50 split in other cohorts. From what we can currently gather Health England are looking to make it compulsory and if you opt-out you end up deferring.
I have decided to opt-in. I have requested my local trust (Health England place you) and I’m hoping I get given my local hospital as the reason I am stopping going to Brighton is due to travel and I’d like to be able to walk to work.
I know of people who want to opt-out and some who want part-time (I want full time) and a who weren’t going to opt-in due to not being able to request her own shifts, now looking to opt-in.
Apparently we will still get annual leave and have other conditions of being a student.
I do and don’t feel ready to be out there. My confidence has grown but there are basic skills I haven’t done yet – catheterisations and wound dressing are two such skills. Well, I have done wound dressings just not many. I also wonder where I will end up working if I get placed on one particular ward I will have to mention my issues to the trust/university as I don’t feel that I will be given the opportunities needed to progress.
In the coming days, weeks and months we will just have to see what happens.