Starting your very first placement can feel daunting especially when you're new to it all. When it comes to placement essentials there are a few things I'd recommend as a nurse for over 14 years:
1. Pens, pens lots of them! You'll find in health care pens tend to go missing quite frequently and you'll find you'll either be the pen thief or pen loser! The question is which one will you be...?
2. A fob watch - a nursing staple. Handy for not only recording your patient's observations but also good for checking when your next break is! There are lots of fob watches available in a range of funky colours and designs.
3. Name badge & ID - This goes without saying. You can grab cheap lanyards or cute ID reels to attach your ID too. You'll either have to buy your own name badge (like i did as a student) or occasionally the ward or uni will supply them.
4. Pocket sized notepad or note book - this was an essential for me and even now. You'll never know everything in nursing and will always be learning so a notebook is ideal for jotting down terms you're unfamiliar with for example.
5. Water bottle and lunch - Some areas allow you to have your water bottle on the ward. It's so important to stay hydrated during your shift. And don't forget your lunch!
6. Self care items - Optional extras such as lip balm, hand cream, deodorant, plasters, sanitary products.
7. Optional extras include pocket books such as the Placement Pal; the Manual which has lots of information on how to get through your placement or you could sign up to our newsletters to receive a free 'how to prepare for your placement' link below.