First Placement

Hello everyone!
Yes! I'm finally back! Please accept my apology for not posting for a while! Everything has been so up-in-the-air lately especially with clinical placement and so many assignments! I suppose I had so much more free time to post at the beginning of the year but now my timeis so limited because of how many essays we have to do!! Anyway, It's good to be back! I love posting/updating this blog because it makes me feel as if I've accomplished something for the day ^ ^ Over the past few weeks I've actually been on placement and I must say, it was such a fun time! And it was so different to what I've ever done before.

My first placement was on an infection control ward, an isolation ward, which means that instead of having bays, the patients had their own side rooms with their own shower, toilet and wash basin. And before we entered or left a room, we had to put on or take off gloves and aprons and wash our hands to reduce the spread of infection. Most of our patients were admitted with gastrointestinal complaints such as C-Diff but we also had patients with MRSA as well.

Looking back, it was so much fun and I gained so much experience just from those five weeks. The staff were so friendly towards me and I felt quite comfortable. I know that many of my other fellow students did not have such luck and were paired with quite b**chy mentors!! xD But I must say, for the most part, the others enjoyed their placements too. I was worrying so much that I wouldn't enjoy the work or that I'd make too many mistakes or end up killing a patient!! luckily, I didn't... Also, because my ward was infection control, We were required to wear 'scrubs'. Now if you dont know what these are all I'll say is this... Ever watched 'Scrubs' as in the TV show? Y'know the uniforms they wear? The sleepwear-looking blue/green outfits. Yeah, we got to wear those which was quite an experience.

I also had a lot of learning oppourtunities. For instance, I was shown around pharmacy (which is a pretty incredible place, actually!), Endoscopy, the blood bank, MDTs, EAU, pathology, microbiology, infection control (the actual team and department)... and so many other departments that I cannot actually call to mind right now.

I also was fortunate enough to have a second-year with me on the ward. She helped me so much and assisted in my efforts to get used to the structure and routine of the ward.

I learnt a lot from this experience. I did make a few mistakes but on my first placement, it was expected. Looking back, there are a few things I wish I'd have said and a few things I wish I hadn't. Working 37.5 hours a week, 8 hours a day, on a shift pattern was difficult but it made the experience all the more interesting. Meeting other HCPs was quite an experience as well. I'd never worked alongside doctors, consultants, phlebotomists, pharmacists, dieticians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists etc. so this was also an interesting experience.

overall, i really enjoyed my first placeent and I hope my next will be just as good! Anyway, I've spoken enough! I have so much more to chat about but that can all come in a later post!! 'Til next time, Emily x

Clinical Skills: Hand Hygiene

I guess this is the very first post I'll be doing on clinical skills!! yey! ^ ^
In this post I'll be explaining Hand hygiene and why it is important in the clinical environment and the best methods for hand washing.
It might sound a bit picky, thinking that we don't know how to wash our hands. But in a clinical environment, bacteria is quickly spread and this can mean outbreaks of MRSA and Clostridium Difficile (C-diff). Not good as both of these infections can be life-threatening. Hospitals are places that should aid patient recovery, not accelerate their death.
So, hand hygiene is very important! Therefore, I'll be discussing this with you in this post!

Hand Hygiene
* You should wash your hands before and after giving patient care or having contact with contaminated objects, even if you have worn gloves.
* You should make sure that you remove rings and jewellery as local policy allows, because they harbour dirt and skin microorganisms. Remove your watch - preferably you can wear a fob watch.
* Clothing should not be worn below the elbow when working in clinical environments.
* Fake nails and nail polish should not be worn as they have the potential to harbour microorganisms. Check your local policy.

Hand washing technique
* Wet your hands and wrists with warm water, and then apply soap from a dispenser. Avoid using bar soap to prevent cross-contamination. Hold your hands below elbow level to prevent water from running up your arms and back down, thus contaminating clean areas.
* Work up a lather by rubbing your hands together for about 10 seconds. Soap and water reduce surface tensions and this, aided by friction, loosens surface mircooragnisms, which wash away in the lather.
* Pay attention to under your fingernails and around the cuticles and also to your thumbs, palms, knuckles, and sides of your fingers and hands. Microorganisms can thrive in these overlooked areas.
* If you do not remove your wedding ring, move it up and down to get underneath it.
* Avoid splashing water on yourself or the floor because microorganisms spread more easily on these surfaces.
* Avoid touching the sink or taps because they are considered contaminated.

Rinsing and drying your hands
* Rinse hands and wrists well because running water flushes soil, soap or detergent, and microorganisms away.
* Pat hands dry with a paper towel.
* Turn off the taps by gripping them with a dry paper towel to avoid contaminating your hands.
* Dispose of the paper towels in the waste bin using a foot pedal to open the bin.

Other tips
* Use alcohol hand gel as well but just remember that they should be used up to 3 times before you should wash again. Also alcohol gels are insufficient to kill Clostridium Difficile, so remember to wash your hands after caring for patients with this infection.
* You must always allow time for the alcohol gel to dry as it is the drying of the alcohol that reduces the bacterial count.
*Ideally you should wash your hands at the beginning of your shift, before and after direct and indirect patient contact, before and after performing any body functions (E.G blowing your nose or using the toilet); beofre preparing or serving food, before administering medications; after removing gloves or personal protective equipment and after completing your shift.


So, that's all there is to it!! Similarly to the A&P bit I'm doing, I'll be continually updating Clinical Skills!

'Clinical Skills Made Incredibly Easy!' By Mhairi Hastings - This is the book that I regularly use to help me with clinical skills and I really do suggest you buy it or at least check your local/university library for it! It's actually getting me through clinical skills lectures!!

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this post! It's actually kinda hard to catch up on these blog posts that I've missed! There's so much information in one weeks worth of lectures, it's UNREAL!!
Ttyl,

Emily