Start of Third Year!

Hello 🙂

As I sit and type this blog in my new University room I start to think I can’t actually believe I’m a 3rd Year!!! To start with where did the time go? It only seems like yesterday that I was being interviewed by a variety of Universities and being made offers! And now I’m sat here about to go on my first placement block of third year… CRAZY!!

I would say I don’t know how I got through my first two years but that would be unrealistic. I know I’ve worked hard on both my academic and clinical placement blocks and have achieved some amazing results. My basic hope for 3rd Year is to pass and get a job 🙂 Obviously a nice classification grade would be the cherry on the cake however for Radiography do you really want a department full of purely academic staff? The answer to that is a simple no. Radiographers need to have a mix of patient care, communication and academic knowledge that can be applied. Having that mixed skill base is the difference between a average and excellent radiographer.

I’m just going to continue to be me- hard-working, positive, caring and all done with a smile on my face, because somehow that’s worked for me for the past two years and so it can continue to for my final year.

Final thought- Let’s make this year count!!

With Love.

Sarah x

p.s Will do my summer elective update soon

Summer Elective

Hello 🙂

Just a quick update whilst waiting for an amazon parcel before jetting off to the airport…

Tomorrow i’ll be off on an adventure to Canada and I am soo excited!! We are encouraged at University to undertake an elective between the 2nd and 3rd year of our degree so that we can see different techniques that we wouldn’t usually or to visit other departments. My University does offer an exchange program to a department in the far east however I decided that I wanted to do something different! This meant I applied to a department in Vancouver and they accepted me!!

I’ll spend two weeks in this centre and through organisation with the clinical link there we have already organised what I’ll be seeing and the areas I will be spending my time. My main aim is to have a good general understanding of how they care and treat patients in Canada looking at the similarities and differences to enable the comparison to our care system in the UK.  I can’t wait to tell you all about it! My two week elective will be followed by a weeks holiday so that I can enjoy visiting places within the city and fill up on pancakes with maple syrup…nom.

So far I’ve had a good summer off and received news at the beginning of the month that I’ve passed my exams and that they are taking me back in September… are they mad 😉

Hope all is well and fingers crossed for me for a flight with minimal turbulence,

Love S xx

Be Kind, Always..

Hi Guys,

This is a post I wrote in draft a couple of months ago after the circulation on Facebook over the phrase “Be Kind, Always”.

This quote prompted and reminded me that we all face problems, issue, concerns and worries over numerous subjects such as health, happiness, money, work and just general living. At the end of the day we are only human and we continuously face life’s different complexities. Everybody has their own battles and struggles although these may not be expressed or formed so that we can physically see them.

It is easy in life to judge and make assumptions however sometimes it’s better to take a step back and listen to what people have to say. We should always aim to show kindness and support to try and have a better understanding. At the end of the day we will never be able to fully understand the problems others are facing however we can certainly try.

Just a little thought for the day

Love S

xx

Second Year Mayhem!

Hi All,

Time between blogs are longer then I wanted currently, but University life has been extremely busy and time consuming. Therefore, this has left me with little free time/energy to update my blog in between all my academic demands and placement blocks.

I am currently a two thirds of my way through my third (and last) placement block of the year. Yesterday I had to undertake a breast assessment where I had to ensure correct localisation of the patient, set up and then delivery of radiotherapy. When I write it down like that it seems to be so simple but as with any assessment there is always more to it then meets the eye! I felt pretty chilled about it all day and after having a good 2 weeks on the machine that deals primarily with patients undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer meant that I recieved plenty of experience. I am very happy to say that I passed! This was my last clinical assessment completed for the year and now I’ve just got a few competencies to sign off to ensure that I’ve seen and been able to set up a variety of patients. It’s been a busy year clinically too and I’m fairly happy to say I’ve completed a Breast, Head and Neck and Skin assessment as well as spending two weeks in Radiotherapy CT and also a week in physics/dosimetry along with time spent on machines to complete my competencies. Finishing touches will be my Clinical portfolio which needs to be submitted at the beginning of May and then fingers crossed I do not have to go back out into clinical recovery.

February and March were jammed packed with a variety of different deadlines for a few units. I had to complete a 3,000 word essay, submit a  project proposal, complete an inter-professional task with other healthcare professionals to produce and present a poster plus many other deadlines. Throw in the common feeling off how am I going to pass this year/ I can’t do this and as you can see it’s been an absolute delight hehe. I’ve definitely felt stuck in treacle at times or on a train that’s on a long journey and stops at every single station !!

The end of year two is nearly drawing to a close and although I’ve been told not to waste the time away I honestly can’t wait for this year to be over. I mean in the month of May I still have to get through a job interview, physics assignment, a talkthrough on my breast assessment as well as three exams which I really don’t want to fail. Amongst the crazy may period I’m just casually adding in a trip to Germany for a wedding because I’m not going to miss this very special and happy occasion 🙂 Oh well I certainly don’t do things by half do I 😛

I’m just trying to continue to balance out the stress of University with lovely things that I have planned over the summer like spending time with friends and family plus an AMAZING summer elective (more news to follow soon). However, I’ve learnt that I’m always going to worry and stress about my work/exams/placement because I care and want to do well. I just want to be a fantastic radiographer…is that too much to ask?

With Love,

S x

February already?!?

Hi Guys,

Well it’s certainly been a busy January!! Straight off from Christmas break into four weeks of clinical placement  plus a special birthday to celebrate 🙂 I can’t believe we have already ticked off a month from our calendars.It seems to have gone so quickly but at the same time really slowly in certain parts.

So how did placement go? Well this placement was certainly a roller-coaster and maybe a few tears were shed along the way however it is all a learning curve.  I spent my first two weeks on Radiotherapy  CT which was overall a really good experience. After a diagnosis and radiotherapy is suggested this will be their first time they come into the department. Therefore we have to ensure that we complete first day chats with patients so they understand why they are having radiotherapy, side effects and what to expect. I was able to complete a couple of these as well as doing the scans 🙂 I also got to tattoo a few patients, this is where we give patients black permanent pin pricks so that we are able to immobilise them to the same point for every day of their treatment. Some of this sounds more daunting than it actually is. I feel the main point of Radiotherapy CT is to ensure that patients have a good understanding of what is going to happen, reassure them over any concerns and answer any questions.

My third week was spent in Physics/Dosimetry. This was a different week as I got to sit down for 5 days!! Not sure if I liked this although I never thought I would say that 😛 In this week I was able to do some planning and produce 4 clinically acceptable plans in the pelvic, breast and head and neck region. These plans are produced so that we determine where the radiotherapy is planned to and avoiding any organs at risks. This definitely made a change but not sure that it is something I would want to do immediately when I qualify.

My last week was spent on a Linear Accelerator and it didn’t go too badly. Placement was a roller-coaster and I decided that we often reflect on the negative and not so much on the positive. I have learnt some things that I need to carry onto next placement and improve on however I also learnt that sometimes you can’t always win. I know in the grand scheme of things I will graduate and become a good radiographer. Everyone supporting me says that and so I think its time I started believing it myself.

This month I celebrated turning the grand old age of 21 😉 It was a wonderful day surrounded by family and friends, lots of good food and some awesome presents.

Anyway until next time, keep well 🙂

Love S xx

Happy New Year :)

Hello,

A very Happy New Year and warm welcome into 2015! I think my new resolution should be to update my blog a little more often, think I definitely need to wipe away the cobwebs and start writing 🙂

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year!! Since September I’ve had quite a crazy/hectic/fun time at University. Although stressful at times and definitely challenging I still LOVE the course so much.

Some updates on the course:

• First 6 weeks in September were spent in an academic block with lots of biology and physiology, physics, work based learning and inter-professional skills. I knew that the brain was complicated but I never understood how complicated it was until I started to learn and re-write my lecture notes 😛
• Then 5 weeks of placement- my favourite part!! I managed to complete a head and neck assessment as well as a skin apposition assessment. I was really pleased at how these assessments went and it was great getting positive feedback about my communication with patients. I might not always have the best academic knowledge but I can learn those parts. It is a lot harder to teach someone how to communicate and interact with patients, this is something that comes more naturally to me and so hopefully helps me in the steps to become a good radiographer 🙂
• On this placement I also attended review clinics and so started to understand side effects of the treatment and different ways we can help patients either from medicine/holistic approach/help from charities like MacMillan. I also got my first ever thank you card (and some chocolates) from one of my patients.I know its silly but for this is a really lovely gesture and an achievement in the fact that I helped someone and they wanted to show me.
• Back to University for 4 weeks. My first ever 2,500 word essay!! And also the scary fact that it counts this year! Anyway that is submitted now and the results are scheduled to be released the day after my birthday.. yay.  I also had my talk through of the two assessments I completed on placement. These went really well in the end and so some good marks go towards my work based learning module.
• Although I’ve been working hard I’ve still managed to have some fun with my friends. Had a really good time for Halloween, spending time cooking, having drinks and going for a dance. I also joined Cinema Society this year which has been  a lot of fun and I’ve watched some films that I wouldn’t have considered before. We had a nice Christmas meal, trip to Harry Potter Studios in London, watched the latest Hunger Games and had a white t-shirt social.

So all in all a good start to the academic year! Next stop 4 weeks of placement 😀

2014 was a great year for me. I passed my first year (which was my main concern) and I got to see my brother graduate in the summer, really proud of him. I was also constantly supported by my amazing friends and family plus all you lovely readers. For this I want to say a massive THANK YOU! Here is to 2015, I have a feeling it’s going to be a fantastic year!

Love S

xx

 

 

Back to Uni

Hello,

I am back at my Uni base now and into my second week of academic block. It’s not going too badly although its going to be a totally different and demanding year. I don’t have much to report at the moment but if you have ever wondered what I do as training to become a radiographer or what it is like to receive radiotherapy here is a really awesome patient video created using a GoPro:

http://vimeo.com/78791415

Love S 

xx

 

 

Second Chances

In life I always believe in giving a person a second chance. Does everyone believe that though? Do you?

What can a second chance be? Forgiveness, overlooking the past or giving new hope to something that has previously failed? I suppose it depends on the situation and what the second chance is for.

Today my second chance has enabled me to say I’m Sarah and I’m 8 Year’s post Bone Marrow Transplant!!! Happy 8th Birthday to me 🙂

My second chance has enabled me to hit significant milestones in my life. I’ve turned 13, completed my GCSE’s, passed my driving test, turned 18, completed my A level’s and I am studying at University to enable me to become a Therapeutic Radiographer. Plus loads of other fantastic bits through these 8 years 🙂

Without my donor Sebastian and many other unselfish people on the bone marrow register, people like me wouldn’t even be given the option of having a second chance at living life. Don’t all those in need of a bone marrow transplant deserve a second chance?

Anthony Nolan recently conducted a survey where they found that 70% of the British Public are willing to donate stem cells however only 1% are actually on the register!! Help change this statistic and give somebody a second chance that they deserve. Information on how you can help or sign up can be found below:

http://www.anthonynolan.org/

Love S

x

Information from the survey can be found here : http://www.anthonynolan.org/news/2014/08/11/brits-more-likely-help-their-pet-man-or-teenager-says-new-survey

Time

Hello 🙂

I can’t believe I posted 81 days ago saying I was back and ready to blog- whoops where has that time gone? I think its a sign of growing older when time slips by and life being so awesome gets in the way every now and again. So just a couple of quick updates before a special blog tomorrow!

Placement

My second placement went really well in the end! It had its up and downs but I had some real support and encouragement from fellow radiographers and my clinical link. On this placement I had to take my first assessment and that was so nerve wrecking. If I failed I would have to retake and my mark would be capped at 40%. The worst thing of the assessment were the “automatic fails” these can be very essential things such as correct hand washing procedures and knowing our safety interlocks. However they are as important as the interaction and treatment of the patient- think of infection control and what happened if i needed to suddenly stop the machine from irradiating the patient. My first assessment was on a head and neck patient which meant also using immobilisation equipment of a head and neck mask, just another thing to get used to. I am really pleased to say I passed first time! Wooo 🙂 My assessor had to make a comment and she told me she wasn’t good with words but I have set myself a high standard with not a lot to improve on. 

This was an AMAZING comment and meant a lot to me- I know I still have a long way to go but positive feedback really helps to encourage me but also spur me when days are not so great. 

University- Coursework/Exams

We came off placement and then everything academically started to explode so we had a really busy couple of months. March to the end of May involved a lot of stress and worry over my academic abilities. I didn’t mind the coursework so much but it just seemed we had 2 or 3 deadlines in a very short amount of time. But I did what I do best and organised and planned enabling me to meet my deadlines. We had to do a group presentation  for one of our modules and I was randomly assigned to the group that had the patient pathway of a 3 year old with leukaemia. I think I was of some help 😛 

Then exams… 

I had 4 biology exams and 2 physics- even now I’ve done them the thought is still really horrible. It was a very stressful time with manyhours spent revising. I honestly didn’t cope amazingly during this time, I was just really scared of failing. I didn’t want to fail and be left behind with everyone progressing whilst I had to retake. I also didn’t want to disappoint myself of my friends and family (silly I know). I was really struggling one day and was pulled aside by one of my lecturers who told me not to give up simply because things were getting difficult. I wrote this down and stuck it on my pin board at uni. Everytime I was struggling I looked at this quote and reminded myself why I wanted to become a radiographer.

It was a tough time but with help from my family and friends I sat all 6 exams and passed !!!!! I was so relieved 🙂 

Now I can successfully say onto the Second Year I go! I can’t believe this time last year I was preparing to start and now I’ve done my first year, time goes sooo quickly. Although time goes quickly I am so happy with my life and just want to keep moving forward. This academic year ahead will be one of our most challenging (been prepared by uni and third years) with a lot of time in lectures and also in placement but I am ready to tackle it head on and with a smile.

Love

S

Guess who is back!!!

Helllooo 🙂

I’m back from my long stint of silence and we have loads to catch up on!! So much has happened in the last couple of months it certainly has been a crazy/stressful time. I’ve finished my first year at Uni- which is an amazing and overwhelming feeling. Currently sorting out all my belongings and settling back into home life 🙂

Just thought I would drop a line and say hi- got a couple of blog’s lined up to update you with what has been happening 🙂

Hope all is well,

S xx

p.s it’s great being back behind the keyboard-can’t wait to sit down and properly write!!!!