Studying anatomy and physiology in university and doing further reading on my off days gave me better understanding of the human body and the pathophysiology. I was taking vital signs in clinical placements but I did not understand the science behind it at first but this study helped and I was able to recognise normal/abnormal vital signs and its complications. This gave me more confidence doing these observations.

The ‘Assessing Needs and Planning Person-centred Care’ module opened my eyes to looking at each patient as a unique individual. I relate it to an experience from my surgical placement where I first experienced healthcare settings as I did not have prior experience. I would get to know the patients and their preferences and make them feel seen and heard. Even in busy environments it makes a great difference and a positive experience for the patient.

My community placement was an entirely new experience to me, where I got to spend time in clinics, patients’ homes and office settings. I observed the making of big decisions such as end of life MDT meetings and talking about do not resuscitate documents. I was able to better understand the importance of building a rapport with patients and their families, the importance of duty to candour when speaking to patients about their illnesses and the best option for them and finally honesty and respect between everyone (team and patients). This placement aided me in my communication and empathy and overall was an interesting experience. However, I do prefer hospital settings more than community placements.

One of my biggest takeaways from the ‘Introduction to Public Health and Health Promotion’ module was learning how impactful patient education can be. During my placements I noticed many patients had little understanding of their conditions or how their lifestyle choices could affect them. When I learnt that I could encourage my patients, I started to explain how small health changes can better their health in the long run. I remember giving a patient a leaflet about quitting smoking, maybe this small step could be one of the reasons he quit smoking and that makes me feel happy. So I will continue to help educate patients about their health and empower them to take the necessary steps to achieving a healthier outcome.

During my surgical placement I noticed a patient experiencing severe post op pain. He was visibly distressed over the situation and I felt that I needed to act quickly before things got worse for him. I spoke to my nurse supervisor and asked her to assess the patients pain relief options and we supported the patient in repositioning and breathing exercises until medication was administered. This experience showed me how vital it is to respond with empathy and take action immediately to prevent further discomfort to the patient.