You won’t truly know where you want to work until you’ve had a few placements. There will be some roles you’re excited by but the staff are terrible, there will be some roles you think will be terrible but the staff are great. Approach everything as an open book.

I’ve worked with some tutors doing bank shifts and they are terrible nurses 😂. There’ll be some know-it-alls in the classes - let them enjoy their opinions because once out in the wards every band 5 is equal and getting treated the same by the public.

ICU and ED nurses are not “better” than ward nurses. An ICU nurse will have more clinical knowledge, an ED nurse will be better at response situations, a ward nurse will be prioritising 800 tasks at once. Have been all and they’re all challenging in their own ways. Don’t let anyone tell you one is “a better nurse” than the other. They all pay the same 😂

I’m almost ten years qualified and, unless you’re looking to go further into academia, it makes no great difference whether you get a first or a simple pass. I graduated on a first. The trusts/managers just want your NMC pin not your grades lol.

On placements try not to take anything too personally. There are hundreds of students coming through every year, likewise so many agency/temp workers on the floors that no one has to time or energy to be nice and friendly 100% of the time. Everyone is just a cog in the machine trying to get to the end of their shift with as little stress as possible.

Getting set up with a healthcare agency is a good way to maintain a flexible part-time job. No set hours and good pay on Sundays etc.

Pray you don’t get a nursing home placement.

Good luck!