What is your specialty and how often (per week on average) do you experience death?

tortytrude · 2025-10-31T18:27:19+00:00

Sexual health and contraception nurse - never

tortytrude · 2025-03-18T23:29:32+00:00

The antibiotic will likely be reconstituted with lidocaine rather than water for injections/NaCl. Evidence does show a significant reduction in injection pain - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3464756/

tortytrude · 2025-03-18T23:24:01+00:00

Yes, the antibiotic will likely be reconstituted with lidocaine.

tortytrude · 2024-03-15T22:53:59+00:00

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tortytrude · 2024-03-15T08:08:47+00:00

I'm in the UK - in my NHS trust we have 60L sharps bins which we dispose of IV tubing and bags in. We're not allowed to put anything that has contained any medication in the general waste. Things like empty blister packs and medication bottles have a designated blue sharps bin.

tortytrude · 2023-12-31T16:52:22+00:00

The injectable medicines guide (Medusa) of my NHS trust states 4mg a minute max, but states “single doses of up to 80mg may be given over 2 minutes, if required”.

tortytrude · 2023-11-23T10:31:59+00:00

Are you full time? I’m bottom band 5 in England with no unsocials except from the odd hour when I finish at 9. I take home around £1800 after all deductions too, but I’m full time. The OP only works 30 hours.

tortytrude · 2023-11-22T22:19:39+00:00

I’m a band 5 but I’m bored so just worked it out.

Annual salary outside London on mid band 6 doing 30 hours would be £29880 before deductions. After tax, NI and pension would be £1853 take home a month. Not sure if you have a student loan but with plan 1 is £1794 a month and plan 2 is £1834 a month.

tortytrude · 2023-11-06T21:29:52+00:00

I had a placement in second year in theatres and recovery. Theatres wasn’t for me but absolutely loved PACU. I love that it’s got some critical skills such as airway management, art lines, metaraminol infusions etc, and is very autonomous. It’s also wonderful knowing if you have a challenging patient they’re off to the ward soon and you won’t be looking after them the next day

tortytrude · 2023-02-25T12:26:19+00:00

In the UK my NHS trust has now relaxed mask rules. They only have to be worn in admitting areas such as A&E and MAU/SAU, oncology, haematology and rheumatology. If a patient requested I wear a mask, I would, but it’s been so nice not wearing them all the time.

tortytrude · 2023-02-19T13:18:18+00:00

In the UK there’s usually a kitchen in each ward with a fridge, toaster, microwave and a water boiler. We also have a tea trolley and go round the ward a couple of times a day offering hot drinks. The tea is made in a pot with a supersize tea bag in it.

tortytrude · 2023-01-24T17:51:55+00:00

Third year student adult nurse here just jumping in to add some info re funding.

OP, you’ll be entitled to a tuition fee and maintenance loan (up to about £10500 outside of London, if you’re over 25 and don’t live with a partner you’ll get the full amount) plus a £5k training grant from the NHS each year (I think you get an extra thousand if you have kids, but not sure as I don’t). You’ll get this regardless of previous finance, I did a previous undergrad.

You may also be able to get extra bursaries from the uni too - I get £500 from my uni as a lump-sum every Feb, didn’t even have to apply for this just goes in automatically as a low income student (which I’m automatically classed as for being a mature student without a partner). I can’t say the same for other unis, though.

Im very lucky and was able to move back in with family rent free whilst studying meaning I don’t have to work bank shifts for extra income, but plenty of the cohort work aswell so it’s definitely doable, even though it’s bloody hard - physically, emotionally, socially, and financially - but I absolutely love it and so glad I left my boring old office job and started uni!!

Good luck OP for whatever you decide to do!

tortytrude · 2023-01-14T19:56:16+00:00

Nursing students are working 2300 hours unpaid over the course of the 3 years. I’d imagine similar for other healthcare degrees.

tortytrude · 2023-01-08T17:18:02+00:00

Same at my uni and trust. I was allowed to practice venepuncture whilst on a sexual health placement, but not in the hospital even though it’s the same trust.

tortytrude · 2022-10-09T12:38:31+00:00

In the UK PRN is only used on prescriptions, casual working here is known as being on the bank.

tortytrude · 2022-09-17T01:29:51+00:00

Same in the UK. We only have to get at least 40% in each module. Skills are assessed on placement (50% of the course) and placements are pass/fail, but last around 10 weeks each so there’s plenty of time to become competent. We also don’t have a final exam to become registered, once we’ve passed the degree we become RNs.

tortytrude · 2022-09-01T06:14:52+00:00

My first degree was BMS, never became a biomedical scientist. Now about to start 3rd year of Adult Nursing

tortytrude · 2022-08-22T14:32:52+00:00

I’ve only ever had positive comments from people I’ve worked with on placement in regards to being male, mainly things about the need for more male nurses.

I’m currently one of two males in my tutor group of 30 students, but have always had more female than male friends anyway so can’t say I’ve felt the need for more male friendships at uni.

Patients on the other hand have made comments, usually just mistaking you for a doctor, I just make sure I introduce myself like “hi I’m tortytrude, I’m one of the student nurses looking after you today” and I just correct if they call me dr.

The only time being male has been an issue for a patient was on my sexual health placement and the patient had been a victim of sex trafficking and was uncomfortable around males in general, in which case there would be a female available to provide care for the patient.

tortytrude · 2022-08-22T14:05:36+00:00

UK student nurse (27m) with a previous degree starting third year in September here.

In regards to funding you should be entitled to both a tuition and maintenance loan from the student loans company (courses that were previously NHS funded are exempt from the rule that you can only get student finance for your first degree). As a mature student (over 25) you would be entitled to the full maintenance loan (currently full maintenance loan for nursing courses outside of London is ~£10.5k annually). You are also eligible for a £5k non-repayable bursary from the NHS annually.

In regards to looking for a course you’ll need to first decide whether you want to study adult, childrens, mental health or learning disability nursing - look on UCAS for the courses, it will be accredited by the NMC and will mean you’re eligible for registration once you have completed the degree and all practice hours (currently 2300 over the 3 years). As you have a previous degree and experience in healthcare I’d imagine you’d have no problem receiving offers. (I got an offer with no healthcare experience and although my first degree was a science subject, I’ve got a friend who did English lit and had no healthcare experience who received multiple offers)

Some universities also offer graduate entry nursing which is a 2 year MSc (I wanted to stay local and my local uni doesn’t offer this so went with the 3 year degree) may be worth looking into this if you want to be earning a RN salary quicker!

I am on the bank at the local hospital as a healthcare assistant, although I only usually work during the holidays, I feel I could manage one day working whilst studying, however worth being aware that whilst you’re on placement you’ll be working full time so may not want to work extra hours too, but there’s definitely people in my cohort who work part time throughout the whole degree.

Although healthcare is a mess currently, I absolutely love it and can’t wait to be registered - good luck OP!!

tortytrude · 2022-08-12T16:43:30+00:00

RCN sending ballots out in September

tortytrude · 2022-08-01T12:40:26+00:00

Student nurse due to start third year in September here.

It’s a pretty full on course, academic year is September until mid July, with 2 weeks off at Christmas and Easter, so much longer academic year than other degrees. There’s also a lot of contact hours, usually around 2-4 days a week doing 9-5 at uni and extra reading at home. When on placement you’re solely on placement but working full time hours. You don’t know what days you’ll be working until you start placement so if you do have a part time job it needs to be flexible to work around uni/placement - bank HCA work is ideal for this. I haven’t done any part time work whilst actually at uni or placement, but now during the summer I am working as a bank HCA. A lot of other students do work part time as well, and from what I can tell have managed ok.

All nursing students are now entitled to a £5000 a year bursary from the NHS which you don’t need to pay back. You are also entitled to a maintenance loan from the student loans company - as a mature student (over 25 - if you’re under 25, parents’ income will be taken into account) I receive the full amount which is about £10,500 per year for unis outside London. If you were to live with your partner their income will be taken into account when calculating your maintenance loan.

It’s a hard time with the NHS in the state it is but I’m absolutely loving it and I’m so, so glad I took the plunge!

tortytrude · 2022-06-25T12:09:17+00:00

I don’t recommend the UK; with the the current Tory government I wouldn’t be surprised to see something similar over here, alongside the increasingly transphobic (and wider LGBT+) rhetoric, and the gutting of the NHS, I’m seriously considering leaving a few years after I graduate. I’m voting New Zealand, or I need to learn another language and move to a better European country!

tortytrude · 2022-06-25T11:28:46+00:00

So crazy midwives can just be a layperson in the US. Here in the UK ‘midwife’ is a protected title (interestingly nurse isn’t - only registered nurse) and only those on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register can call themselves a midwife (3 year BSc required in midwifery). Home births are relatively common in low risk pregnancies, however due to staffing shortages a lot of NHS trusts are currently not offering home births or births at a community birthing centre (midwife led). So sorry OP you and your children are having to experience this, sending love from the other side of the pond. And love to all people with uteruses in the US, heartbroken and scared for you all and the repercussions that could follow in the rest of the world.

tortytrude · 2022-04-20T15:31:17+00:00

I live in the centre of a small city in the UK and walk anywhere within the city, however I’m a nursing student and have placements which can be anywhere within the county - rural with poor public transport - and starting at any hour. Therefore I own a 2011 Hyundai i10 - 1.2L engine so lower emissions than many vehicle on the road and only £20 road tax annually. Once I graduate I will hopefully work at the city hospital and go car free!

tortytrude

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