Marie Le Lagadec completed her Bachelor of Nursing in 2014. Now working as a Registered Nurse, she takes us through her daily activities. Marie says it’s important to go into nursing with your eyes open and a willingness to learn from your colleagues, even if they are much younger than you.
“Remember to follow best-practice and believe in yourself. If in doubt, ask your manager for clarification.”
The first thing I do when I get to work is…
Sign in! check my patient allocation and ward allocation and the team I’m working with.
The three activities I’m most likely to do in a day are…
There is always medication to give, patients to mobilise to the bathroom, and there is always a wound dressing to change, and endless paperwork.
Something people might not realise I do is…
I spend a lot of time providing patients and their families with emotional support and listening to older people’s life stories.
Somethings I didn’t think I would do as an Registered Nurse are…
Change batteries in wall clocks, set up the Wi-Fi on patient’s computers and organise laundry services for patients.
Something students who are considering being a nurse need to think about is…
Nursing can be a dirty job. It is not beneath you to empty bedpans and change incontinence pads. You also need to be able to improvise and think on your feet. Your well organised plan for the day may not work out.
You are often juggling a dozen tasks at the same time, and it feels like every patient on the ward is buzzing for your attention. Nursing can be challenging, but the emotional rewards are huge.
Something I wish I knew about being a nurse is…
How sore my feet would get. After a few weeks of nursing, I was hobbling. I had arch support inner soles made for my shoes and never looked back.
Get good shoes from the start. It’s well worth the expense!
The best bit about my job is…
The great sense of satisfaction I receive knowing that I’m helping those most in need. Seeing a really sick person walk out of the hospital, healthy after caring for them for a while. I also love the technical challenges, doing a complex wound dressing and getting a cannula in a patient with bad veins.
Our thoughts are with all the nurses around the country working tirelessly during the current COVID-19 pandemic to keep us safe and healthy.
Want to give your advice to incoming students? Alumni can sign up to the 30 Minutes a Month program and complete monthly tasks to earn rewards while assisting future students in preparing for the learning journey ahead.
