Learning
The Graduate Scheme provides an environment where you are always learning. Shortly before leaving my first placement I did the mental health first aid course. This provided a really different way of looking at mental health than that taught on a traditional mental health nursing course. The next week on my flexi placement I did a course on GDPR and safeguarding. The best thing about the graduate scheme is that the training and learning all comes from such a mix of providers and sources giving you a real mix of perspectives.
This year I have a lot of learning ahead, both in the workplace but also our formal training. The General Management trainees are about to start year 2 of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson course and go straight in with the most intense unit of the course. It is a little bit scary but glad we are starting this off with a residential to get us back into the swing of it. I’m also coming to end of my MSc and have one assignment and one systematic review dissertation left which should be finished by the end of the grad scheme. Other streams have continued or started with their postgraduate training and so it is a busy time for everyone heading up until Christmas.
Learning also takes place in the more informal settings and every day in the workplace. My current flexi placement is in a school and that has provided a completely different environment to learn. I’ve learnt just how heavy a teacher’s workload is and the amount of work crammed into a day is intense. It is now only 4 weeks until we move placement again to the final placement which I have in a large hospital. This is likely to a busy and hectic environment during the winter period. There is more learning there with a new induction scheme, new systems and new paperwork!
The next year looks really intense and full of learning. However it is a really exciting period that will certainly keep us all on our toes.
Remember that the grad scheme has now opened for applications again and I am looking forward to doing a talk at Lincoln University about it in a few weeks. It was a really full session and I am looking forward meeting some more eager students.
Any questions please email me on r[email protected] or contact via @HSCRachel – I am happy to help with those last minute questions.