Blogs
Julie's Mum invites you into her world caring for her 16 year old daughter who has a serious mental illness. Life as a nursing student with Florence Nursing Tales, and the latest thoughts of Britain's Nurses in the Bulletin.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Perks of the Job – there are some…
The Bulletin |
Our A&E blogger feels like her blogs have been a bit gloomy lately (think death and moaning about NHS politics) so this week she's writing about some of the good things about working in the A&E. For a change.
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21 and Newly Qualified: Eat, Sleep, Breathe, Nurse
The Bulletin |
For Laura every day is International Nurses Day :)
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By @Racheal_RN: So you want to be a...nurse?
The Bulletin |
If anyone can convince you to become a nurse then it is Racheal, here is her story and best tips on the path to nursing success.
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Great Expectations
Florence Nursing Tales |
"She is only a first-year" is no longer a valid get-out-of-jail-card for this second year student.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Death at your elbow
The Bulletin |
Death. Death. Death. Why is it so hard to talk about? Even for seasoned professionals, like our A&E nurse, death is deadly difficult to accept and address.
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So you want to be a...nurse?
The Bulletin |
Find out what made Kayleigh Russell (@NurseKayko) decide to become the first nurse in her family and why she left a busy hospital to work in end of life care.
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21 and Newly Qualified: Oh ye of little faith...
The Bulletin |
Now that Laura is officially a registered nurse, the reality of her new found professional status has hit her like a ton of bricks. Panic and fear are starting to creep in.
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21 and Newly Qualified: A 1000 days
The Bulletin |
Laura is finally a registered nurse. It's taken 1000 days but what weird and wonderful days they have been.
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My Secret Ambition: "To own my own residential home"1
The Bulletin |
When Lisa Marsh daydreams about where her nursing career may take her the first thing that comes to mind is a vision that she has had since she was a young girl. To own her very own residential home.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Is the A&E burned out?
The Bulletin |
"Springtime" break for A&E never showed up and patients keep on getting winter bugs. Add the new 111 initiative that has ambulance crews running around like mad and you have one jam packed emergency department and an A&E team at the brink of melt down.
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So you want to be a... Care Maker?
The Bulletin |
If you are getting itchy to try something new in your career and want to celebrate what is so wonderful about our profession then have a look at the whirlwind of positivity Chloe McCandlish have gotten herself into by becoming a Care Maker.
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A Positive Approach
Florence Nursing Tales |
Flo has had enough of reading/hearing/seeing negative and dour press surrounding the nursing profession. Fresh from her latest placement this student nurse has only positive stories to share.
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21 and Newly Qualified: Frustrations
The Bulletin |
There is nothing more frustrating than being at the mercy of bureaucrats. Especially not when all you want is for them to get a move on and sign your paperwork so that you can start your job as a nurse. This is more than a vent!
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: My Response to the Government Response
The Bulletin |
No funny A&E tales this week. Instead it's a direct response to Mr Hunt* from our front line nurse who has a few things on her mind...
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Sleep sickness1
The Bulletin |
So many people slate working nights, but our A&E nurse loves it. There are less suits around, you get the sleep deprived giggles and you get to go home when everyone else is about to slave away at their desks.
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Bupa Blog: Why I love working with older people!
The Bulletin |
Alla Sirbu grew up in Moldova, she now works as a nurse at the Bupa Kensington Nursing Home where she cares for older people, something she loves doing. Here are her top tips for working with the golden oldies and for achieving fulfillment through work.
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Bupa Blog: nursing in the private sector
The Bulletin |
Think all Bupa nurses do is plumping pillows and making tea? Then think again.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Love is in the A&E
The Bulletin |
Few places in the world see more love in action than A&E...sometimes it's good, sometimes it's sad, sometimes it's violent, and sometimes it's just plain weird.
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Bupa Blog: technology and occupational health
The Bulletin |
What on earth will the future of nursing look like? Find out what Joan Scott, Occupational Health Clinical Lead from Bupa thinks is in store for us all.
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Bupa Blog: How I won a prestigious scholarship to study in the U.S.
The Bulletin |
It was her mother's condition that made Sithembile "Tembi" Chinaire become a Diabetes Specialist Nurse. Now she has been awarded the Florence Nightingale Foundation Travel Scholarship to pursue training at one the world's most important diabetes centres.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Mary Seacole Would Have Been Great in A&E1
The Bulletin |
Who would have been a better A&E nurse, Florence or Mary? Our A&E nurse knows who she would rather have worked side by side with...
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'Twas the Week Before Placement...
Florence Nursing Tales |
Flo is getting ready to tackle her demons and stop being a bit of an emu...you know the ones that run away and hide from things that scare them. It's placement time!
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Slips, trips and hips
The Bulletin |
We all get excited at the sight of snow but the what consequences does this cold and slippery substance have for our A&E nurse?
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Stuck in a Rut
Florence Nursing Tales |
Struggling to find a balance between work life and studies is hard, especially when Come Dine With Me is on...
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Things that will happen in 2013
The Bulletin |
Our A&E blogger is predicting the events of 2013, will she be spot on? We think so...
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Psst... Have You Got Some... Stuff?
Julie's Mum |
For anyone interested in mental health nursing it has been both an emotional roller coaster and a privilege to read Julie's Mum's blog. This will be her last installment for a while and she is in a reflective mood...
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Midpoint Musings
Florence Nursing Tales |
Mid-way through her nursing degree Flo is far from having the infamous Second Year blues.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Cheery Cynical Christmas to you?
The Bulletin |
This year our A&E blogger was working both Christmas and New Year's Eve. As everyone who works in the emergency services know, the real Christmas is often the very opposite to a cheesy American children’s film.
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Mr Grumpy
Julie's Mum |
What does an office maintenance man and a consultant have in common?
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Making Decisions
Julie's Mum |
These days Julie attends school most days for a few hours and then comes home again. The rest of her time she divides between hospital and home
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Things to Be Grateful For
Julie's Mum |
Julie has become very literal: it has always been something I was aware of, but it has become a lot more marked recently.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Doctors & Nurses
The Bulletin |
Doctors and nurses aren't that different really, are they?
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A Bit Like Shackleton But Without the Heroics (Or the Penguins)
Julie's Mum |
A sense of 'reckless optimism' is required when Julie's condition lapses back to the limbo of last winter.
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And it's all too familiar...
Julie's Mum |
"Julie's younger brother Duncan is depressed. I hesitate to admit to this because frankly it makes me feel like a fool. To have one child seeking psychiatric help is a misfortune, but to have two children..."
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Half Term
Julie's Mum |
Half term for Julie take more planning than most, but when it's right it's really works.
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All Work and No Play
Florence Nursing Tales |
Second year blues are biting.
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Making Plans
Julie's Mum |
Many mundane things are different for those with a mental illness - filling in forms for instance.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: Citronella
The Bulletin |
The smell of citronella can mask many thing, but a keen sense of smell is really isn't an advantage in A&E.
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The Things You Leave Behind
Julie's Mum |
Caring for a child with a serious mental illness takes its toll on the family.
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Nurse Coaches: I'm dreading going back3
The Bulletin |
The transition from student to nurse can be daunting but there are practical steps you can take to help.
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Dr Jesus
The Bulletin |
Why is it that doctors go by their title, everyone else, nurses included, are on first name terms?
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Nurse Coaches: I'm being pushed to the limit
The Bulletin |
Newly qualified and in at the deep-end. This calls for the Nurse Coaches.
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What is a nurse?
The Bulletin |
"What is a nurse?" It sounds like the answer is obvious. But, is it?
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Second Year Fear1
Florence Nursing Tales |
"The second year is the hardest by far" they say. Flo is starting to agree...
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E:- Frequent Fliers
The Bulletin |
Dealing with A&E's frequent fliers is an often frustrating but important part of life as an A&E nurse.
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Nurse Coaches: I've lost my passion for nursing
The Bulletin |
We all need a little help from time to time, which is just what our Nurse Coaches are for. They put their considerable nursing experience to good use, offering sound adivce for your dilemmas.
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The Days Go By
Julie's Mum |
Julie is considering options for sixth form college. Her mum is considering the difference having people to help has made.
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Maths Equipment
Julie's Mum |
You might think there is nothing unsafe about a basic pencil sharpener, but if you have a self-harming teenager in the house it is one little item that can cause a lot of damage.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: How to make a mistake
The Bulletin |
Making a mistake a nurse carries high stakes. But what can you do about it?
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CAT: You Gotta Have a Map
Julie's Mum |
Julie has been trying Cognitive Analytic Therapy and it's producing great results!
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Student Diaries - Beginnings and endings
The Bulletin |
With just one term to go, Laura looks back on her time as a student nurse.
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The last week as a student nurse
The Bulletin |
Swapping the white uniform for the blue brings a mix of emotions!
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September
Julie's Mum |
The move from child to adult services is off to a calm, autumnal start. Can it last?
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Who nurses the nurses?
The Bulletin |
Curious to find out more about the current health state of her fellow nurses, Helena Waite-Shores decided to take action and quiz the nurses at her own hospital. This is what she found out.
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Back to School
Julie's Mum |
It's that time of year again - back to school, but for Julie's borther, Duncan, it's also a trying time.
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How I leaned to stop worrying and love London
The Bulletin |
What do moving to a new city, badly lit streets tell us about studying nursing?
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Who is in Control?
Julie's Mum |
The meetings about Julie begin, and the issue of self-control soon emerges.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: 24 Hour Party People
The Bulletin |
Where do nights out gone wrong end? In A&E.
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The Curse of Meetings
Julie's Mum |
A week of meetings about Julie is planned, but what it likely to be the outcome?
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Why I chose nursing. Or did nursing choose me?2
The Bulletin |
Do you remember your calling? For Amy, an English student, nursing was not the obvious choice of career, but it was it soon became clear it was really the only choice that made sense for her.
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Placement Perils
Florence Nursing Tales |
The 6 deadly pitfalls of nursing placements. But Flo can't wait to get back out there.
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The shark in the swimming pool
Julie's Mum |
Vampires, sharks, exploding shower heads is very much part of Julie's reality when she is unwell. Find out how her mum is coping with the nightmare visions.
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What a difference 365 days make
Florence Nursing Tales |
Our student blogger looks back on her first year of nursing training and is amazed at what she has accomplished in only one year.
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The value of having a chat2
The Bulletin |
Social media opens up exciting opportunities for nurses, but at it's heart it's like the old days of chatting in the staff canteen.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: The very worst queue of all1
The Bulletin |
That the corridor has become a place where many unfortunate people wait on stretchers because there is no room for them to come into the A&E is making our A&E nurse blogger very unhappy, especially with Mr David Cameron.
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Mrs. Rochester claims DLA (with apologies to Charlotte Bronte)
Julie's Mum |
The joys of applying for Disabilities Living Allowance as seen through the eyes of a Charlotte Bronte's Mrs Rochester.
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Improvement
Julie's Mum |
Julie's holiday seems to have worked and her confidence is starting to recover.
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Student Diaries - Spare time
The Bulletin |
With uni over, there's suddenly so much time to fill...
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Nurse Coaches to the rescue
The Bulletin |
Exams are looming and you're not ready... it the stuff bad dreams are made of! But our Nurse Coaches can help.
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Student Diaries - The Big Presentation
The Bulletin |
Being a patient, the big presentation, payday - and of course, the Olympic opening ceremony.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: The Wait
The Bulletin |
All human life can be seen in the A&E waiting room. Hundreds of people all with a story.
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What is the collective noun for a group of nurses?
The Bulletin |
A whole new vocabulary has sprung up around Twitter. Here are some of the terms the nursing community are using.
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That Old Familiar Dance
Julie's Mum |
Just planning a family holiday becomes almost impossible as Julie's condition is looking precarious.
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Student Diaries - Pulling an All-nighter
The Bulletin |
The week starts and finishes with early hours finishes for Laura.
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Student Diaries - Post-holiday blues
The Bulletin |
You know the feeling. Back from the holiday, but not quite back in mind and body. Laura has a dose of the post-holiday blues... and an essay deadline.
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A Tough Test
Julie's Mum |
It's been a bad week with Julie overdosing twice.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: People, every day
The Bulletin |
Working in A&E means you will often see people at their worst. But how bad is that?
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Student Diaries - The pre-holiday rush
The Bulletin |
It's the last week on placement for Laura and much to do before she heads off for a week in the sun.
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Student Diaries - Revision Time
The Bulletin |
The pressure is on as exams are looming.
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Work Experience
Julie's Mum |
Work experience with the travel, unfamiliar situation and independence throws up several challenges for Julie. But it turns out it's something she is actually thriving on.
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It's like riding a bike
Julie's Mum |
Julie continues to make progress, but there's a new challenge approaching: work experience.
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Code Chaos - Tales from A&E: 37.5 Hours in A&E
The Bulletin |
Life in a busy A&E department is anything but dull.
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Music Therapy
Julie's Mum |
Julie has gone back to music, a huge boost to her and her music-loving family.
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Can I do this? Yes I can!
Julie's Mum |
Julie's Mum takes part in a video interview to help find ways to improve CAMS care.
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Student Diaries - Week Six
The Bulletin |
Laura wonders whether she is too emotional to be a nurse, and a new arrival in the family for Ali.
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Student Diaries - Week Five
The Bulletin |
It's another birthday, and with exams looming revision is very much on the agenda. The perils of CSI, and inspections from the CCQ!
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Yes Please. But Please Don't Push
Julie's Mum |
Outreach support is supposed to ease the transition to day patient but it is not without its stresses and problems.
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Julie's Awfully Big Adventure
Julie's Mum |
Julie and her mum head to London to explore the National Gallery and beyond.
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Student Diaries - Week Four
The Bulletin |
Mixed fortunes this week, as Laura has to deal with the death of a patient, while it's birthday time for Ali.
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My Everyday Nursing Heroes
The Bulletin |
A special guest post from Teresa Chinn who tells us why the word everyday nursing heroes break the definition of the word 'hero'.
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Student Diaries - Week Three
The Bulletin |
It's placement time for Laura who is thrown straight in at the deep end at A&E and Ali is considering converting to midwifery.
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Can I do this?1
Julie's Mum |
Can inviting families into a hospital, and listening to what they want, really make a difference? Maybe, but for Julie's Mum, it needs a change in attitude from the staff too.
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Student Diaries - Week Two
The Bulletin |
Another packed week of studying, essays, placements and interviews. And Westlife.
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Off to camp
Julie's Mum |
Her son's scout trip brings back memories of leaving Julie on a hospital ward for the first time for Julie's Mum.
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Know it all
Florence Nursing Tales |
How Youtube and colouring books can help students to stay on top of the masses of information a nursing degree throws at them.
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Calmer Waters
Julie's Mum |
Two warm days, and Julie's mood is sunny too. She has survived another week of being a day patient at the hospital...
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Student Diaries - Week One1
The Bulletin |
Follow the busy lives of our student diarists as they deal with the ups and downs of life as student nurses.
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Life as a Day Patient
Julie's Mum |
Adapting to life as an day patient is having a impact not just on Julie, but on her Mum too.
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A difficult relationship
Julie's Mum |
A difficult relationship at school is proving hard for Julie to escape.
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Out on License
Julie's Mum |
Julie has come home, but not in the way that she came home last autumn. The family has stood in this spot many times before, on the threshold of a new regime.
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Voluntary work
Julie's Mum |
Voluntary work is providing Julie with a chance to take on responsibility.
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Educating Julie
Julie's Mum |
Exams time for Julie brings extra stress, but also an A*...
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A Spring Picnic
Julie's Mum |
To celebrate the last day of the Easter holidays, Julie's hospital unit arranged an outing and invited families to join in.
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Firm Pressure
Julie's Mum |
Being a mum to a child with very special needs and navigating the complexities of hospital rules is very much like being at the bow of a very unpredictable rowing crew.
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Taking a Break
Julie's Mum |
Paris without a mobile phone was just what I needed.
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A Tale of Two Walks
Julie's Mum |
Mindful walking and tears in the sunshine
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News from the Hospital2
Julie's Mum |
A phone call from the hospital late at night...
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Fine Spring Weather and Hospital Meetings
Julie's Mum |
In the search for a diagnosis and the right medication Julie's mum wonders if too many psychiatrists spoil the broth?
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A present for Mother's Day2
Julie's Mum |
Julie spends time at home, but has a parting gift for Mother's Day
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Jumping out of the plane
Julie's Mum |
It's been a little while since we last heard from Julie's mum. What's been happening?
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It’s your site…
The Bulletin |
Britain’s Nurses wants to hear from you.
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Pensions are so last year
The Bulletin |
We need to start thinking about whether we still want to be nursing when we are 68 years old.
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Britain's Nurses steps out at Sharing Innovations1
The Bulletin |
We had a great time at the Sharing Innovations conference, and even met some RAF nurses.
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Finally...
The Bulletin |
Britain's Nurses is off and running. Thanks for coming by...
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You know you're a nurse when...3
Florence Nursing Tales |
Over-friendly fellow commuters, acronym dependency and more of the tell tale signs that you've become a nurse.
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Wug1
Julie's Mum |
What is "wug" you ask? "Wug", gentle reader, is the sound a parent makes when they come back to earth with a bump. One of the pitfalls of parenting a child with mental illness is that you start to identify with the outcome.
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Meet Julie's Mum
Julie's Mum |
Get the inside story on life as the mother and carer of a 16-year-old with a serious mental illness.
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Work life balance
The Bulletin |
There is a lot of guff written about work/life balance, but nurses know how to make it work. You can chose from earlies, or lates or nights - any of which give you time off when the rest of the world are at work.
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Time flies
Florence Nursing Tales |
I've been such a busy bee of late. Between lectures, seminars, tutorials, studying, flat sitting, building wardrobes, and hand-washing laundry, things have gotten a bit hectic!
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Let's Start From the Beginning...2
Florence Nursing Tales |
First of all allow me to introduce myself, dear readers. My name, or rather my online pseudonym, is Florence Nursingtales. I am an adult-branch, first-year student nurse, whose journey to becoming a qualified nurse started just under two years ago.
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A masterclass in relaxation
Julie's Mum |
As soon as half term began, Julie and I set off for our "spa day". It was Julie's first experience of anything like a sauna, and she embraced it enthusiastically.
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Am I her mother or her carer?
Julie's Mum |
Over the last few months, there has been a gradual shift in the way I think about myself. Even six months ago I thought there was something preposterous in calling myself a carer. I was her Mum...
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Who are you?
The Bulletin |
Have you noticed that no one introduces themselves in hospitals anymore? "I'm just going to take your blood pressure" is about as close as you get.
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Things I like about living with teenagers
Julie's Mum |
Plan B, minimalism, the joys of text punctuation, and a touch of sadism: there's a lot to like about sharing your home with teenagers.
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The eye of a needle
Julie's Mum |
One of the things that Julie finds difficult at the moment is threading a needle. The medication gives her hands a fine tremor that make it almost impossible to line up the thread accurately with the eye.
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My first clinical placement
Florence Nursing Tales |
The transition from being a thus far purely-academic student nurse to being an oh-my-god-they’re-trusting-me-to-go-out-into-practice-and-look-after-real-people-with-real-ailments student nurse can be difficult to say the least!
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Looking good
Julie's Mum |
When there has been a gradual change over time, it is not always easy to see the whole picture. It is only when you stop and look back that you realise how high you have climbed.
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No such thing as Just a Nurse
The Bulletin |
I was on the bus last week and a potential student nurse sitting behind me was getting some advice on her career. They didn't talk about what type of nursing she should do - it was as if 'nursing' was one glutinous blob of a job.
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Flo's New Year's resolutions
Florence Nursing Tales |
New year, new career for Flo. The resolutions of a student nurse...
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Week One
Florence Nursing Tales |
So I have come to the end of my first week as a student nurse, and in all honesty, it’s been somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster. Yet more forms to be signed, guidelines handed out, PCTs allocated, and of course new friendships were forged.