Visiting hours – care for the elderly

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/26/elderly-care-visiting-hours?newsfeed=true

Right off the back of my other post on mixed sex wards this seems rather personal, but is something I’ve had a passion for since I started volunteering.

I’ve always thought that visiting hours were to restricting and having been an inpatient (or inmate as I felt) I used to count down the minutes until visiting started again so I could see my family. Which brings me onto my first point,

1)Aslong as those without family are not neglected then I don’t see how this cannot benefits everyone as If a relative is looking after X it gives nurses more time to spend with Y

2)As for disturbing the patient, nurse should be educated on reasonable ways to discourage visitors or ask them to leave if the patient is obviously becoming tired or distressed.

3)Its being said that relatives are untrained which is true and therefore the tasks which they are being asked to do need to be limited, for example I would be happy to do any personnal care for my relatives, including bathing etc however some people wouldn’t and if the relative is not comfortable with what is required they need to be able to communicate this easily and not be forced into doing the task.

4)The type of hospital stay and length is also crucial, when I was in as a day patient my boyfriend was not allowed to remain on the ward with me which I found shocking (wisdom tooth removal) and think is an ideal opportunity for this new policy i,e relatives can keep a hold of clothes etc or in my case mash up the food so I could get out of there. However for a patient in long term it would be unreasonable to expect a relative to help at every meal time.

All in all I think the idea is a step in the right direction with people taking more responsibility for the people the love however the finer details need setting before it is rolled out in order to protect the most important people in the NHS – THE PATIENTS

Whats in your bag - university

Seen a few of these lately and with all the new people going to uni for the first time (wish it was me) I thought id do one as a science student.

First credit to the bag that holds all this shit - A classic Miss Sixty
Personalised laboratory coat, Angel Perfume, Charlie red body spray, Purse, pink lecture notebook, white laboratory notebook, HTC desire, Hair brush, Pencil case, Calculator, Magazine, Diary, Car Keys

What does everyone else carry round at Uni

Fuschia Fever

Ive always been a cheapest nail polish in the colour I want will do girl. However bright pink has always been my colour so when I set eyes on this I just had to have it.

Revlon Nail Enamel in Fuschia Fever, glides on better than my Dior red and stay put for days (Excuse the wear, until today I worked in a hospital lab).



On to other news and ive got a job working as a bank PTA for a private ambulance firm whoot whoot

Something a little bit medical – Its personal statement time again

Single sex hospital wards – yey or ney

This seems to be in the news more and more lately, while being something I strongly oppose. Yes they have their benefits of preserving a person dignity however not only do they cost more and often leave patients with the same conditions on different wards making life difficult for junior doctors the question I always ask is “What about husband and wife trauma injuries.”

Before I meet the one this was something that I didn’t even think about however now he is the only one I think about. If heaven forbid we were both ever to be hospitalised I would want to be with him every step of the way and if that meant some male looking at my privates so be it hell they are only body parts. Also when discussing this with some friends who have had children their husbands/partners were not allowed to stay over nigh after they have given birth something that shocked and saddened me greatly, while leaving me questioning is this also due to male/female split. It’s also something that would make me consider a more risky home birth.

What’s your thoughts opinion on this?

21st Birthday

Quick upload of some of the best shots from my birthday

Cakes which turned out to be the most popular part of my party





Georgous Boyfriend blowing up all the balloons




Pressent off my parents





The mandatory sash for a northern girl



Attack on the front door

It doesnt feel like 3 years ago

Three years ago today I had my place at Sunderland confirmed, having missed my med offer it was a sorrow time and tbh i didn’t really want to go to Sunderland.

However three years later im having the time of my life, have meet the guy that hopefully will one day be my husband. Looking back I wasn’t mature enough to start medicine at 18 (I was 18 3days before results) now 3years later im in a much better position to apply and no that hell yes it’s defiantly for me.

Congrats to all those off to medical school, to those that didn’t quite make it good luck this year and if your off for another degree then enjoy it. I know i will be enjoying my final year at Sunderland.

Final choices 2012 application - the final shot

I thought id blog a little bit about why I have chosen the uni’s I have to apply to next year/this year

Newcastle

This is and always will be my 1^st choice, mainly because I’m a Northern lass with both a family and a boyfriend up here. My mam has had 3 strokes, granddad 2 MI’s and nana a brain haemorrhage and although they are all perfectly fine (Thank god) I would hate to think that I was hundreds of miles away and something happened.

However Newcastle offers something all the other uni’s on my list don’t and that a chance to study in and with the people of the region I hope to one day work for. You see the North East has a very diverse and different population to alot of areas due to the both the ethnic mix and deprivation of some areas, I personally think studying in this area would provide a great foundation for a career up here.

Southampton

Low UKCAT cut off is a major factor along with early clinical contact. UKCAT will never ever be my strength however I have quite alot of experience i can write about in my personal statement.

Warwick

Like the course structure, again a very diverse area like Newcastle, large course so my UKCAT should be ok for them

Imperial

Heard great things and would love to live in London

PLACEMENT YEAR

Is nearly over and it has been great...............did i just say that shock, in all honesty it has had its boring bit however overall I’ve learnt so much not just about biomed but also about myself and am so glad I cocked up UKCAT or I would never have had a chance to do it.