university specific - cardiff Flashcards
tell us about one of the character traits that you believe is essential in nursing
I think there is a range of character traits that are essential in nursing mainly as they contribute to the well-being of patients and the effectiveness of the healthcare system. I believe that care and compassion are very important in nursing as compassionate care recognises that patients are individuals with unique needs. It encourages nurses to see beyond the physical symptoms and treat the whole person, considering their emotional social and mental needs as well which can allow an environment of trust to be built with their patients. Trust is a crucial component of the nurse-patient relationship as it enables patients to feel safe and confident in the care they are receiving. I have not only witnessed these traits being used during my time volunteering and on work experience but I’ve also displayed these traits myself during work and volunteering.
what are you most looking forward to about being a nurse
Delivering care for and building a meaningful relationship with patients is a very prominent aspect of nursing and I look forward to that the most. Its an opportunity for me to help people whilst they’re the most vulnerable and so far it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience when I’ve done this in volunteering. ….
importance of resilience and where i’ve used it
Resilience is an incredibly important skill to have in nursing as it allows us to cope with and recover from difficult situations in the workplace. I’ve used this in many scenarios and it has helped me adapt and grow stronger through adversity. For example, during year 13, it is very common to be managing a heavy workload during exams, or juggling multiple responsibilities which demonstrates resilience
importance of work-life balance
work life balance is essential for thriving in both professional and personal life. Ensuring this balance is maintained, prevents burnout which can result from prolonged periods of stress or overwork
challenges the role can present as both a qualified nurse and student-level practitioner
understaffing + overworking. Both can work long irregular hours and especially student-level practitioners; it can be difficult to adapt to shift work and physical demands
what is the health and care professions council
protect the public by regulating 15 health and care professions in the UK. By law people must be registered with them to work in the UK in any of their listed professions
NMC code
The Code presents the professional standards that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must uphold in order to be registered to practise in the UK. Structured around 4 themes – prioritise people; which means to put the interests of people needing care first, practice effectively; assess need and deliver or advise on treatment without too much delay , preserve safety; make sure the patient and public safety is not affected and promote professionalism and trust; you uphold the reputation of your profession at all times. It is against the law to practice as a nurse or midwife in the UK if you’re not on the relevant part of their register. The code sets out common standards of conduct and behaviour for those on the register. It provides a clear, consistent and a positive message to patients, service users and colleagues about what they can expect of those who provide nursing or midwifery care.
can you tell us about a time that you had to work in a team in a high-pressure situation?
During my time as a customer retail assistant, we had a particularly stressful situation during the summer holidays. The store was packed with customers causing massive lines at the checkouts and suddenly, the self checkouts stopped working. With customers getting frustrated, we had to redirect them to the manned tills but there was a long line of people. While the managers contacted the IT support team to resolve the issue, some colleagues and I worked on bringing down the queue by working on the manned tills and explaining the situation politely to customers. Despite the chaos, we communicated clearly with each other about what we needed to do and kept our composure until the technology worked again. This experience taught me about how to stay calm under pressure and the importance of teamwork and effective communication. Being able to work under high pressure situations is important in nursing especially in medical emergencies or a sudden change in a patient’s condition as it can lead to timely interventions which can save lives and improve patient outcomes
what experiences can you tell us about what made you want to be a nurse
improv
opinion on euthanasia
highly debated topic – doctors have a duty to relieve suffering and respect a patient’s autonomy and give them the option to die with dignity. For patients enduring extreme pain or suffering due to terminal illnesses, euthansia can be seen as an act of compassion, providing relief from the agony. It also allows individuals to maintain control over the manner and timing of their death allowing them to die peacefully and with dignity. However, in the case of non-voluntary euthanasia, there is no guarantee that the person who is giving consent for euthanasia has the best interests of the patient in mind, so it is risky in that sense . Another argument against euthanasia is the belief that life is sacred and should not be intentionally ended and many religions hold this perspective. As a healthcare professional, ethical reflection and respect for patient autonomy, alongside a commitment to compassion and care, remain crucial in navigating this difficult issue. I am aware that recently, our MPs have backed the assisted dying bill which proposes giving terminally ill people the right to choose to end their life. There is an eligibility criteria in order to end someone’s life e.g they have to have the mental capacity to make the choice and eb expected to die within six months etc. but under the proposals, a patient would then have to wait 14 days after the High Court judge rules their request, which allows them to have a period of reflection and the doctors would dose the drug but they’d administer it themselves.
what is the most challenging aspect of the curriculum
as excited as i am for the clinical placement, i believe that it’s the most challenging aspect of the curriculum. nursing involves dealing with patients in distressing situations, potentially leading to emotional strain. developing the emotional resilience to cope with such realities can be a significant challenge. adapting to different specialties and teams can be both challenging and rewarding. in addition, adapting to the long demanding hours of nursing can be a challenge and will take time to transition into. nevertheless, nursing is an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding experience
