Did the Novelty Wear Off?
Why did it take me this long to write my first blog post this year? It's not that the novelty wore off, it's that I have been busier this year and have been doing more... and thinking. That is the best way I can put it.
The first time you visit a place, there are no true expectations, right? This includes expectations surrounding the first time you teach a class, the first time you visit Cleveland Clinic London, etc. I know there is much to be learned from the internet, but still, no real, expectations. This year I hd expectations. And they have been met and exceeded. Since there is so much to report, to get caught up I'll have to make a few posts today and a few posts tomorrow (hopefully).
Travel
This time I traveled by day instead of overnight. I highly recommend it when traveling by day that you leave very early (I had a 6 AM flight) and force yourself to stay awake on the plane. It really helped get me on track. I refilled the oyster (travel) cards, hopped on the train, and was checked into my flat by 10:30 PM local time.
Day One - Picking the Students Up
For the size of the group (6vGraduate students, 13 traditional nursing students, and one accelerated student), I have to say that getting them to the hotel, and checked in, was not as cumbersome as I thought it was going to be. Now, if you asked the students, they may give you a different answer. Especially because some of them do not have my gift of being able to sleep on planes
We discussed expectations for the week and then set out exploring.
Then, I personally wanted to get a run-in. It's a great way to explore and do a windshield survey – which the students will be doing all week. London has runners EVERYWHERE. I don't think I've ever been out and about without seeing quite a few.
The American Expat
While at Camden, I passed a store for Crisis London, a charity shop, raising money for rough sleeping Londoners. I walked around for another hour, observing and shopping, but for some reason was drawn back to the store.
When at the checkout was my singular butterfly scarf, I recognized that the woman ringing me up, did not have an English accent. Turns out, she is from California. Without me telling her about the purpose of my trip, she was very candid and sharing her battles with multiple sclerosis, and that she was paying thousands less per year for her care and for a better quality of life here in the UK in comparison to back home. There are stories about wait times and long lines within the NHS, but this has not affected her in the least.
She was volunteering alongside of very proud, clinical nurse specialist, and we spoke about the differences and similarities and nursing between our systems. While regulations for advanced practice nursing need to be implemented in the UK to standardize the scope of practice, I could hear the immense sense of pride and heart in the work that she does. Many nurses in the UK will volunteer their time, even after working long hours in their hospitals. Hence, this is how I met her at the Crisis London shop, where most of the workers are volunteers.
This brings me to day two lectures and discussion with the students.
Lectures at Morehouse School
I didn't know it when I booked the classroom, but Morehouse School is in Knightsbridge - the wealthiest neighborhood in London. And you could tell the walk to the school had an entirely different vibe as if you could feel the privilege. The interior of the school reminded some of us of Harry Potter, with loads of stairs, nooks, and crannies and tight, twists and turns.
especially with Totoro and Florence (if you know you know!).
Just like last year, Dr. Good and I lectured on the UK's education
system and pathway to nursing respectively. This year the lectures led to a robust discussion of nursing workforce culture. We talked about the average length of time in RN spends at the bedside (around three years) and the fact that in many of the undergraduate, clinical rotations, students are hearing from bedside nurses to not enter the profession at all. This is completely different from when I was in school. We all understood how hard it would be, but at no point did any nurse try to dissuade any of us from entering the field.
On a final note for the day of lecturing, the take away from the students' conversations is that they are well aware of the journey they are starting and the difficult yet rewarding road ahead. They are committed to making a difference in not just patients' lives, but in the workforce itself. We need to have a better bedside culture that leads to better policy, and whenever it is necessary, we need policies that lead to a better bedside culture. The students certainly seem to grasp these concepts well.
After the lectures, the jet lags snagged a few of us (it kind of feels like a mini flu), so it was off to bed to prepare for the next two days.
