Being on placement:
the placement jitters
For me, placements are source of excitement and trepidation.
This strange combination means that at around two weeks before placement I
start to feel a little on edge (cue the ‘turning up for exams without doing any
revision/going to Alton Towers in my pyjamas’ dreams). This build-up of
butterflies usually leads to me saying something daft within the first 10
minutes to my educator. Why am I like this? A question I often ask myself. I
think that it’s because I treat every placement as a potential employer, a 1-10
week-long job interview testing my practical skills, knowledge and clinical
reasoning. It’s a bit like being on the Apprentice but with bottle-green
trousers. When I finish university, I could be applying for a job at that workplace,
so as well as passing my placement, I want them to have a positive impression
of me. So, if you feel the anxiety rise
as placement creeps ever forward on your timetable. I hereby order that you give
yourself a break and let me pass on some things I’ve learned to help you along
the way.
Make yourself useful.
I thought that educators get extra time to supervise
students; I was surprised to find out that this is not always the case. So educators
may have a full caseload AND have to find time to make sure students under
their charge have learning opportunities and supervision. I feel that if
educators are sacrificing their time to help me learn then I should try and pay
it back by trying to lighten the load for them. Basic things like answering the
phone, taking messages, tidying up after a group, writing in medical notes and
even the old favourite of making a cup of tea for staff (if not on the ward) or
brewing up for patients (say, in groups) have gone down well in my experience. I have had feedback that the use of
initiative is always welcome (i.e. doing something without being asked). A note
of caution here; that what you can do will depend on your placement so always
check with your educator first. In my last placement there was a regular
routine each morning such as cleaning, setting up the equipment and getting patient
notes out for the day. I used to get in early to miss the traffic, so I used to
do the morning routine when I first got in.
Go easy on yourself
Whether it’s initial interviews, mini-mental state
inventories, or group works, you are not going to be a superstar at something
straight away. Go easy on yourself, it takes practise. It’s important to
remember that the Oxford
dictionary (2013) defines practise as a “repeated
exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain
proficiency in it”. If you’re finding something difficult, keep trying, it
will get better. It’s when you give up that you don’t improve. If you were
amazing at something straight away, I would probably label it ‘talent’ and call
Simon Cowell immediately.
People skills.
Placement can be an overwhelming experience and I have heard
of students, through the pressure, being nervous about talking to clients in
case they say the wrong thing or worry that they won’t be able to answer client’s
questions. In less than three years time, I will be seeing clients every day,
so I use placement as the time to practice my interpersonal skills. I found
that if I have developed a rapport with the client, then they are forgiving if
something doesn’t go quite according to plan (common comments I have heard from
patients are: “it’s alright love, you’ve
got to start somewhere”, “you’re doing fine!” and “don’t
worry, we’ve all been there”. If I am unsure where to start I have found if
I introduce myself, smile, make eye contact, am able to explain to the client
the purpose of the intervention, actively listen and am polite that everything
else seems to come naturally. Remember that patients may feel more apprehensive
about their appointment than you so anything that can put them at their ease is
helpful.
You will be tired!
Even if you are just observing, placement is emotionally and
physically draining. So be prepared! Look after yourself, try and get a decent
night sleep. Exercise can be a good way of re-energising and shaking away any
tension. Make your mornings easy, you don’t need anything else getting you into
a flap. Have your uniform (or work gear)
all pressed and ready to go, car filled with petrol, lunch packed and some good
music for the journey to placement to put you in the right frame of mind.
And finally, make the most of it, learn as much as you can
and build some good contacts. I hope it goes well for you.
If you want to read more you can vist my blog TheOTProcess and also Charlotte's blog who diarises her daily experiences of
her 3rd year OT Erasmus placement. It's a really good account of how it
feels during placement and I certainly respect anyone getting their work
experience through ERASMUS (I thought normal ones are scary enough!)
What are your top placement tips?
