Thursday 12th May 2016
I didn’t have to get up until 5.27am which is when my alarm was set
for but I woke at 4.45, lay and dozed a while until the Shipping Forecast
pulled me to attention. Think... “what day is it? where do I have to be? by
when?... Hove by 9.00am, 8.30 would be better. That means the 6.39 from Ore,
change at Hastings 6.47 to Brighton. Need to wash hair”. Quickly downstairs,
press boost on the hot water, make a cup of tea, eat crunchy cereal with soya
milk, have a bath/ shower, don’t use the downstairs loo, it’s broken, go
upstairs, my clothes are ready: pinstripe trousers, bought 2003 ish from South
of the River, Crystal Palace.... (clothes used to matter more), black short
sleeve shirt (Matalan, Eastbourne, circa 2010), pink vest underneath (acquired
from sister-in-law?), Tatty Devine bird in a circle necklace from Lorin (circa
2011), dunlop black pumps (Sports Direct, Hastings 2016), denim jacket (New
York, 2010), black lap top bag (free gift from British Association of
Behavioural Cognitive Therapist conference, 2006).
Out the door, walk to Ore station, it’s early, it’s muggy, I love
the walk, just me and my thoughts. The train is there already, it’s 6.31, on I
get, change at Hastings- 6.47 to Brighton. Aaah my memory served me wrong, it’s
to London Victoria, I’ll have to change at Lewes.
Look at Facebook and the other sort of news. Jeremy Hunt lied about
funding the NHS and admits he hadn’t gone ahead with a policy that would
benefit patients because insurance companies/ i.e. business did not buy in.
“Sussex defend the NHS” is launching a campaign to do a mass leaflet litter in
June/ July with posters saying “Fight for the NHS”. I don’t like the word fight
or war at all, I don’t like dichotomy, I like collaboration, words like that
promote division. AAAhhhg the dilemma around being either/ or, I find that
hard.
I start listening to the recording “Mindfulness of thoughts- an
acceptance and commitment therapy technique” through headphones. It’s 20
minutes long, perfect for this journey. I wonder “Am I getting any better at
this and then remember that’s not the point”.
Get off at Lewes, next train to Brighton in 2 minutes, change
recording to “meditations for transformation” by Deepak Chopra. Chopra
accompanies me through Brighton station, platform 8 to platform 1. My train is
waiting 8.23 to Aldrington.
I get off the train, and my bag strap breaks and lap top and bag
nearly fall under the train. A nice guy picks up my dropped phone. I smile
warmly I hope recognising his random act of kindness. I stop at Sainsbury’s,
I’m hungry, I buy sushi, the cashier explains that the sushi is part of a “meal
deal”. I look confused I guess as she then comes out from behind the counter
and takes me to show me other things in the “meal deal” to go with the sushi. I
chose a drink and a yoghurt (the sushi is £3 with or without the drink and
yoghurt, she explains). I buy apples too.
Sally is in the office. She likes to start off the day by telling me
how busy she is. I listen for a long time and ask her to create a spread sheet
of all the tasks that she does, how many hours she spends on each one and how
many hours she would need to be employed to do all she needs to do. It works
out that she would need 86 weeks in the year of working full time to do her
job. I acknowledge how hard she works and think about how to present a coherent
argument for creating a new post to support practice placements for nursing
students.
It’s international nurses day. I stick a sticker on myself that says
“Nurses Day” and eat the Sushi. I go up to the admin office and stick a “Nurses
Day” sticker on everyone I see, this includes the receptionist, database
manager, cleaner, lapsed nurse now employed as manager, e-learning organiser,
the finance guy, the statutory and mandatory learning director. Everyone is
polite about it. I got the stickers from our nurses union, the RCN, they sent
me 50 stickers and 50 flyers advertising insurance (I had only ordered the
stickers). Then... I ask a word wizard colleague to format a preceptorship pack
I wrote and a multi-professional preceptorship policy using the same technique.
I forward the policy to the quality committee to be ratified. This has needed
doing since January, it is now May, we were held up, all sorts of reasons. I
meet with a business manager to find out “How do I get contract sorted out for
Open University students? She doesn’t know either. I wonder who to ask next
about this? It’s the NMC visit next `Wed, they are going to inspect practice
placements. Are we ready? We have 3 placement areas to prepare for the
visit.... things to check on; do we have an up to date mentor list? Do all the
right people know about the visit? Things to check.
And next... Hastings needs support for preceptees (Newly Qualified
Practitioners). I make contact with colleagues in Hastings and put times in the
diary of when to meet.
I walk to the hospital next (it’s a half an hour stroll). First
visit is the acute women’s ward. it is one of the student placement areas that
has been selected for the NMC visit. I meet with the ward manager and a charge
nurse. Things are in good shape. There is a notice board set up for students
and welcome package alongside support for mentors. I can’t remember the NMC
domains off pat.... that irritates me. Next a surprise visit to Crisis
Resolution Home Treatment Team (CRHT), also selected for the NMC visit. It is
very busy, nobody has time to look up from their desks. I see the notice board
is out of date, I ask a nurse about students, he complains that he is kept out
of the loop and doesn’t know anything about what happens at the University. I
make a mental note to increase links with CRHT. And next... I ring the manager
of acute services, recovery and wellbeing, the third placement area selected
for the NMC visit. I mention that the grass needs cutting there, she’s “getting
on to it”.
I walk to Hove station. Two trains are cancelled, the conductors are
on strike. I get on the 18:12 to Brighton and change. The Hastings train has a
fault on it, the recommendation is that I change at Lewes. A lady opposite me
talks to me like she knows me really well. I cannot place her, who is she? She
talks about work stuff. With careful questioning I realise she is a
commissioner. She’s written a helpful booklet for carers going into homes. This
could help me, I am supposed to be an Education Partner for care homes, I could
give them the booklet? I give her my email address because she seems to want to
carry on the conversation. At Lewes we are separated.
I meditate on breath from Lewes to Ore. Lovely. Can’t wait to get
home, I am going to Balinese night at the Stag with my L.
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