Signed but not sealed...

My mentor for this placement has signed me off as being competent. Now all I have to do is have a question and answer session with him and my mentor from the uni and I will have passed the placement. The Q&A is happening on Friday, which is my last day.

I'm relieved, in a way, because I get to go back to doing three days a week at uni. I can start doing more bank shifts and actually make some money. Also, one thing I've found as a student, is that I'm always a little bit on edge. You feel like you are being watched...which of course you are...and it makes it hard to really relax into the job. Because you do treat it like a job, except that you usually get to take your breaks as a student, to make up for not having any for the next 40 years. When you are qualified, you have superiors watching over you in a vague kinda way, but they aren't stood scruitinising you when you pot up medication and they don't have to read all your notes/care plans/reports etc and sign off on them.

But I'll be sad to go, too. I've had both the best and worst days of my nursing career so far in this placement, and the staff - with the exception of the psychotic ward manager, and even she's mellowed slightly - have been fantastic. I've already done my last shifts with a few of them and it's been a bit emotional. I've gotton lots of hugs and been told I'll do well, which is nice. I'll also miss the patients. Some of them in this context, but a lot of them in a good way. I wish every one of them the best.

So, it's not quite over yet, but barring any huge screwups the end is in sight. Then I have one more assignment to hand in, and I'm a third year.

Crap.