To celebrate International Nurses Day we are showcasing nurses and the incredible work they do, especially after COVID. Othman Alothaim speaks about what made him want to study nursing and his experience whilst on placement.
Before I started studying nursing, there are a couple of things attracted that me to this major. Firstly, I’ll be dealing with a number of different conditions unlike other medical subjects like radiotherapy. Dealing with many aspects of patient care will allow me to enjoy the variety in the routine. Secondly, I found it challenging which means not everybody can cope with long shifts and the different mentality of each patient. Those aspects made being a nurse so interesting to me.
Once I had my first placement, it was quite difficult for me to be familiar with the ward routine as well as having to adapt my sleep patterns when I did night shifts. However, all of which have been easy over time and the main thing that made me go through those obstacles is making a difference in people’s life. I can’t deny that my first days as a student nurse were very challenging, but once I delivered the care along with other health care professionals, and notice that the patient’s condition is progressing, all that tiredness vanished! What’s really appealing to me is the more you have been through, the more experienced and knowledgeable you become. In my opinion, the key in nursing is that even if you spend a good number of years being a nurse in a particular ward, you won’t be able to be 100% knowledgeable about everything related to the career. As soon as you have moved to another ward, you’ll definitely find new things and roles to do."