Programme Notes - Working Week

Programme Notes
Careers - Work it
Working Week
Programme 2
Emergency Nurse

Aims:

To give a realistic idea of the working life and career opportunities of an emergency nurse, including:

the range of work, from assessment to resuscitation
the various tests for career advancement
shift work
the talents, skills and personality required
emotional and stressful aspects of the work
the hospital environment.

To raise issues of self-development in the workplace and career management, including:

coping with irregular hours and shifts
managing stressful situations
being aware of financial factors
behaving professionally with members of the public
avoiding value judgements
taking criticism / guidance from superiors
working with colleagues
understanding short, medium and long-term career options.

Synopsis:

00.00-01.09
Introduction. Debbie's background, goals.

01.10-07.17
Monday
Description of Emergency Department, 'Triage' and 'Resus'. Preparing for Triage exam. Talks about training.
Senior nurse deals with Resus case, patient dies. Talks about stress, seeing people in pain, dying.

07 18 - 11 04
Tuesday
Triage exam. Debbie marked down for not offering painkillers. After assessing 15 patients, she passes.
Evening relaxing with friends. Talking about shift work.

11.05-15.14
Friday
Debbie's first day in charge of Triage. Talks about relationship to doctors, career options, shifts.

15.15-16.42
Night out with boyfriend. She works shifts, he's on regular hours.

16.43-24.03
Saturday
Night shift. Dealing with an alcoholic. Nurses need to be empathetic.
Debbie called to Resus - drug overdose patient. Working with Resus team, Debbie very nervous. She struggles but gets help.
4am. New Resus case. Successful treatment, patient discharged.

Credits

Curriculum Relevance:

England & Wales
This programme is focused on Careers Education and Guidance, but could be used in aspects of PSHE and Citizenship curricula, for KS4 and post-16.

It is appropriate in terms of the national framework of CEG for 11–19 and the recent emphasis on learning through work, as a preparation for work experience and as a ‘TV experience’ of the working environment, with respect to specific learning outcomes of self-development, career exploration, and career management.

Northern Ireland
The series focuses on Careers Education and Guidance. It will also be useful for courses at KS3 and KS4 dealing with Learning for Life and Work, including Education for Employability, Local and Global Citizenship and Personal Development (including PSHE and Home Economics).

It is appropriate in terms of the national framework of CEG for 11–19 and the recent emphasis on learning through work, as a preparation for work experience and as a 'TV experience' of the working environment, with respect to specific learning outcome of self-development, career exploration and career management.

Scotland
This programme focuses on Careers Education and Guidance, and can be used in aspects of PSE and Citizenship curricula at National Qualifications and post-16 level.

It can be used to support learning through work, as a preparation for work experience and as a ‘TV experience’ of the working environment, with respect to specific learning outcomes of self-development, career exploration, and career management.

Background Information:

Nursing

The image of nurses has changed over the years and nowadays nursing is a desirable, exciting and dynamic career, with a variety of new roles opening up within the profession. The work of nurses is increasingly valued.

Nurses tend to focus on the care of the individual rather than on specific illnesses and conditions. In a hospital a patient can frequently have up to 90% of their care from a nurse rather than a doctor.

The range of working environments is wide. Nurses work in hospitals, GP surgeries, clinics, nursing or residential homes, occupational health services and various voluntary or non-governmental organisations (NGOs). There are opportunities in the prisons services, schools and universities, within the armed services and even on leisure cruises.

The NHS employs the greatest number of nurses and has many opportunities in both clinical and managerial positions.
There is a growing private sector, including hospitals and nursing homes.
There are research and teaching opportunities for nurses.
They can work in large institutions, be self-employed or work for agencies.

Suitability

Debbie is responsible, reliable and hardworking, both caring and empathetic as well as practical and a competent clinician – all ideal qualities for nursing.

Nurses need to be:

good communicators and listeners, able to relate to a range of patients with both physical and mental health issues
compassionate, sensitive and patient
firm, authoritative and tough sometimes
diplomatic with members of the public
able to work in teams and take individual responsibilities and initiative
calm and un-panicked in the face of emergencies
practical and with an interest in the sciences.

Some things to be aware of!

Nurses in the National Health Service work about 37_ hours a week, usually in shifts, including evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.
Pay scales vary. Some examples of current pay levels: a newly qualified nurse in the NHS earns around £15,000 a year. More senior Charge Nurses and Sisters earn around £21,000–£26,000. Specialist nurses can earn around £30,000 and some consultant nurses earn significantly higher.
Nursing is very physical and demands lots of stamina. In a hospital environment there is very little time to sit down! You also need to be in good health.
Nurses, especially in hospitals, face daily trauma, and need emotional resilience too.
You may need a police check before you start training for nursing.
It’s not a job for the faint-hearted!

Training

The minimum age for starting nursing is 17.
Nurses can qualify through a diploma or degree.
For the diploma, entry usually requires at least five GCSEs (A–C), preferably including English, Maths and a Science subject.
For the degree you need the same as above plus two A levels or equivalent with one in a biological science.
Various course providers have specific entry needs.
The diploma usually last three years and the degree courses three or four.
The first foundation year introduces the basic principles, and thereafter nurses tend to specialise.
Courses are 50% practical (including hospital experience) and 50% theoretical – physiology and anatomy, psychology, sociology, ethics and social policy.

Transportable skills

Almost all the nurses associated with this programme said the same thing … nursing skills enable you to work anywhere in the world. It’s a great way to travel and always know you can get a job and do something worthwhile.

Activities:

Perceptions of nurses/nursing
Before watching, list various images / pre-conceptions of nurses, from books, TV, etc. (the work, personality type, positive / negative aspects to the work, conditions, etc.)

After watching, review the list, comparing pre- and post-viewing ideas. Discuss the public perceptions of nurses and nursing. How have these images changed? How have media images informed our understanding – and are they reflecting a true picture?

Value judgements – a parachute debate
Nurses often have to make judgement calls or deal with patients about whom they may have pre-conceived ideas. Although they may never be called on to make decisions like this, this exercise is for students to be aware of their own value judgements.

Three patients all have urgent needs, and only one nurse is available. S/he has all the medication / care each patient requires, but only enough time to deal with one. Assume that each patient needs the same amount of the nurse’s time. Students make the case for ‘their’ patient to get the treatment.

The patients are:

An alcoholic who is suffering from liver failure as a result of years of drinking and living rough and who needs immediate one-to-one care and medication.
A child who has been in a fight while truanting from school and whose wounds need urgent attention.
An old man who has fallen off a ladder while rescuing his cat and has broken his shoulder. He needs X-rays, painkillers and immediate bandaging.

Work–life balance and shift work
Discuss how Debbie dealt with shifts, including the impact on her boyfriend and friends plus her levels of tiredness.

List Debbie’s shifts as they are mentioned in the programme*. Draw up a timetable of the students’ own lives and how their time is spent. (Number of hours spent at school, sleeping, out with friends, doing chores, shopping, etc.) Imagine fitting in all those elements when working shifts. Try and fit all these elements into a mock timetable? What compromises have to be made?

* Debbie’s shifts: ‘Earlies’ (7am–2.30pm): ‘Lates’ (1.45–9pm): ‘Nights’ (8.45pm–7.30am)

Fun!
Using a medical dictionary for inspiration, play ‘Call My Bluff’ with obscure medical terms.

Links:
This web page contains links to other websites that are neither controlled nor maintained by Channel 4 Television. Channel 4 Television is not responsible for the content of these sites and does not necessarily endorse the material on them.

NHS Careers has a range of information about training and working in this and other nursing and medical sectors
http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/

Royal College of Nursing is the leading professional union for nursing, campaigning on behalf of the profession. Their site includes information about training and work opportunities
http://www.rcn.org.uk/

Nursing Times is a nursing newspaper featuring articles and stories about issues in the profession, and jobs listings and career information too.
http://www.nursingtimes.net/

Credits:

Hair Colour Technician
Camera (Bar) Mike Fox, Zoran Veljkovic
Sound (Bar) Mike Lax, Ewan Reynolds
Music Audio Network
Dubbing Mixer Jim Betteridge
Online editor Matt Scragg
Sound David Marks
Assistant Producer Roz Sinclair
DV Director Imogen Haigh
Production Manager: Pippa White
Executive Producer Andrew Bethell
Editor Sam Bennet
Series Director Nick Woodroffe
Series Producer Ingrid Falck

Produced by Double Exposure for 4Learning

Emergency Nurse
Camera (Bar) Mike Fox, Zoran Veljkovic
Sound (Bar) Mike Lax, Ewan Reynolds
Music Audio Network
Dubbing Mixer Jim Betteridge
Online editor Matt Scragg
Sound David Marks, Richard Nicholls
Assistant Producer Roz Sinclair
DV Director Imogen Haigh
Production Manager Pippa White
Executive Producer Andrew Bethell
Editor Sam Bennet
Series Director Nick Woodroffe
Series Producer Ingrid Falck

Produced by Double Exposure for 4Learning

Journalist
Camera (Bar) Zoran Veljkovic
Sound (Bar) Ewan Reynolds
Music Audio Network
Dubbing Mixer Jim Betteridge
Online editor Matt Scragg
Sound David Marks, Alice Ballentine-Dykes
Assistant Producer Roz Sinclair, Imogen Haigh
DV Director Sacha Mirxoeff
Production Manager: Pippa White
Executive Producer Andrew Bethell
Editor Jayesh Lathia
Series Director Nick Woodroffe
Series Producer Ingrid Falck

Produced by Double Exposure for 4Learning

Youth Worker and DJ Tutor
Camera (Bar) Mike Fox, Zoran Veljkovic
Sound (Bar) Mike Lax, Ewan Reynolds
Music Audio Network
Dubbing Mixer Jim Betteridge
Online editor Matt Scragg
Sound David Marks, Richard Nicholls
Assistant Producer Roz Sinclair, Imogen Haigh
Production Manager: Pippa White
Executive Producer Andrew Bethell
Editor Sam Bennet
Series Director Nick Woodroffe
Series Producer Ingrid Falck

Produced by Double Exposure for 4Learning

Businesswoman
Camera (Bar) Zoran Veljkovic
Sound (Bar) Ewan Reynolds
Music Audio Network
Dubbing Mixer Jim Betteridge
Online editor Matt Scragg
Sound David Marks,
Assistant Producer Roz Sinclair, Imogen Haigh
Production Manager: Pippa White
Executive Producer Andrew Bethell
Editor Jayesh Lathia
Series Director Nick Woodroffe
Series Producer Ingrid Falck

Produced by Double Exposure for 4Learning

Shop Display
Camera (Bar) Zoran Veljkovic
Sound (Bar) Ewan Reynolds
Music Audio Network
Dubbing Mixer Jim Betteridge
Online editor Matt Scragg
Researcher Richard Nicholls
Sound David Marks, Alice Ballentine Dykes
Assistant Producer Roz Sinclair Imogen Haigh
Production Manager: Pippa White
Executive Producer Andrew Bethell
DV Director Sacha Mirzoeff
Editor Sam Bennet
Series Director Nick Woodroffe
Series Producer Ingrid Falck

Double Exposure for 4 Ventures