Student's Talk
I am a first year student studying general nursing. This placement has been a really good experience and a good insight into mental health as I'm sure I will come across mental health illness during my nursing career!.
I felt ver ylucky to be on placement here as every member of staff at the Day Resource Centre (DRC) are welcoming and friendly and was more than happy to help. My mentor was Jo and my co-assessor was Dave, both of which were extremely good at what they do and have a great rapport with the Service Users.
The Art Group with Annie is a chance for you to get creative and get involved in discussion with Service Users, Annie is a great teacher!
On a Tuesday there is a Womens Support Group in the community with the volunteer Wendy, Where all of us ladies get a chance to have a chat over a coffee in the town and maybe a small slice of chocolate cake...
Make sure if you do the Walking Group with John, Wendy Dave that you wear appropriate footwear as you will be alking all around Bedford!
But all the groups are good fun, finally beware of Billy in the Music Group you will be requred to sing to pass your course...and also he is a very intelligent man so make sure you revise for the Enthusiastic Group where he'll probably do his quiz!
Whilst I was on placement here I took the oportunity to visit other areas surrounding this service as this will be my only experience of mental health. I found this very useful; I went to Keats Ward, Milton Ward, AAU and Crisis Team on Weller Wing. Cedar House which is just around the corner fromm the DRC, Empowa, AOT(Assertive Outreach Team) and the James Kingham project. All of which gave me a broader knowledge of the services that are out there which will help me in the future.
I am very sad to be leaving this placement as I was welcomed as part of the team and even had the chance to run a group and present a new Service User, I have gained a lot from this experience so thank you DRC!
Cara Hudson
(Student Nurse) 09A
The Day Resource Centre is a brilliant placement! (I don't want to leave!) From my first day to the last the whole team have been welcoming, friendly and encouraging. I was very nervous in the beginning but was given a very good induction and soon settled into the team.
`My mentor, Kirsty was great and has helped me to complete all parts of my Practice Assessment Document and assisted me in becoming more confident. She was happy to spend time with me and give me lots of advice, Thank you Kirsty.
I have been able to help with the art exhibition (of Service User's work) in the local Eagle Art Gallery and help out on a day trip to Oxford. Both of which were valuable experiences and enabled me to spend more time learning about people's difficulties and how they can overcome them. As my confidence grew I was able to run two groups independently, Relaxation and Supporting You.
It has been a pleasure to meet many Service Users and learn how the smallest things can make such a difference. I enjoyed the Art Group and Pottery ran by Annie, who has a natural talent at helping people express themselves through their pieces of art and she helps them to feel proud of their achievements. All student nurses should attend Billy's Music Group, it is a wonderful group and Billy is great at getting everyone involved.
The expertise of the whole team make this placement an ideal learning opportunity.
Thank you so much to all the staff at the Day Resource Centre, I look forward to returning in the future
Lydia Garland
2009
Student Feedback
I am currently a third year student on my management placement at the DRC. I have previously been on placement at the DRC and I specifically requested to return there for my management placement and there are some very specific reasons why. Firstly and probably the most important reason is the environment and the team itself. The DRC has easily the most supportive and approachable group of individuals at its heart compared with my other placements over the three years. I never felt left out or unsupported throughout my placements there. I was encouraged in everything I undertook and pushed forward into attempting things which I may not have undertaken on other placements. My willingness to try the things I was encouraged to do at the DRC only reinforced the positive support and feedback I got from the staff, and this in turn helped facilitate some of the most crucial learning I think that have gained throughout my three years as a student. I think I learned at a much greater rate what my role as a qualified nurse would be thanks to my placements here and I have grown into a professional, ethical and empathetic individual with the guidance I recieved. I would also like to state that a great deal of my learning has been thanks to the volunteer staff at the DRC, they have guided me as effectively as the qualified members and at times have helped my gain insight into situations which I may not have got from somebody in a professional context, and for this knowledge I am extrememly grateful as a great percentage of it is the most useful in helping me understand what a person suffering from mental illness is actually going through.
One of the other important areas which guided me back to the DRC was the ethos of the place itself. The DRC is a unit not run under the more common medical model of inpatient settings, and it is also a user led service. This way of working, I think is more suited to me personally as I believe this is an area which I fit into as a practitioner much better than any other. I like the fact that the client group has a large say in the general running of the unit and I believe that in the future user led services should take a much more crucial role in the way mental health services are set out I also believe that due to the nature of the DRC and the team within it, it is not run in a paternalistic manner, and this I believe is very important I think that due to this, clients within the service of the DRC understand much better, thier right to say what they feel about the service that is providfed for them granting them a much greater chance of empowerment and self fulfilment in their journey through life. I understand that this may not be the case for everybody but in my experience talking to the client group who attend the DRC the majority value their experience there very highly and the appreciate the service which it provides.
This brings me onto another point which is related to why I wished to return to the DRC, the client group itself. Throughout my times at the DRC the clients who use the service have been an inspiration to me I have witnessed a greater sense of community, in such a small environment that I am ever likely to witness in the wider community, which is a real shame. If only people in the wider community conducted themselves with the ethical principles of some of the people I have worked with at the DRC the world would be a better place. I have not had a stand out bad situation to recall in all the times I have been there. I have had difficult situations but the client group and the staff generaly work together cohesively to sort out any problems as quickly and in as understanding manner as possible. I do not have anything negative to say about the clients there what so ever.
As a final point, I would like to point out that as well as being a fantastic learning environment I have also always enjoyed myself throught my time there and I can most definitely say that I have laughed more on this placement than any other. Hopefully this does not portray that I am not doing any work and I am just enjoying myserlf because I feel that throughout my time at the DRC I have thrown myself into my work, but it is nice to think that it is possible to work somewhere and enjoy youtself at the same time. A big thank you to everyone at the DRC for making my time an extremely pleasant one and I am excited to work with you again in the future. Thank you for guiding me wo well over the times I have spent thereon placement and keep up the excellent work. I believe that the DRC is a valuable environment for any student nurse to experience and would recommend it to anyone especially mental health nursing students, simply because it is so different to most of the other environments they will experience.
2009
My Experience At The Day Resource Centre
Before starting placement at the Day Resource Centre (DRC), I had very little knowledge of what kind of service they provided for people with mental health problems. During my first week, I was introduced to friendly and welcoming staff members who made up an amazing team.
Unfortunately as a student in practice, you frequently come across unwelcoming staff members that don&t always portray the same team spirit. At the DRC, I felt part of the team which would make my 7 week placement enjoyable, which in turn would enhance my learning.
Throughout the weeks, I settled into various groups and was given the opportunity to facilitate groups such as Music, Relaxation, Social Drama Group and Voice Hearers. I could feel my confidence increasing as the weeks went on. Despite this confidence I had a little issue and felt uncomfortable about confronting it. Luckily staff members here were understanding of this and offered me lots of reassurance. This was important and looking back it sticks out in my mind when I reflect on my time at the DRC because I felt I was treated fairly and that my feelings and opinions did matter.
As I mentioned before, I became very involved with the groups and I began to see the therapeutic value that each group offered. It made me smile to see people with with happy faces enjoying the company and the security the DRC offered. Well done DRC! I also became involved with initial assessments, action plans / reviews. On a few occasions I was there to just listen to individuals who were feeling distressed. I felt supported ty the team in completing the above. This made me feel confident in what I was doing.
I enjoyed working with Service Users, looking at what support they required from me and the team and how we would go bout this. This highlighted to me the differences between the DRC and other mental health practice area I had been to. The DRC promoted independence, encouraging individuals to improve their social skills and reduce the level of distress felt in their lives. Most importantly, I witnessed the Service Users being heard. Their feelings and opinions mattered
The DRC has been an eye opener for me and has challenged my thoughts and feelings towards mental health. I received a positive compliment from a Service User who told me that I came across as a sincere, very loving and caring person and to never change. Thanks to all the good I have seen and been part of at the DRC, I aim to stay the same and that compliment will stay with me.
Thank you all at the DRC
Natasha Simms
I have been a student at DRC for the last seven weeks. I feel bad that I got to go just when I was beginning to settle in.
I have found the placement to be much more of service user led. They are involved in their day to day activities of daily living and in no pleasure to join any specific group for support. I was also glad to be given the opportunity to facilitate some of the groups especially music and relaxation groups. I especially enjoyed a learning experience; Graded Exposure Programme and thrilled it was useful to a service user who desperately needed it!
DRC is a place I would really long to come back! A pat on the back of Jo Prior, DRC Manager and the supportive team who made this placement enjoyable for me.
Sally
06B Group
July 2008
The Day Resource Centre - The Student Perspective
On my first day at the DRC I was greeted warmly by all the staff. When I was informed my next placement would be at the Day Resource Centre, I was really pleased. In a previous placement, a long term rehabilitation centre, I had escorted clients to the Wednesday morning music group, so I had an idea what to expect. This group is run by staff who encourages clients and students to get up and sing in a karaoke style session. All who contribute are made to feel welcome, and it doesn't really matter if you can sing or not you participation is really valued. Many of the same clients attend the social drama group on a Wednesday afternoon, and again, participation is the key to both clients and students getting the most out of the session.
A varied selection of groups are run from the centre including relaxation, support groups, craft art, computer skills, counselling and a chance for people to catch up in the café. Clients are referred to the DRC from a number of different sources, including GP's and community mental health teams. The potential client meets with a member of staff in what is called an initial assessment. At this assessment the client and member of staff discuss a psychiatric and family history and look at how the DRC can best support the needs of the client. As a student you are given the opportunity to assess the client with the support of a member of staff. With support of staff you are able to discuss the needs with the client and make your recommendations. This is followed up with the student completing the paperwork and gaining this valuable real life experience. The staff give you the confidence to develop your skills and become competent in many areas. With their support you are encouraged to take the lead in some of the groups, for example relaxation sessions and social drama. Following a clients initial assessment you are encouraged to identify ways the DRC can meet the care needs of the client. Depending where you are in your training, you are given greater levels of responsibility. I was in semester six, and was given two clients to work with. I met one client weekly and was able to do some anxiety management work. I supported another client with using public transport. My client interaction was risk assessed, so I didn't feel at all out of my depth in any situation. If I was unsure of anything I felt able to ask any member of the staff as they were all supportive.
This placement has been a really positive experience and I would like to thank all the staff, especially my mentor, and the clients for this. I have started to feel like a real nurse and recognise the responsibility that comes with that.
2008
"During my seven weeks at the DRC it has been a happy and memorable time".
- Reasons why I enjoyed my placement here:
- Supportive staff team
- As a student you are involved in the structure of the groups and how they are run
- Staff are willing to answer any questions
- Constantly learning new information
2007
