Dietetic Placement Essentials

I am halfway through my second week of placement in Liverpool, I'm spending my time in both the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen trust, and the Liverpool Community trust. When preparing for my placement I couldn't really find any information on other student's experiences, so I thought I'd share mine. 

First, I thought I'd share my essentials.

|Folder| You're going to have plenty of bits of paper and pieces of evidence that need to be kept organised, I've found that this accordion folder is perfect.

|Post it notes| You're going to need to chase up one person or another to sign or fill in some form of evidence for you throughout your time on placement, it's a lot easier to keep track of if you you have a visual reminder.

|Notebook| Taking your folder onto wards with you gets annoying, so a little notebook, like my adorable Rob Ryan one, is a lot easier to carry.

|Diary| If, like me, your placement is a little bit all over the place, a diary will become your new best friend, I am all over Liverpool in different hospitals and clinics, so I keep track of where I need to be on what day otherwise I would be completely lost.

|Pens| You're going to need plenty, trust me.

|Pencil case| I keep everything in here, gum, pens, lip balm, nail files. I hate having things rattling around in my bag.

|Hand cream| You're going to be washing your hands, a lot, and they're going to get super dry, not only is this uncomfortable, but also an infection control risk. This hand cream is great as it also helps strengthen your nails.

|Lip balm| I don't know why, but my lips have been getting really dry, so lip balm is essential, one with a hint of colour is great too as it can brighten your complexion a little, even under really harsh hospital lighting.

|Gum| If your talking to patients, the last thing you want is your breath to be a little stale.

|Snacks| You are going to be on your feet all day, and trust me, it really works up an appetite, you may want to keep a few snacks in your bag just in case. Nakd bars are great, but make sure you wash your hands after eating.

|Lunch bag| Food in hospitals tends to be pretty expensive, taking in your own lunch can save you a fortune, also, if you're in a community trust, you may not get chance to get lunch from anywhere.

|Water| Everyone knows you need to stay hydrated to function fully, water needs to be your new best friend.

|Comfy shoes| You're going to be on your feet a lot, you're going to need a comfy, but smart, pair of shoes, I went with these glittery Flossy's. 

I hope this helps, and feel free to share any of your essentials in the comments!