Radiography - Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education ...

Daniella’s
Placement Diary
The alarm clock shrills the beginning of another day. This
week I am working my 8am-8pm shifts in the A&E
department, which I know is going to be both mentally and
physically demanding. My clinical tutor recommends doing
the 12 hour shift, as things tend to ‘liven-up’ after 5pm…
grabbing my bag, I leave for work.
After a quick breakfast, I head downstairs to A&E X-ray. The
radiographer is already there, taking over from the night
shift. No examination requests have been sent through, and
the printer sits quietly in the corner. However, the quiet does
not last long and the printer springs into life and spits out the
first request of the day. After reading the clinical indications
and patient information, I have to decide how best to
approach the situation and which radiographic views would
be best to demonstrate the area of interest. Once sure of my
intentions, I head off into the department in search of my
patient. The patient can be in one of five different areas, the
main waiting room, paediatrics, minors, majors or resus.
After finding their name scribbled next to a cubicle number
on the whiteboard, I head to minors. I poke my head around
the curtain and introduce myself. After checking I have the
right patient, I push the bed out of the cubicle and towards
the X-ray room. However, pushing beds is not a walk in the
park. I always seem to get the trolley that has a mind of its
own, and very quickly the A&E department turns into an
obstacle course. A chest and abdomen X-ray later, it’s time to
take the patient back…I return valiant, only to find more
requests waiting and the printer whirring away in the
background. The radiographers and I work away, and X-ray a
variety of requests ranging from rugby injuries, falls and DIY
injuries, to being knocked out by a horse…the morning
passes quickly and soon it is time for lunch.
I return at 1pm and my next patient is a child for an abdomen
X-ray. Children are understandably nervous, no matter how
many rhinos, elephants and monkeys have been painted on
the X-ray room walls. It is now that you never underestimate
the power of persuasion, or stickers, or sweets from mum for
that matter. We get on to the subject of Star Wars, as R2-D2 is
emblazoned on his t-shirt. After much discussion, in which I
am reminded that ‘no’ he hasn’t seen the ‘old’ versions…one
abdomen X-ray has been obtained. The afternoon flies by
and the next time I venture into the main waiting room it is
dark outside. 8pm is welcomed by the sound of the night
shift arriving, signalling it’s time for me to leave.
Even though the day was tiring, the experience gained with
every patient makes you a more confident and competent
student. Being placed in A&E, you never really know what to
expect, and how mobile and willing your patient may be. I
found the day rewarding, which is a good thing, considering I
have got to do it all again tomorrow…
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