Poem written by Christopher Seymour, Practice Education Facilitator at Manchester Royal Infirmary Foundation Trust.
‘What matters to people’
Hello, I’m a patient
You could call me bed number nine
Who used to be on ward five
My name?
I’ve been known as my diagnosis
For most of my adult life
Identity changed from the age of 45
Conversations about my bowel movements and blood pressure
My daily routine
And all the tablets in-between
Shake me and I rattle
The blue ones, striped ones, the capsules, and the build-up drinks
I used to be out going, pub goer, quiz master
…I once sang at a baby shower!
Worked all my life, loved a boogie and family gathering
Now I’ve been discharged, I no longer feel in charge
Feeling lonely and disheartened, isolated
…but one day, this all started to change
I took the advice of my District Nurse
Visited a group (me, at a group!), who worked with music, art, and community spirit
Sharing my experiences seemed to really work
Singing, helping me mentally and physically
I now talk about my well-being
Hi, I’m a student
A budding nurse
‘The future of nursing’
Well, that’s what my Assessor says
What is it like being on clinical placement?
Well, these days…in many ways…it’s so challenging
I come home and don’t know where to begin
Is this stain on my uniform, blood, sick or my own perspiration?!
So many patients on ward, we tread water
Early warning scores drive our work
Proficiencies to ensure we can fly, but sometimes I feel like I can’t walk
To do lists, for to do lists – talk about a marathon
The clinical placements can feel…overwhelming
Then in my second semester I was given a ‘Creative Health Placement’
Where we focus on everything that made our patients a person
What a revelation!
How do we motivate, get creative, inspire control to those who have been so off-road?
Asking: ‘What matters to people?’
The more we talk with the ones we cared for, the more I realized we can prevent admissions
Through community in action
‘Transforming lives’
Instilling belief in our love for life
People feeling included
The whole experience has given me
…a new perspective
Y’alright? I’m a registered nurse
I work at a university
I teach, support, the ‘future of nursing’
And recently
I’ve felt like…a revolutionary!
We have been teaching holistic care, but not providing holistic chances
The new placements we now have, are making undergraduate change-agents!
Learner experiencing schemes like ‘Playlists for life’
Helping people with dementia through music prescribed!
A new perspective on life.
In the community, with our learners changing mind-sets, influencing, guiding
Making real changes
From how to make a cracking baked potato
To how to sing, a maybe off-key, but ultimately medicinal melody!
Art, music, dancing, building relationships
Bob, Mohammed, Kia, Asia, Debra, Jim, Neil, and Vera
All contributing pieces to make a picture for the same puzzle
Simply, beautiful to see…
Illness, treated as a community
I’m not naïve that during an epidemic of exhaustion
We’re all in need of support before we collapse
But together we can inspire; as Sir Nigel Crisp said:
‘Start small, think big, act fast!’