new here - advice needed!!:-)

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

LoveCat — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:57:00 GMT

Hey Littlehayes, I know just how you feel - I had no idea where to start when I first got the stuff through!

Once you get going try and look out for things that you know might be quire rare in your practice - for example exotics were always a sticking point for me so I would jump on any rabbit that came in and do as much with it as I could! That way you don't end up with a deadline looming and bits and pieces that are just not coming in.

Also, doing questions and answers for the knowledge and understanding points is a great idea and gets them covered really quickly but my college did start to frown upon it if students were doing too much of it. They liked to see you encorporate it into a caselog and just use questioning for the points that could not easily be related directly to a case. But let your assessor guide you on that one - they'll know what you can get away with, it might have just been my college being fussy!

Best of luck with it, hope it all goes well!

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Ceri Boyd — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:04:26 GMT

Hi there :D

I hated doing my level 2 portfolio, had a really bad assessor...my advice would be to try and get the boring stuff out the way first (CU units etc), get as many observed assessments as possible to cover bits and bobs...and write an appendix on health and safety as it comes up in basically everything! Oh, and learn your Occupational Standards inside out, they become your friend!

Good luck! :D

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Caro Laithwaite VN — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:30:51 GMT

Just ignore me l am rambling on inanely as l get the want to do every so often.. Most folks shove me in a corner till semi sanity returns

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Caro Laithwaite VN — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:30:09 GMT

Noo recon gold dust is easier to get. But then vn is l am told more worthwhile me l prefer a well cooked meal.

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

littlehays — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:53:05 GMT

wow i must say this is probably the friendliest welcome i've ever had to a first post on a forum before, thanks guys

i really appreciate all of your comments, and feel a bit better about the whole thing now. i think/hope that once i actually get started, it won't seem so bad! just feel quite privileged to be training at all to be honest, having read some of the posts here - training places seem to be like golddust!

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Sue Cox — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:28:23 GMT

hee hee, thanks phrin! i need to chase up the paperwork thats supposed to be on the way- hopefully not lost in the postal strike!

see you saturday

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

natasha payne — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:57:35 GMT

hi there,

I am an assessor & the 1st thing i would advise is you will be fine. Maybe ask your assessor to do a portfolio induction with you to go through all the paperwork & explain how you can gain evidence. & also to give suggestions on how to write up your evidence (caselog).

Good planning makes things a whole lot easier too.

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Vicky RVN — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:55:35 GMT

Welcome to the world of VetNurse

For my level 3 portfolio i'm doing what someone else has said for the knowledge and understanding and doing q & a sheets, makes it much easier to cover then. Try to use cases where you can cover a lot of units if you can, because then you will get a lot done in one log. Eg you could admit an animal, prepare a kennel, discharge it, clean it's kennel, book an appt for post op check, care for it whilst it's in (feeding, giving drugs). Will be a lot to write up, but personally i like to get a lot covered in one hit. Another recommendation, write some appendices for things like restraints, medication methods, kennel types etc.

Good luck, i know how you feel cos i felt really daunted when i started, but once you're on your way with it it makes more sense!

I also did my level 2 on the old style, now doing level 3 on the new style so takes some getting used to!

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Alana Dent — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:40:19 GMT

Hi there

Just a few notes that may help. Anything you can do by pbservation DO!! and get your assesor to ask you questions during and after that will help cover more material!

Have a good look through your standards, and get involved with anything you think might struggle with towards the end ( i know for me, exotics and emergancies where hard to come by!!)

Good luck!!!

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Phrin Vernon RVN — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:32:44 GMT

[quote user="Soo"]

i have just qualified (whoop!) so have just finished the portfolio, but i agree that starting with something simple like a direct obs of you working on reception- that way you can get a lot covered with not much work on your part, as your assessor does this! though if your keen to crack on i suggest starting with admitting and discharging cat/dog/exotic- photocopy the standards for these, read through them before you admit and discharge (or even have them to hand). Afterwards note down things you said and did on your photocopies so that later on you can type up a nice case log that won't be too taxing as all the notes are right there! also try and use the same animal case for a few elements- that way you get things covered quicker etc.

Another way to get some things covered quickly is to write your own knowledge and understanding questions. Just rephrase them from the standards into a question and then (obv) answer them. I know some colleges sometimes do that for students as like a homework thing!

Hope all this makes sense! (am hoping to start assessor training soon, so would be good if i could make sense!! lol!)

[/quote]

What Soo said!

I started L3 after a considerable gap in training, and just could not get my head around the *new* portfolio! When I did L2, you just filled in the log sheets - I think its fab that you can now cover so much, just by being watched doing your job!

I have also started to photocopy the standards when I know I am doing something I will use in my portfolio - it makes writing it up later so much easier!

Don't feel overwhelmed - talk to your assessor and VNAC - they will help to make sense of it

And Soo- hurry up and get your A1 so you can help me! Lol!

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Tracy Windler RVN — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:12:36 GMT

Hi, Welcome too!

I would say not to get too engrossed in the simple tasks, I did that, then ended up with all the difficult-to-find caselogs at the end! Don't worry about starting late, you really aren't! I bet a lot of students who had their portfolio ages ago havn't started yet, either- I know I didn't! Do a few simple ones, but keep an eye out for the interesting stuff too.

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Maisy — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:11:52 GMT

The portfolio does look baffling initially but once you get the hang of it it really isn't so bad! The Occupational Standards are your most important text so read through this with your assessor, and get your assessor to discuss it with you.

Have fun!

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Sue Cox — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:09:30 GMT

Hope all this makes sense! (am hoping to start assessor training soon, so would be good if i could make sense!! lol!)

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Caro Laithwaite VN — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:05:24 GMT

Opps forgot to say welcome

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Caro Laithwaite VN — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:05:06 GMT

Well if nothing else just venting in here can help as we can all testify

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Saskia Quinn — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:46:47 GMT

Hello Littlehays,

Welcome to the vetnurse forum

I dont think I will be able to help with the portfolio - its a while since I completed mine!!

However, I am sure there will be others along soon who can help.

Looking forward to you posting in the forums

Paula

Re: new here - advice needed!!:-)

Freckle — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:45:25 GMT

Its really not as daunting as it first seems!

Your assessor should be able to help, and it is amazing how much can be covered by direct observation! Perhaps try a couple of these first, for things you do every day (reception booking appts etc)

I was the same - had NO idea where to start, but after a few chats with assessor and VNAC, it's seeming a lot more do-able

Hope that helps

And congrats on starting your training