Today was finally presentation day! I woke up feeling pretty nervous knowing that we would be presenting at the conference later, but luckily our morning was filled with activities that helped distract us from the anxiety. We started the day with Anatomage simulations, which ended up being a really interesting and engaging way to begin the morning.
We’ve used the Anatomage table before back at Pitt, so I was already somewhat familiar with the technology. However, today’s session focused specifically on childbirth, which made the experience feel completely new. Chinenye started the session with an introduction about fetal development in the womb. She quizzed us on the types of tests women take during pregnancy and asked what molecules we should be checking for in urine. She also explained what certain molecules could indicate if they were present. It felt interactive and educational at the same time, and it was a great way to review concepts in a hands-on setting.
After the discussion, we had time to explore the simulation ourselves. We watched the transitions the body goes through during labor and were able to visualize the stages in a way that is so much harder to grasp from textbooks alone. We also looked at fetal development during the first trimester and saw how quickly the fetus changes and grows. It was fascinating to see how much the body adapts throughout pregnancy and labor. The experience really reinforced how incredible the human body is and how it instinctively knows what to do during childbirth.
Once we finished the simulation session, it was time to shift gears and focus on our presentations. Cameron and I worked on finishing our flashcards, and then we met up with Jordan and Jubilee to run through our slides together. Practicing as a group helped calm my nerves because we could support each other and make small improvements before the real thing. It was reassuring to know that we were all feeling the same mix of excitement and nerves.
Before the conference began, we grabbed lunch at the dining hall. I got a caprese sandwich, which was actually pretty good compared to some of the other lunches I’ve had at BCU. It was nice to take a short break and refuel before the busy afternoon ahead.
After lunch, we walked through the exhibition set up outside the conference. There were tables everywhere with posters and displays covering a wide range of nursing topics. One of the tables that stood out to me was the cardiac nursing table. The man running it explained the different types of heart rhythms you might see on a monitor and how nurses interpret them. Seeing real examples and hearing how these skills are used in practice made it feel much more real and relevant. Another table that really stuck with me focused on HIV awareness and screening. The woman running the table explained that the UK has recently started screening all hospital patients for HIV and hepatitis B and C so that cases can be identified earlier and treated sooner, ultimately helping prevent unnecessary deaths. Hearing her speak about the importance of education and reducing stigma really reinforced how important advocacy is in nursing.
After grabbing coffee and pastries, we headed into the BCU nursing conference. One of the most impactful speakers was Nikki Brockie, who spoke about empowering nurses and the relationship between nursing workforce levels and patient outcomes. She explained that increasing the number of nurses leads to lower patient mortality rates, which really highlighted the importance of investing in the profession. She also discussed the UK’s efforts to shift healthcare toward preventing chronic illness and bringing care into community hospitals rather than relying heavily on large city hospitals. This shift aims to reduce patient wait times, which can currently be up to a year or longer in some cases.
A particularly powerful part of her talk focused on trust in nursing. Nurses are consistently rated as one of the most trusted professions, but that trust has been slowly declining in recent years, possibly due to COVID and the overall challenges facing healthcare systems. She emphasized how important it is for our generation of nurses to actively work to rebuild that trust. Trust is truly the cornerstone of nursing, and without it, providing effective care becomes much more difficult.
She also shared that we will be the first generation of nurses to work alongside five generations in the workforce. I thought that was such a fascinating milestone to be part of. Having such a wide range of ages and experiences working together has the potential to strengthen the healthcare system and lead to more competent and compassionate care.
After a short break, Dr. Marks gave her keynote presentation on equitable care and embracing diversity. She spoke about implicit bias and how important it is for nurses to continually reflect on their own beliefs and assumptions to ensure they are providing the highest quality care to all patients. Even though I had learned about implicit bias before, it was a really helpful and meaningful refresher.
Next, we heard from a student panel featuring BCU midwifery and nursing students who shared what inspired them to pursue nursing and how their experiences have shaped them. Hearing their stories was inspiring and relatable.
Then it was finally time for the student presentations. My group went second, and I was definitely nervous, but it ended up going really well. Once it was over, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief and pride.
After the conference, we went out to dinner as a group. I tried sticky toffee pudding, a UK delicacy. It was okay, but definitely not my favorite dessert. Still, it was fun to try something new and celebrate the end of such a big day together.
I’m really excited for tomorrow because we’re heading to Stratford! Today was busy, nerve-wracking, inspiring, and incredibly rewarding all at once.