Extend Grace

  I recently began my final placement for the first year, and my new Practice Supervisor was different from my previous two supervisors . I told her about needing access to  patients records, but she asked me to ask another nurse to chase it up for me. Several things happened that first day, and I decided to take it up because she kept asking me to have others chase up tasks she should have handled herself. What made me more annoyed was the fact that my schedule wasn’t yet available, which hadn't been the case with my previous supervisors- there was always a plan for me. I told my mum I planned to address the issue, but she advised me not to: “Adeola, it’s just your first day.”

  My assertiveness came from a place of fear. I had heard people talk about their Practice Supervisors and Assessors’ lackadaisical attitudes, which eventually led to their failure. I wasn’t ready to be in those shoes, and I didn’t want my placement to go wrong, so I thought I had to take action quickly. But that night, I felt convicted about how selfish I had been.  I realized how overwhelmed my supervisor had been that day, managing medically demanding patients, and yet I still wanted her to focus on me. It was only my first day with her, and I hadn’t considered her perspective.

  The following day, she apologized to me for neglecting me and explained to me that I’m the first student she’s supervising . I felt so bad for even thinking of taking it up in the first place. She’s new to this, I should have given her the opportunity to learn with me, the same way I’m to learn from her. I told her not to worry, that I’ll take things at her pace.

 Reflecting on it, I realized that part of my frustration came from being used to things going my way, I was caught up with comparison, which made me place her on a pedestal that she isn’t even close to. I made her at par with those who have been supervising for over a decade. Had I acted on my initial feelings and reported her, I would have caused unnecessary harm.  I was reminded that extending grace is a gift we can give others and ourselves—granting second chances, especially when growth is involved.

                                                                                                                        ~Leyewrites🦋😚