Wellness During My Haem/Onc Placement

I was excited to get hands-on experience, but I quickly realised just how emotionally and physically exhausting it could be. Some days I would come home and feel completely drained, barely able to lift a finger — and on top of all that, I was trying to keep up with my own health.

Eventually I realised that to keep going, I needed to take care of myself first. So I started meal prepping and finding ways to sneak in a bit of exercise between shifts. It was not easy, but those small habits made a world of difference.

The emotional toll of a haem/onc placement

Working with patients facing serious illness is not just physically demanding — it is mentally draining too. Some days I would leave feeling like I did not have anything left to give. The emotional weight of caring for seriously ill patients, often in their final days, made every shift feel like a marathon.

After a few weeks I realised I had to prioritise my own wellbeing if I wanted to be effective in the role. Looking after my own health let me keep showing up for patients, both mentally and physically. Setting boundaries, taking breaks when I needed them, and focusing on recovery meant I could give better care without feeling depleted by the end of the day.

Meal prep: the secret to eating well when you are busy

Between shifts and emotionally intense days, there was not a lot of time for cooking. I would grab quick, unhealthy snacks or eat on the go, which left me sluggish and unsatisfied. So I turned to meal prep — a few hours on a day off to batch-cook, so I never had to scramble for something nutritious in the gap between work and exhaustion.

It was not gourmet, but it was healthy and easy to grab during the week. Big portions of vegetable-heavy stir-fries, overnight oats for breakfast, pasta loaded with greens. Easy to prepare, genuinely nourishing, and it made me feel like I was taking care of myself despite the demands of placement. Meal prep does not have to be time-consuming or complicated — it just has to be intentional.

Exercise: even ten minutes makes a difference

Honestly, after a long shift the last thing I wanted to do was exercise. But I learned that even a short burst of movement — a ten-minute walk, a quick stretch — could work wonders. It released the physical tension from hours of standing and kept me mentally sharper.

It did not have to be an hour-long workout. Five minutes of stretching in the morning, or a short walk on my break. On the hardest days, those ten minutes made all the difference. Small doses of movement lift your energy, improve your mood, and hold burnout off a bit longer.

Mental health: it is okay to step back

One of the hardest lessons was giving myself grace. There were days I felt completely overwhelmed and did not have the energy to keep going, and that is okay. I made time for the things that grounded me: journalling, talking to friends, and being honest about my limits.

Practising self-compassion helped me navigate the emotional weight of that placement. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and taking time to recharge is not a luxury — it is part of the job.

What I would tell a first year

Haem/onc was one of the most rewarding and most challenging experiences I have had. It pushed me physically and emotionally, but the small things — prepped food, short walks, actual boundaries — kept me balanced. If you are heading into something similar, the habits do not need to be impressive. They just need to be yours, and repeatable.

There is more of this in 10 things you should know as a first year, and in the placement survival guide in the hub.