[OctoberLovey]

Hi! I'm starting my clinicals at a nursing home on Monday and I am terrified!!
I know that I shouldn't be worried and I know I have a passion to go into nursing, I'm just a little nervous about starting clinicals.
Was anyone else nervous their first day?
Any advice on the nerves issue?
Thanks!!

[spoiled_lil_sister]

I think everyone is nervous on their 1st day of clinicals! I have gotten nervous the first few days of each semester, but it does get better as your confidence grows. Your instructor should know that this is your first dealing being on the the caregiver side of patient care & probably will not put you in a situation that you haven't been trained for or can't handle. I think the best thing you can do as a nurse (student or licensed, 1st day or 5,000th day on the job) is to show personal interest in your patients on top of providing the care you are able to give them. Pay attention to things that make them individual & start a conversation about these things while you are in the room. Practice your therapeutic communication skills by striking up a conversation about the tv show that is on or the beautiful card their grandchild made, etc. This is what I did my 1st semester before we could do anything except take vitals, help them with their ADL's, and change their linens, so I had a lot of time to sit and chit-chat. This made the patients feel special & it improved my confidence level tremendously, so that when we learned skills, I knew I could talk my way through the nerves. Hope this helps! Best of luck!

[tanthalas]

My 4 survival tips for clinical:

1) ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU ARE UNSURE!!!!!!!!!!!! You're probably not going to bother the staff; in fact, most preceptors welcome questions because it shows you're interested and willing to learn. This perpetuates into a healthy learning experience.

2) Do your research. Hey, I'm a student too and I know you have better things to do, but research will really help you out. YOu might not get everything at once (I never did) but the mere glance at it will job your memory in the future.

3) HAVE FUN. You're going to be doing this for a while, make the best of it.

4) See #1, #2, and #3.

[casi]

Take a slow deep breath and a moment to observe your surroundings and then jump in.

The first day of clinicals in my group we left report and just stared at eachother like scared bunnies waiting for someone to make the first move. I was finally the person to make the first move and wandered off to check on my patient. When your patient is okay and you have nothing to do, offer to help out on the floor. I think the best part of my LTC clinicals was helpping out feeding residents in the dinning room.

[SnarfGirl]

I was terrified too! Even after 10 years in the medical field I was worried I'd make a mistake or upset someone etc....but you know what? It passed, and my LTC experience was really nice. I didn't like changing poop so much, but looking back I enjoyed the time I got to spend chit-chatting with my patients because now that I'm on MedSurg all the time there is no time for that. FYI - the residents really like hugs and enjoy when you sit and chat with them about anything. I always tried to pick someone that the nurse said didn't get many visitors.....it helps to try and think of them like your grandparents instead of some random old person. They really are wonderful people....Good luck - I'm sure you'll be great!

[Cosper123]

You should be nervous.

When you get comfortable, you make mistakes

It'll get better, eventually. Just hang in there, roll with the punches, and ask plenty of questions.

[locolorenzo22]

Top 3 tips:
1. DITTO ASKING QUESTIONS! ALWAYS ask before you do something if you are unsure! ask questions of the aides too, not just the nurses.
2. Be polite and friendly to EVERYONE. Always be the team player, be ready to help out someone having a bad day.
3. have a good time, as much as possible.
4. Welcome to the club!

[NewRN2008]

if you are not nervous, then something is wrong. you have to have some nerves, i dont care who ya are! thats the way it goes. it doesnt mean they have to be bad nerves, just nerves!

GL!

[elkpark]

Everyone is nervous starting clinical -- that's completely normal. It would be weird (and scary) if you weren't nervous.

Have some faith that your school knows what it's doing -- they wouldn't put you in this situation if you weren't ready.

Stop and think before you act (or ask questions) -- the normal, human reaction to stress is for your mind to go blank. Each time you start to think, "OMG, I don't know what to do!", pause, take a deep breath and relax, and think the situation through. You know more than you will feel like you know at those moments, and the information will come back to you if you relax and take your time. (Or, you can think about what, specifically, you need to ask, rather than just rushing up to your instructor and saying, "I don't know what to do!!" )

[lemonlimeEMT]

Originally Posted by OctoberLovey

Was anyone else nervous their first day?

I always get nervous before my first clinical for the semster, and I don't think that feeling will ever go away. I don't really have a way I get rid of the nerves, I just suck it up and go to clinical, because I have to. After the first couple of hours, the nerves go away on their own. By then, I'm starting to get used to the hospital, used to my instructor, used to the patients. Or at least it isn't so foreign anymore.

All I know is that clinicals are what you make of them. You have to be the one to seek out opportunities to learn. The nurses (most of the time) aren't going to call you over to come see what they are doing, you need to get proactive about getting involved. Find out which nurses like to teach and which ones don't as early as possible. This will make your life so much easier.