Clinical help please

Nurses General Nursing

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:o Help Please. I will try to keep this short. I am in 4th semester in nursing, and in 3rd semester we were told that it was important to know our weaknesses. I informed my instructor that I felt that because I had been a nursing assistant for over 15 years that the Role transition was going to be a weakness for me. Well she decided to write that on my clinical eval and now it continues to haunt me into 4th semester. I was informed by my instructor that she felt I was having the biggest problem with role transition. I have the knowledge and critical thinking skill but it seems like I keep thinking about this comment and get nervous and blurt out information that is not related to the current situation. I guess I need help in trying to figure out what I can do to show this instructor that I have the information and that I see the whole picture in relation to patient diagnoses. Thanks in advance.
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Turn it into a positive. It is really a growing experience even though

the teacher seems to be hanging onto that problem you identified.

Stay calm.

Sometimes, if you have to, just get through one minute at a time.

If that is too much, just one second at a time, or ten seconds

at a time. Keep yourself calm and professional and hold your

tongue unless you are sure of what you should say. Sometimes

silence is best.

Just think of the priority for the current situation and stick to that.

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You don't need to show this instructor anything. She and your other instructors do not determine whether or not you'll be a good nurse. Once you get out of school you won't even remember her anymore, and you'll realize how unrealistic nursing school is.

I think having previous experience in health care and knowing the plights of a nursing assistant will be a plus for you. In fact, I think you'll have an easier transtition becomming an RN than other students who are younger and don't have your experience. You'll be fine. She was lazy and couldn't think of anything else to write on your eval.

Just another example of nurses eating their young. Don't even consider it and don't waste time letting it bother you. Just do what you need to do to graduate, and then you can really start your career.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

What you also should take from this experience is that although you should know your weaknesses, don't go telling those with power over you what they are. Just work on them, or if you need to ask for some help with them, don't say it in a way that says "here is my achilles heel, feel free to stab it now" to the instructor.

It may be difficult to tell which instructors are the devil in disguise, so keep your profile low and don't give any of them any ammunition. Seriously. I've been there and boy is it a wake up call to be honest with someone, ask for help, receive help, then get an eval that basically says the student is insecure, etc. Phooey! Ahem. I mean, just be careful.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

I think having previous experience in health care and knowing the plights of a nursing assistant will be a plus for you. In fact, I think you'll have an easier transtition becomming an RN than other students who are younger and don't have your experience. You'll be fine. She was lazy and couldn't think of anything else to write on your eval.

What she said. You'll have a head start when you do start working, because you'll know how to WORK, and organize your time, and this will give you time to improve your critical thinking, charting, meds passing skills.

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You will learn, if you haven't already...NEVER tell anyone in work/school any personal stuff ever......because here is a perfect example of what people do that is twisted....they will use it to their advantage.

I agree with another poster who said to keep it to yourself......and she was too lazy so she used your comment in her eval.

If anyone asks me any personal stuff, I just say I don't discuss my personal life with anyone. I learned that from a friend of mine who has been a nurse forever because of their personal experiences with toxic co workers.......it's scary the things people will use against you or say to cause problems for you by twisting things around......and they do it very cutely too.....like casual conversation as in "do you have any kids" " are you married"...stuff like that that reels you right in...... I was oblivious to it myself until she forwarned me.......now I keep personal things personal....no one knows anything about me in that aspect at the workplace.;)

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Thank you all for the excellent advice. I think I take everything to heart, that is why I know I will make a great nurse. I care! I was initially thinking that maybe she couldn't find anything on her own so she read more into what the other instructor had to say. So now hearing your advise, I know my initial thinking was right. Sometimes it just helps hearing it from neutral ground. I think I will be able to survive one more 12 hour shift with her now. And will take all of this great advise to clinical with me. Thank you all!!!

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Specializes in Trauma ICU.

Did the instructor say anything to you about having problems with "role transition" at anytime before the evaluation?? If not, I would ask her what specific actions/statements lead her to believe that you were having problems in that area.

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I did ask her and didn't seem to get a clear answer. Unfortunalely I can't go into to much detail on this post because I don't know if she reads this. I have one more clinical with her and then go back to a previous instructor who pretty much has already told me that she feel's that I am satisfactory in all areas, so I am going to bite my tongue and as previously posted take it one hour, second at a time. Just 12 more hours with this instructor, I will survive. Thank you for your reply.

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Ditto, don't give them any ammunition. And if your instructor points it out again, build on the positives of being a nurses aide. You are experienced in dealing with patients by talking to them, communication, seeing a wide array of physical conditions, having a 6th sense about knowing when something is wrong, patient responses to medications, seeing different procedures.. and so many different things that have helped you! Focus on the positives! Hope this helps.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

A good approach would be to "master" the area you had previously identified as a potential weakness. That can turn this negative situation into a positive one.Say that you had been concerned that you might have some problems with the Role Transition component of your problems ... that you focused on those issues and found that you could handle those issues. Your school had prepared you well for that Role Transition and you now feel ready to graduate and begin praciticing as an RN. It's just a different variation of the same old Nursing Process. You identify a problem, plan, intervene, and evaluate. Complete the process and declare your "potential problem" to be resolved. That's what educators want to see.

Such an approach shows your instructors that you can be honest in identifying a potential problem, take personal responsibility for addressing those issues, and resolve the issuers successfully. That's the hallmark of a true professional. Don't forget to thank them for their help and support in your efforts to continue your development as a nurse.

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Specializes in Telemetry/CCU/Home Health.

Dear Beth

I too am a 4th semester nursing student and if I can just say that I think we all have this problem to some extent!! It takes a long time to "put everything together" in your head so I wouldn't think of it as a problem right now. You are very introspective to even be able to articulate that you have this problem, I am sure you will be a great nurse! :nurse:

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