Bad day in clinicals

PickMePlze · Apr 22, 2006

I came home defeated, beaten, and tired and re-thinking my decision to become a nurse yesterday. I'm not crazy about the floor I'm on, but people are people and I'm there to take care of them. What's getting to me is that as a student, I can't do anything without another person being involved in the process. I know that supervision of students is essential for patient safety, but yesterday it was getting to be a little extreme. I had two patients who each had a different primary nurse. One of these nurses was great, the other was snarky. Then, I have a second-year nursing student who manages me and on top of that an instructor. I have to have my second year student handle anything to do with the patient's iv; which both patients had. When my patients had any pain issues (which of course after an orthopedic surgery, they do), I had to get my student supervisor (iv meds) and then find the instructor to pull the narcs, and then wait for them to be given. This could take 30 minutes, all the while my patient is in pain. Okay, so over the course of the day I had several q1h morphines, an iv Toradol, Percocet (not iv, of course, but had to hunt down instructor to pull med). Then, any procedures we do, the instructor wants our second year manager there. Well, I discovered a tape allergy, so had to get wound care (and my second year and instructor...the patient's primary nurse couldn't have cared less) involved; had a drain to pull - there again, had to get second year involved. Had bp issues with one patient - fortunately it was the pt. with the "great" RN. So, I'm basically one lowly student with four managers plus a charge nurse I had to report to when the snarky RN got to be too much to handle (not to "tattle", to report what was happening with patient). Then, toward the end of the day, I noticed the MAR had been updated. A med had been added with a time of administration of 0900 - so it looked like I had missed it!:angryfire I know I didn't, but took care of it and all was fine. So, I spend my day running from person to person and then waiting on them before I could do any patient care. I didn't get any sort of break, my charting was behind, and didn't get bed baths done on either patients (the CNAs tend to disappear when there are students around). Ok, I'm done now....thanks for letting me vent.

Trust me I understand fully!! We just finished clinicals and our group were discussing the same thing. As students we have to do things that take up extra time, (like checking off meds, then the instructor wants to discuss the med for like 30 minutes, finding someone to watch you do a new procedure, etc.) and its takes up so much time.

Drysolong · Apr 22, 2006

I came home defeated, beaten, and tired and re-thinking my decision to become a nurse yesterday. I'm not crazy about the floor I'm on, but people are people and I'm there to take care of them. What's getting to me is that as a student, I can't do anything without another person being involved in the process. I know that supervision of students is essential for patient safety, but yesterday it was getting to be a little extreme. I had two patients who each had a different primary nurse. One of these nurses was great, the other was snarky. Then, I have a second-year nursing student who manages me and on top of that an instructor. I have to have my second year student handle anything to do with the patient's iv; which both patients had. When my patients had any pain issues (which of course after an orthopedic surgery, they do), I had to get my student supervisor (iv meds) and then find the instructor to pull the narcs, and then wait for them to be given. This could take 30 minutes, all the while my patient is in pain. Okay, so over the course of the day I had several q1h morphines, an iv Toradol, Percocet (not iv, of course, but had to hunt down instructor to pull med). Then, any procedures we do, the instructor wants our second year manager there. Well, I discovered a tape allergy, so had to get wound care (and my second year and instructor...the patient's primary nurse couldn't have cared less) involved; had a drain to pull - there again, had to get second year involved. Had bp issues with one patient - fortunately it was the pt. with the "great" RN. So, I'm basically one lowly student with four managers plus a charge nurse I had to report to when the snarky RN got to be too much to handle (not to "tattle", to report what was happening with patient). Then, toward the end of the day, I noticed the MAR had been updated. A med had been added with a time of administration of 0900 - so it looked like I had missed it!:angryfire I know I didn't, but took care of it and all was fine. So, I spend my day running from person to person and then waiting on them before I could do any patient care. I didn't get any sort of break, my charting was behind, and didn't get bed baths done on either patients (the CNAs tend to disappear when there are students around). Ok, I'm done now....thanks for letting me vent.

That's the life of a student. It does get better!!!!!

charlies · Apr 22, 2006

After graduation I am guessing?

suzy253, RN · Apr 22, 2006

After graduation I am guessing?

I'm hoping so. You do get some more independence from semester to semester as a student although we still need our instructor w/us to hang IV meds.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2006

After you become a nurse and you are on your own, you will remember fondly the times when there was someone around to help.

Roseyposey · Apr 22, 2006

After you become a nurse and you are on your own, you will remember fondly the times when there was someone around to help.

Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not griping about the help, I'm griping about having to wait an 45 minutes to get all of my "help" gathered in one place to do a 5 minute procedure.

#1rnstudent · Apr 23, 2006

After you become a nurse and you are on your own, you will remember fondly the times when there was someone around to help.

I always appreciate some help. Unfortunately, a lot of the time the help is not there, rather they have gone on break... in groups! :madface: Or they are hiding... because they are doing unto others what they had done unto them. I cannot wait to graduate and get treated like a human being again, rather than as a nursing student. JKCMom - stick it out, it gets better and you will make it as a great nurse one day!

Little Panda RN, ASN, RN · Apr 23, 2006

When I first started clinicals I hated it! I wondered why in the world did I want to be a nurse. But as time went on, it kinda grew on me. Now I am in what my program calls practicum. We are on the floor taking care of 4 patients and we are able to pass meds, do treatments and any other skill that is within the scope of practice for an LPN. I even do IV's since I am IV certified. It is so much better than clinicals ever were. Hang in there I am sure as time goes on and you progress in your program, you will be able to do more and more. The best of luck to you in the furture!

RNSuzq1, RN · Apr 23, 2006

JKC, Don't give up, we've all been there. You might hate me for saying this, but as a Senior Nursing Student, I like the idea of a "Senior" having the chance to be your "Manager" for the day. We each only had 2 days to "Team Lead" 2 of our fellow classmates, great experience, but they've been our classmates for the last few years and know as much as we do, just not the same experience as supervising someone who might actually need our help/guidance.

It's very overwhelming, intimidating, etc. to have someone breathing down your neck, watching your every move - while you're trying to perform a new procedure as a student - always 1,000 times worse if there are tons of the patients family/friends in the room watching you. As if you're not nervous enough, nothing like 100 eyes on you waiting for you to screw up.

I've been very fortunate to have some Fantastic Instructors - whenever any of us have had to perform a procedure for the 1st time and don't want an "audience", they "gently" clear the room so it's just the student, patient and Instructor and unless we ask for their help, the Instructor stands back and just lets us do our thing. Once you can perform a skill without assistance, it's a great feeling of accomplishment and makes you want to try your hand at other skills.

As you mentioned, a big problem during clinicals is timely med/administration. 1 Instructor and lots of students who all need her at the same time. We had all of our meds for the day ready by 6:30am for the Instructor to sign off on, freed up her time in case a prn pain med was needed later in the day. Just remember, this isn't forever, sooner than you think, you'll be on your own and there might come a time that you wish you had an Instructor to fall back on.

I've just started applying for positions and have to say it's a little scary knowing that once I graduate, all the Nursing decisions I'll make will be my own and they better be the right ones because my patients lives will "literally" be in my hands. Enjoy all the "back-up" help while you can - they're only there to help you out and make you a better Nurse..... Sue

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2006

Don't feel defeated when you did the very best that you could do. You didn't make the assignment or the policies, and it sounds like you did a terrific job and that you care.

There will be days when you don't get everything done that you mean to, that's the reality.

There certain is reason to be tired and frustrated. But I don't see any reason to feel defeated and questioning your decision to be a nurse. Don't be so extreme. I know it's a roller coaster ride and you hopefully are feeling better today.

Good luck.

Roseyposey · Apr 23, 2006

Don't feel defeated when you did the very best that you could do. You didn't make the assignment or the policies, and it sounds like you did a terrific job and that you care.
There will be days when you don't get everything done that you mean to, that's the reality.
There certain is reason to be tired and frustrated. But I don't see any reason to feel defeated and questioning your decision to be a nurse. Don't be so extreme. I know it's a roller coaster ride and you hopefully are feeling better today.
Good luck.

You're right. Thank you for reminding me not to jump off the deep end so quickly. I was mostly frustrated about not being able to help my patients with their pain. I will mellow out and roll with the punches bettter; I've come too far and worked too hard to throw up my hands because I had a bad day. Thanks again for the kind words of encouragement.