can i really do this? sorry, long

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just found this site and am needing advice. i'm in my first semester of adn program, half way through clinicals. my grades are great. i always do well on tests. the material just seems to make sense to me and it sticks. i've always passed my lab check-offs, although, sometimes it takes me 2 tries to get it all right. first few weeks of clinical were great. i love working with patients and no smells, sights, or sounds bother me in the least. at my evaluation, my instructor said i was one of her best and she'd love to have me take care of her family some day.

my next rotation has not been so good. i know my procedures like the back of my hand. i write all steps in my own words and go over and over them until i've memorized them. i watch the dvd's and practice with my kit supplies at home. i have a koala bear stuffed animal that has had many procedures performed on him! but, when i get into the patient's room with my instructor watching, i practically panic. i get all nervous and shaky, and forget things or just go blank. this has been a hallmark of my personality since i was a little kid. in fact, i have a perscription to help me not to get wound-around-the-axle so easily.

my new instructor was upset with me because i asked questions in front of my patient and that showed them i was nervous and unsure of myself and i spoke to myself while i worked. however, they are informed that they have a student working with them, right? i guess i'm supposed to ask questions before entering the room, but i don't have questions until i'm in the middle of it.

after the 1st time or 2 of doing a particular task, i feel much more confidant and less scared and it goes much smoother. i'm just afraid i won't get the chance to improve. our rotations are short. this one's almost done and i'm afraid i'll fail due to my nervous demeanor.

maybe i'm just not nurse material? if i don't have what it takes, i don't want to be kept in suspense, waiting for the bomb to drop. :(

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Well, you can talk to your instructor about how you're doing and whether you're likely to pass. I would also ask them how they'd like you to handle it if you have a question in a pt. room.

So you've had one rotation where things went fabulously and one where you've struggled a bit. I think you're a little "wound-around-the-axle" on this topic. Great and mediocre still average out to good. Try to relax a bit and keep at it -- you simply don't have enough data to see a trend.

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Sounds like you're going to be a great nurse!

I would discuss with the teach, and your mentor how nervous you get when people are watching. This is very common. I'm sure they can figure something out to help ease your mind.

This is not something to quit nursing school over, especially since you've said you the material and like doing it. Remember when youre a 'real nurse' no one is going to be standing behind you grading you all day, so you won't have that problem.

If you can tough it out, maybe talk to your dr about a better 'anxiety' med it will be worth it to finish to partipate in this great career!

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when i was getting dressed down in the hallway i explained that i was very nervous. i was told that no excuses would be accepted and this wasn't a line of work where i could be nervous. i was told if i couldn't handle it, i shouldn't be there.

this is what worries me. i'm a late bloomer but i always end up successful. i was very intimidated by my first out-of-lab attempt with this procedure. the next attempt was better and future attempts will probably be just fine. i just didn't get the feeling that it would be an option.

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seems like the faculty should be more understanding. Mine have been. You should speak with your mentor/faculty advisor about your experience.

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Specializes in med surg home care PEDS.
when i was getting dressed down in the hallway i explained that i was very nervous. i was told that no excuses would be accepted and this wasn't a line of work where i could be nervous. i was told if i couldn't handle it, i shouldn't be there.

this is what worries me. i'm a late bloomer but i always end up successful. i was very intimidated by my first out-of-lab attempt with this procedure. the next attempt was better and future attempts will probably be just fine. i just didn't get the feeling that it would be an option.

sounds like my school, everyone is just scared to death of being failed on clinicals, the professors are merciless, i have already been given the you can be nervous in this profession blah, blah, blah speech, it is 3 weeks to finals and i am ready to quit, just keep you head up and keep going, i quess there are schools were the prof are kind and understanding, but mine and it sounds like yours are not the ones, just do your best. i'm sorry i didn't go to a hospital based program though, you get more hands on and i have been told more chances to practice, well sorry i took over your vent, but it seems we are in the same boat, just do your best

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Stewiegriffin-

You will be a great nurse. It is a natural response to get nervous the first time you do a procedure. Don't think you are alone. I had no previous experience in a hospital and I was so nervous, I couldn't even find a pulse on my first patient. Your instructors don't want you to ask questions in front of the patient, so now you know to ask them before and if you have a question during save it for after. You will work out a routine with your instructors on first time procedures. Don't let this cause you to doubt yourself. You are going to be just fine. Take deep breaths before entering the room and put a smile on your face.

Best wishes,

Fellow student nurse,

Jean

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I think many, if not most people get at least a little nervous when they feel like they are being watched and judged. My grown son recently had a serious back surgery. The anesthesiologist came in before hand to talk to him and put in an arterial line. She seemed fine, confident. She told me I might not want to watch the stick and insertion. I said I was a midwife and that it didn't bother me. Well, then she started getting nervous. I noticed her hand was shaking. That made ME NERVOUS! She missed twice. My son was an otherwise strapping, healthy, muscular boy with excellent vessels, should have been easy. After the two attempts she said she would put it in when he was under, that she was nervous because we were watching. Wow. Had I known, I would have left the room! I didn't know I was making her nervous, but then I was concerned that she WAS nervous - what if people in OR were watching! Evidently, even an anesthesiologist can get nervous when someone they think might be judging them is watching.

Hang in there!

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Don't give up so easily. It seems perfectly natural to be nervous at this stage. You seem very dedicated to studying and being prepared and that will get you a long way.

Maybe if you visualize yourself doing the procedure before you enter the room, the questions will come to you then?

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Specializes in LTC.

Don't give up. I think one of the hardest things about working with patients is learning how to interact with them and becoming comfortable with providing personal care and invasive procedures.

There is no reason you shouldn't be nervous.

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You CAN do it!! I am very anxious (but improving). One thing that helped me was seeing a counselor at my school. She said that she had problems with shyness and confidence. And the best way is to be an "actor". We all experience things that we are not comfortable with. We have to act like we are comfortable.

As far as your questions go...every instructor is different. Just do what she wants you to do. Personally, I ask questions whenever they come to me, but have never gotten in trouble for doing it in a patient's room. Maybe run through the procedure in your head before entering and questions will come to you.

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for the life of me I cannot understand why these type of people become clinical instructors!

They are in the room with us when we do new procedures to assist us with questions that may come up (and they WILL) and make sure we do everything correctly. If she expects you to be SOOO perfect and have NO questions, then ask her why she's wasting her time to come in the room with you! okay, dont' really say that, you'll get kicked out lol

I'm sorry you're going through this. All the advice I can offer is to try to make it through this semester and hope for a better instructor next time around.

Oh, do this! Ask her what she did when she was a student to keep from getting nervous. I think they forget what it was like when they were students!

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