Confident in assessment

[Stoogesfan]

I am in my first real clinical rotation where I'm in my own pretty much with the assessment and I'm constantly second guessing myself. How long did it take for you to be confident in yourself when it comes to assessments?

For example, when I listen to my patient's lungs I will constantly second guess that they were clear/diminished/wheezing. Or when I look at wounds or edema I am do nervous about getting the size or the depth wrong. And even simple stuff like skin being pink or pale I find myself being nervous about. I am always right when my instructor checks what I've gotten but until then I'm always second guessing myself.

[lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN]

It's always scary when you're first on your own. But remember, those are objective findings, so what you see, hear, feel and smell, is what you see, hear, feel and smell. And the more you practice, the better and more confident you'll get. It's easier to determine that someone has decreased breath sounds when you've heard lots and lots of clear ones. Easier to see that someone is pale when you've seen lots and lots of pink ones. Practice! That's what clinicals are for!