First clinical day

kahumai, RN · Sep 15, 2004

White marshmellows!!! Ha! That's what we call ourselves, too! :chuckle

Good to see you on, manna. It's been awhile!

Just wanted to say that even though you're doing basic stuff, I'm sure everything at clinicals will be a learning experience. Try not to feel guilty about having to leave the patient; many who are confined to the hospital bed are lonely and want someone to be there, and I'm sure that if you had time to, you would have. But the fact is that you had to help another student, because "there's no 'I' in 'TEAM'" This will come up time and time again, and you do what you can with it. You can't help everyone, as much as you want to. I hope the rest of your clinicals go well for you! Let us know how they go!

Ari RN, BSN, RN · Sep 15, 2004

We survived, despite being petrified and looking like a bunch of white marshmallows wandering around.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Thats too funny!

Sounds like you had a wonderful time!

I wish you the best of Luck "Future Nurses".

abundantjoy07, RN · Sep 15, 2004

When my grandma was working, she would always take off her nsg uniform in the garage or in the laundry room before she came into the house. She would always have a "house dress" outside and would change into that. Usually, she would just put the uniform in a bag (to stay outside the house) until it came time to wash. Also, just like they teach us in school, it's important to always wash your hands. If it's really that important, like they say, then it must really work when it comes to protection. Then of course, taking a bath or shower after work helps you to really feel de-germed. But, when you think about it there are funky germs flying around everywhere! Now, I guess you're just more aware of them than you were before. I think it's great to be aware, but not to be afraid. If you take the proper precautions you (and your babies) will be just fine!

dixienurse2be · Sep 15, 2004

a girl in my clinical group takes some clothes to change into before she goes home. she has 2 young boys and one has had heart problems and has a decreased immune system so she doesn't want to take anything home with her. I also had a CPR instructor who swore by changing before leaving the hospital. She told us to think of all the germs around us at the hospital and then going to the grocery store still wearing uniforms and picking out fruit and things like that. I always go straight home after clinicals (i'm not married..no kids) and take a shower.

OutdoorNurse · Sep 15, 2004

You must have taken Microbiology last semester or are taking it now. I always come home and go directly to the shower. This is my third semester of clinical and I still haven't gotten used to the uniform.

missnurse01, MSN, RN · Sep 16, 2004

yup-me too. i became a germ freak after micro. i think that i am a little better now...i can actually hand someone a cup of water without gloves on or pull a side rail up. depending on the situation i will hold someone's hand and wash really well afterwards. my biggest thing is my shoes, they go into a plastic bag in the trunk and i put others on in the parking lot. it is an ongoing joke at work that if a fellow employee fell unconsious to the floor i would be the one running for gloves first. so don't worry about that part-it has nothing to do with being cut out to be a nurse. plus, you'll always know that you are not taking part in spreading nosocomial infections!

as to the breaking away part-the nice thing is that you had the time to spend with this pt-always try to use your student clinical time by being in a room...either speaking with a pt, or shadowing a nurse to learn something. the sad thing is that when you graduate you will have even less time to spend with your pts. sometimes the hosp has volunteers that can spend time, but often they are alone. this is one reason that i don't like icu, long term lonely pts. also part of the reason that i like ER, mostly the family is around during that time and most of the pts are of the 'treat and street' variety.

i too have followed some of your recent posts and am glad to see you posting your nursing experience. good luck and keep up the hard work!:)

manna, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2004

Thanks for all the replies! :)

The second clinical day (yesterday) went a little bit better. I think once we all got that first day over with, our anxiety seemed to lessen tremendously and we could get down to business. My patient had stayed up all night after she slept all day, so she'd already had her bath around 3am. :chuckle My partner and I got to feed her breakfast and just visit with her for a while, which was really nice. While buttering her biscuit and trying to think of something to talk about to this elderly woman, we eventually amused her by stating that not once in our lives had we ever churned butter, milked a cow, or plucked a chicken. I think she actually smiled! :chuckle

Was supposed to care for her today, too, but clinicals were called off because of the weather here (rainstorms and slight winds from Ivan the terrible making landfall early this am). Guess that gives me the rest of the day to write my care plan, write my journals, and study for my calculations mastery exam in the morning! Eek!

fnimat1 · Sep 17, 2004

Hi Manna,

I'm glad to hear that your clinical went well. Welcome to the world of "Marshmallowhood"....lol. I have my first clinical next Friday....I'm soooo nervous. But reading your post took away some of the anxiety.

Fatima

Maggie in NC · Sep 17, 2004

Good to hear about clinicals!! I am starting them in October and I am VERY FREAKED out about germs and poop! I think I'll be the student wearing a mask full time-just got to think of a good excuse! JUST KIDDING

We wear navy blue scrubs for clinicals (VERY SMALL SCHOOL), we look like a bunch of overdyed smurfs! I am glad you and your family made it through the Hurricane! It's presently dumping 12 inches of rain and gusting winds at 20 mph here. No school tonight or tomorrow..

jadiva · Sep 17, 2004

I wish all of you the best of luck. This is my last semester. I'm tired, but I really enjoy nursing school. I know you all will do well too. Best of luck. Stay focused. This is a great achievement. Nursing school is no joke.

RN2Bn2006 · Sep 17, 2004

Hi all - this is my very first time posting. I will intro myself later, but at the moment, I need your critical thinking on a med administration question - Here goes:

In researching a drug, the nurse discovers that it is important to evaluate the heart rate prior to administering the medication. How would this influence the actions taken by the nurse as he or she prepares the medication?

HELP ME PLEASE!!! :uhoh3:

Thank You