Published
I graduated in May and have been working med-surg since June and I still don't feel like I know what I'm doing. If your state allows you to take the LNA/CNA test if you have a completed a semester of nursing school, you should try that for a part-time job. It will help with your bedside manner and time management. I worked as a per-diem LNA on a medical-oncology for the last three semesters of my ASN program and I felt like I was miles ahead of my peers because I didn't find the hospital to be a stressful place any more.
I felt the same way going into my second clinical experience (which I just finished, going into my 3rd this January), and I must say that at the end of this semester I felt like a totally different nursing student. It may have been due to my phenomenal clinical instructor, but I really figured out the routine of the 12 hours and how I needed to prioritize and structure my day. I definitely did not feel like I was aimlessly walking around the floor anymore, but was constantly busy and able to provide proper care to my clients.
My suggestion would be to work on clinical reasoning, that is what really helped me this semester. Why am I doing this care before that? Why am I holding this med? Should I go and re-evaluate their vitals now after giving that medication and what am I looking for? It helped pull my entire care together and focus on the why, not just the what.
Good luck!! Have confidence in yourself, you'll find your stride.
Hopefully, never! There is always more to learn/know and that feeling you have drives your lifetime learning. It also helps keep your practice safe and collaborative.
Remember that both knowledge and experience play a big role in how much you know and how comfortable you are with it, and currently, you have little of both. Even seasoned nurses and NPs don't have all the knowledge of our physician counterparts because of their extensive schooling and residencies.
What we are very good at, arguably better then our physician counterparts, is knowing the patient and where something is wrong or not. Do you know when something just isn't right with a patient? Keep developing that.
Skips, MSN, RN
518 Posts
Hello all! I am going into my 3rd semester overall in January in nursing school. I'm in a BSN program. I have only had one semester of clinical experience. This next semester will be my second clinical experience.
The first clinical was sort of helpful...we were only there for 6 hours once a week. I feel like I'm not ready for next semester, when more responsibility will be placed upon us.
What should I do to prepare a little before for next semester? I have until January 7th until that semester begins, but I just have zero confidence. I can't wait until I feel more confident.
I feel okay with meds. I feel okay with my assessments. I also feel okay with labs. I guess.