Terrified for clinicals because...

I am in the exact same boat. I get so freaked drawing up a med while she watches I mess up my MAR, initials, you name it...everytime...yesterday I had an itty bitty hep, she made me so nervous I put on one glove and couldnt even click down the self sealing...I zoned in a panic attack, then comes the shame from not being able to complete a simple task and you ask yourself what if I had much more to do? I have been crying for the past 2 days and have been unable to sleep...been on here since 2:00 am looking for solace. My only advice to you is...look how many of us are on here...we got this far, WE WILL DO THIS...best of luck

As a former instructor this is what I recommend: Ask the students that have the same instructor if they have the same concerns. Approach the instructor with logical, unemotional (and I know, that can be really hard--it can be an emotionally charged issue!) as a group--there can be strength in numbers. Ask if you can have drug cards to refer to--that or nursing drug books are what "real world nurses" use (just be sure that you have looked up the drugs & can quickly refer to your source). As far as labs--know the norms & how your patient varies from them. Again, ask for the use of a reference card. The main point should be to help the patient and secondary to that, to help you learn. Stress can either help or hinder--that's why communication is so important. If things are bad, you can't get satisfaction from the instructor, etc., follow your chain of command. Just be sure that you are doing everything you are supposed to--care plans, knowing history of patient, etc.--so that if you have to "go above her" you don't sound like a whiner. From personal experience--logical approaches can bring good results. Remember--your instructor is responsible for the 2-3 patients you have in addition to the ones your fellow students have, so she wants to be sure you know your stuff. Hang in there & you can do it!