What suprised you most when you started clinicals?

[justme1972]

I thought this would be a fun thread for those of us that haven't started yet.

What did you have to personally do that was interesting, suprising, horrifying, disgusting, shocking...anything!

Ok, I'll admit...I'm going for the "de-sensitizing" mode :)

[BeccaznRN, RN]

On my first or second day of clinical, I got to suction a trach for the first time. The actual suctioning didn't bother me, but when I was finished and my instructor said "wrap it up in your hand and then turn your glove inside out to throw it away," I wanted to throw up. I didn't want to touch that slimy thing with a ten foot pole, much less my hand (and it didn't matter that it was gloved)!

[LilNurse2b143]

My clinical experience so far included:

-my first patient ever was 89 years old, in wrist and ankle restraints, and yet still found a way to kick me and my classmate!

-never realized that there really were THAT many elderly people with THAT many problems with them!!

-meeting patients who are just a joy to be around, only to find out that while looking in their chart the doc found cancer and that they are dieing..but they still don't know because the doc didn't make his rounds that day.. i wanted to leave right then and there so i didn't have to go back in!

-sometimes there really ARE nice nurses on the floor willing to help you, you just have to find the right ones and stick with em'!

-the first time you do an injection is VERY scary.. but after you do the first one you think "I want to do more!!"

[CiCigirl]

i love this thread!!

please, keep 'em coming. :)

[Galore]

This thread is very informative :)

[LaceyRN]

I was also suprised how the instructors just throw you in there and say go!

I felt tossed into situations alot. Environments you are extremely unfamiliar with. I kinda thought they would walk us through everything the first few days in clinicals.....but they dont!

:yeahthat:

My first few clinical weeks, I felt like I was thrown out there... almost like reading the rough draft of a play and then being tossed on stage opening night in the middle of a scene and trying figure out what character you are supposed to be and what your lines are!

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

Wow, what a great thread! I always remember the following about clincals:

1st semester: -Nearly getting kicked out of the program as I took a diabetic client away from breakfast, assessed him, gave him meds, had to bring back to help feed breakfast, arggghh! We were told nothing about our LTC care, and assessments took almost a whole hour!

Class-wise: being amazed at how many people failed 1st semester!, also just overwhelmed over the total amount of info we had to learn....

2nd semester- How overwhleming it was to actually care for "sick" patients that were out of their elements. Rounding with doctors, finding instructors for procedures and medications, calling for orders, asking CNAs to provide care when you have 3 patients and meds on all 3. ARRGGH!!!

-Taking care of a patient with stage 4 cancer, taking him for a needle biopsy, bringing him back upstairs, finding out he passed overnight.....overwhelming to be one of the last people to have cared for him.

- Having more than 1 patient tell me "You're going to be a great nurse. You were friendly, didn't talk down to me, made sure I was comfortable, thanks a lot."

- Working for hours on careplans, then discovering that instructor wants me to redo the entire thing because "it's not nursey enough".....

- Knowing that what i know now can only be more, and as long as I don't kill anybody.....I should graduate.

[AirforceRN, RN]

Two things come immediately to mind...

My first dressing change was on a paraplegic with an ulcer on his buttocks. My instructor was there to talk me through it so I removed the old bandage, took the sterile tweezers and began to slowly remove the old packing. 6 ft later, I had removed all the packing. 6FT!!! I couldn't believe it.

Heard an old (90years I guess) lady respond to the question "do you feel nauseous?" with.... "Honey, I've only been nauseous twice in my life. Once when I got married and once when I ate an entire watermelon." I almost peed myself.

[lostintrenton]

omg this is really a enjoyable thread TYVM all of you for sharing your experiences

[happynewLPN]

So far, (and this is my first clinical rotation thus far), I'd have to say these are the highlights:

-putting dentures in for my patient at the nursing home, realizing the top ones were on the bottom and vice versa!

-playing Toss Across in the activity room at the nursing home.

-giving a total care male resident a full bath.

-getting my first patient in the hospital, helping do her accuchecks and administering my first insulin.

-being told by my first patient, "You're going to be a great nurse." It made my day, my week, and probably my whole rotation!

[Soup Turtle]

I had a patient who had pictures of himself and his dog all over his room. He also had the actual dog, long dead and stuffed, sprawled out in front of the television. He seemed to think the dog was still "with us", but I'm not sure...

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

This was many years ago but still vivid memory: There I was in my pristine white student uniform, whiter than white nursing shoes all ready to get to started. I was doing mouth care on my very first patient in a NH. I discovered a clump of something (old food? mucous?) lodged in the roof of her mouth. I knew I had to get it out so I used the mouthcare sponge to dislodged it. As it fell out along came this horrendous odor. I felt like puking and wondered how am I ever going to be a nurse?

That was 17 yrs ago...still at it!

[TraumaICURN]

What surprised me the most was how scared I was to go into my patient's room. For the first hour or so, I just walked the halls, trying to avoid my clinical instructor. She finally saw me acting as if I was doing something and said to me "You haven't even been in there yet, have you?" I just shook my head no. :imbar