Today after clinical I broke down in Tears!!:(

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

Published

I just don't know if I can do this. I am graduating in 6 weeks in the LPN program and I have 5 days of rotation on a Pediatric Floor in a major hospital. This was my 2nd day of clinical for it. I just honestly feel completely lost. I don't know if it's my program or what, but all we did today was pass medication.....that's it. I have never once put in a foley before, I have changed a dressing maybe 2 times, I have maybe given a shot 1 time...... that's it. I don't know nursing at all. Today I was giving meds and my instructor asked me about 3-4 medications that this patient was scheduled to take, and I had no idea, all i knew was that one was for pain and the others were laxatives. She drilled me with more questions and I just didn't know it. Also I'm SO nervous during clinical I am AFRAID. Maybe partly because i'm shy but mainly because i don't feel confident at all! During pre conference in clincal she drills me with more questions and I have no idea. I feel dumb and I don't know if maybe it's because I'm not real strong in science or what, but I can't seem to do this. During clinical she pulled me to the side and said that I should know what these medications were and also how all the labs and everything tie into the patient. I just didn't know nursing is so much science. If I would have known that I wouldn't have gone into it. I would have became an accountant or something because i love math.

I want your honest opinion here, I don't want people to just say "oh you can do it!" when honestly, maybe I should know everything a nurse does by now since I'm practically graduating in 6 weeks. I'm just thinking about quitting I am soooooooooo down right now. What do you think? I'm one inch away from quitting.

0 Votes
Specializes in home health & nonprofit management.

I agree with your instructor. If youre going to give something to a pt- know what is does, how it acts in the body and adverse reactions and how to recognize them. I'd also know the usual dosages per age group. This way youre safe. Even as an lpn, its commonsense for you to know these things. You've got to think critically- youre not a pill pusher. Nursing is being responsible for your actions so know your meds! There are lots of on line resources and this should be part of your prep the night before. In RN school I would spend up to 6 hours the night before researching the meds for my 2 patients the next day as well as their disease process and appropriate nursing interventions. When you start digging this deep, you'll start feeling like a nurse. And yes, nursing is based on science. If you cant enjoy this aspect perhaps the field isn't for you. But first try to dig in, be curious and see if you start to get a feel for this. Either way, finish the course since youre only 6 weeks from graduating. Do your best so you pass and then evaluate. You dont have to take the boards but at least get the diploma. My 2 cents ok? Good luck to you

0 Votes

I know how you feel. I had never put in a foley on a real person until I got into my LAST semester of RN school (and I had done a LPN program before I went on to do RN). The opportunity never came up. I think I did 1 dressing change in LPN school and only 2 dressing changes during RN school. I had only done 2 IM injections (one newborn and one adult). You sometimes can not help what experience you get in school...if the opportunity isn't there you won't get to do it on a live person. My practice in those areas was completely book and lab practice. I was sooo nervous about some of these things! I am now working as a RN for just over 6 months. Only 2 more IM injections under my belt, but I have put in about 4 more Foleys. I feel good about dressing changes now. The main thing that has saved me is I am not afraid to ask questions if I am not sure about something. I just let whoever I am asking know that I did not get the opportunity in school to do it and I would like some guidance. Most people are great about helping and I feel comfortable going in later and doing it on my own. If you are about to do something new, I also suggest you try to read up on it before you ask for help so you know a little about it. The protocol for different procedures at my facility can be found on line so I print them off to read.

My point is relax and understand you can not possibly learn EVERYTHING in school and become an "expert" on it. While I understand you wish your experience was more broad, you will get experience in the field. I feel I have grown so much in the last 6 months and most of my patients would never guess just how new (or how scared!) I am sometimes. :)

As for putting things together like meds, labs, etc, I would suggest studying with someone. Sometimes hearing it out loud and going over it with someone else helps it stick better...and the other person may explain something in a way that gives you a new perspective.

Best of luck to you!!

0 Votes

Hang in there. The best thing you can do for yourself right now is to finish school and get your degree. If you change your mind later, so be it, but I think its worth the last 6 weeks.

I absolutely agree that you MUST know your meds, however. Check out threads on here about how to learn them. It takes time, but at least know the basics: this site helped me a ton since it was the most common drugs Study table about Top 200 Drugs-2008 check out the site a bit more, its really useful.

In the event that you don't like direct patient care, for whatever reason, as a nurse you still have a ton of options open to you. Get that degree, and explore your options.

0 Votes
Specializes in ER OR LTC Code Blue Trauma Dog.

You said you never done many of these skills before but, I am somewhat perplexed how you could have made it to the floor without demonstrating these skills in a classroom or lab setting first?

Usually an instructor will have all the students demonstrate various skills in the classroom setting and you get marked off the skills check mark list sort of thing.

Didn't they do that in your case? Usually the instructor will make sure everyone is competent inserting Foley's before sending everyone out there.

At least my school did way back when.. :)

0 Votes

ohhhh and P.S.

we don't get to prep the night before for this rotation, since it is so jammed into our summer schedule... so i'm drilled with questions the morning when I have no prep sheet for it. If I prepped the night before, maybe I would have known my meds. I don't know, but then again maybe I should already known them all! Theres just too much of them though...i'll never get it.

0 Votes

And another thing,

we didn't do any demonstration before coming onto the floor during basic, we were just thrown onto the floor.

ughhhhh i just don't like this..

0 Votes
Specializes in ER OR LTC Code Blue Trauma Dog.
And another thing,

we didn't do any demonstration before coming onto the floor during basic, we were just thrown onto the floor.

ughhhhh i just don't like this..

Wow....

I would not be going to that school of nursing anytime soon. :)

0 Votes

I'm a junior in my BSN program, and we're required to carry PDAs with software on them. Any time we have a question about anything (drugs, etc) we look it up right then....Just having it on me makes me feel more confident. Our school provides the software to us at no cost, but you could definitely subscribe on your own, if you feel it would benefit you... (Most of us carry iPod touches with "Nursing Central")

I can empathize, too. It's scary! My clinical instructor the semester before last told me that the scariest thing for her was seeing students who thought they knew everything...that she had a much better feeling about those who were scared to make a mistake, who double-checked everything.

You know your situation better than any of us do...but I've heard that what you're feeling is fairly common. Do you have access to a lab to practice your skills? At my school we can go in during the open hours and practice giving shots, catheters, even assessment stuff...and there's an aid to help, if necessary.

In any career, but especially with nursing, you *never* stop learning. There's no way you could know everything a nurse does before you've ever practiced!! All you can do is work your hardest, ask questions, look things up, and prepare as much as you can....Is there a way you could ask your clinical instructor to practice certain skills at your peds rotation? Say "hey, i'd really like to practice inserting a foley, could you come get me if it comes up?"

Good luck :]

0 Votes
Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Unfortunatley there is so little time to adequately cover everything prior to clinicals - even in RN school. Carry that med book with you.

0 Votes

I agree with the other posters about the importance of you knowing the medications you are giving but I am also wondering about the instructors method of "grilling" you.

This is a little different situation but last year, I took a school bus driver training course. Yes, I am partly insane. Anyway, the instructor was one of those kind of people who really had a hard time getting her message across. When she would talk, you had to figure out what she meant. When she asked a question, you had to work to decipher what she was asking you.

On the second day of driving, I was preparing to drive. She asked me a question and I had no idea what she meant. She just kept grilling me harder and harder and I really had no clue what she meant. She went on and on until I burst into tears. Later, the other students told me they had no idea what she meant either.

I just wonder if your situation is similar. Because I know how frustrating it can be. If it is, maybe asking the instructor to clarify herself might help (it didn't help mine but you never know!)

Good luck and hang in there!

0 Votes

Hey listen..... Its not the end of the world! lol trust me and the only reason i can laugh about this is because i have 8 weeks left in the LVN program as well..... We learned all our skills on oooooooooooold mannekins and when we got to start clinicals we first started at a nursing home i gave one shot and many many many meds (i keep my med book with me at all times) i bought a small swing bag i can wear across my body with my book and what ever other supplies i need as well! Since we started in the second semester clinicals i didnt get to do any injections and absolutely no skills i passed a few oral meds and that was it ( I FELT LIKE A COMPLETE GLORIFIED BABYSITTER!!!! IT SUCKED NONE THE LESS) but i kept telling myself that i was helping people and thats what kept me going!! I am currently in my third and FINAL semester and all year long i have worked 2 full time jobs AND gone to school 4 days a week its soooooooo hard! But know that you can do it! Everyone i have talked to says that we will get our chance to do foley's and ng's and trach care when we get out in the real world because we wont just be at the clinical sites on certain days!! Keep in mind your this far you can do it!! I really hope this helps because trust me i cannot tell you how many times i have thought about quitting because i feel like i dont ever get to do anything BUT just know that there are so many people out there that need your help weather you realize it or not!!!! Ill be your cheerleader and encouragement if you need it! I have plenty of people that i lean on for moral support. Just keep your head up once you finally get to do your skills on real people you will be amazing at it no doubt about it! Hope this helps that your not the only one that hasnt gotten to do your skills on real people!!!

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment