The cpne is the most intense experience I have been through! I passed all my labs the first night so I was feeling pretty confident going into my first pcs. My care plan passed and I walked in the room and maybe lasted 5 minutes! I failed to identify the patinet against the kardex.
So the second one I wasn't feeling so confident but the CE was terrific and I passed my 2nd pcs. I got through the 3rd one who was the sickest patient I had. I felt terrible. I know she didn't feel good but she allowed me to assess her and she partook in the pcs. The one thing that happened is that I had abdominal assessment and I was listening to her abnomen and she didn't have any bowl sounds (she so had an ileus) so my nerves started coming out while I was listening to her abdomen (1 minute each quad!) and I started breaking out in flop sweat:chuckle The CE didn't say any thing but I not that she noticed.
My last one I did fine it was a patient with cholilithiasis and I used pain management as my poc. But of course she rated her pain at a 3 so I couldn't use it. I breezed through my critical elements because she was basically a negative assessment, she was eager to help me, and she was ambulatory. While I was doing the last phase I started freaking because I couldn't use pain management I spent at least an hour trying to figure out what to do because if I failed this one I failed the cpne! I was looking for other diagnosis to use etc. Then I realized that I could change my pain management diagnosis to at risk for pain (DUH:bugeyes:). Just goes to show you how your nerves can get the best of you!
The ce's and the ca's were wonderful and very very supportive. My best advice is know your pneumonics inside and out. Make your grid it's your guide,when you walk in the room work through your nerves and just be the best nurse you can be for your patient!
