Anyone else hate their clinicals?

ERNurse752, RN · Feb 17, 2005

I hated, hated, hated clinicals too. I did like my OB clinical a lot, and Peds was ok. I worked as a student nurse on a CICU at the time, and liked it for the most part. My dream in school was always ER though. It helped knowing there was more out there than just what I saw and did in clinicals.

I was really stressed out and depressed through a lot of it though...I just flat-out hated it. But, I got through it somehow.

I'm not sure how uplifting that was, but just know you're not alone!

Gompers, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2005

I can honestly say that I absolutely HATED each and every day of clinical that I had in nursing school. I graduated almost 7 years ago, and I still get queasy thinking about it. I just dreaded every day, no matter what floor we were on. Even the ones that I kinda liked (psych, OB) I still hated, LOL.

I knew that I wanted to go into NICU, and I think that's what made it so hard for me. My friends in school wanted to go into med-surg, and they seemed to love clinicals. I think you just have to find your niche. Plus, in school you have so much stuff to do (careplans, study for tests) that you really don't get the whole nursing experience. When you start working, it will be a different world. Once you find a population you're passionate about and a unit/floor where you enjoy working with the staff...you'll be fine.

As for me, the girl who hated each and every day of clinical???

I seriously love going to work. Been at the same job for over 6 years, and can't imagine doing anything else.

Good luck!

convuluterrn · Feb 17, 2005

A career in nursing provides countless opportunities in a variety of specialties. Give yourself time and a variety of experiences to ultimately decide what path to follow. The demand for nurses nationwide in different specialties will last for years to come.

Good luck and Stay positive!

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 17, 2005

I hated mine cause it was clear the instructors were "out to get us" there. It was a very nerve-wracking experience for me. It was not til my final semester when I began to really LIKE my clinical rotations. Matter of fact, I came to LOVE them. That was when I knew I was gonna be ok as an RN.

rogramjet · Feb 18, 2005

I HATED clinicals. The sleepless nights beforehand. Constantly feeling like you are under a microscope, the hours upon hours of research and paperwork, that you will never see again once you graduate. The fear of making a mistake.

Believe me it is all worth it. Once you graduate it is a whole new world. You will feel lost for a while, then suddenly that first year is behind you and you realize just how much you learn that first year. Nursing school is incredibly stressful, incredibly hard. Nursing is more stressful and harder...but at the same time much better. I love being a nurse and have no regrets whatsoever. Just keep smiling and keep your chin up, it doesn't last forever, it just seems like it does.

HappyNurse2005, RN · Feb 18, 2005

I am a 4th semester student, graduating very very soon! (2 months and 23 days til graduation!).

I have almost always hated clinicals or some portion of them. As others have said, when you are in a unit you know you would never want to work on (I have been on ortho floors twice, med/surg-ugh on both of those) it sucks. I don't want to do broken hips, knee replacements, pins, blah blah blah. So that made me hate it. I hated it when you had too many students to each instructor so you didn't get enough one on one time. When there were limited skills when you were there and lots of students wanting to do these skills. (one foley insertion-8 students. 7 lose out). when the staff nurses are hateful (really, i've not seen that too often) or worst of all, the instructor is horrible, the care plans suck and are focused on more than what you are actually doing, not being able to do anything unsupervised (not so true anymore this late in the game, though, that was more of an issue early), having clinicals be unrealistic, doing so much CNA work there isn't enough time for all the RN work, and so on.

I have learned a lot from my clinicals-not only nursing skills, but also lots of communication issues, dealing with difficult patients, pt education, prioritization, meds, etc etc etc. But the role of a student really stinks sometimes!

LydiaNN · Feb 18, 2005

Remember, too, that you don't necessarily have to be a hospital nurse upon graduation.

abundantjoy07, RN · Feb 18, 2005

This is the main reason I'm not too fond of clinicals.

i guess i just hate only having one patient at clinicals, and not even really knowing what to do or getting to do anything besides bathing and MAYBE passing a few meds. I feel like I have nothing to do, but I dont know how to do anything anyway. and the things I am supposed to do, like bed baths and changing sheets, i already know how to do, and dont enjoy doing. im afraid i will never know enough to do everything that a nurse does, and im afraid that it is a job that is too stressful, and i wont be able to perform under pressure.

neuronursein06 · Feb 18, 2005

In the same boat now....absolutely HATE OB...though my prof I know has something to do with it. I know I want to do neuro, and it doesn't help that I'm just kind of doing the minimal amt of work to pass the class and the Nclex- bc I just think postpartum is SOOOOOOOOOOOO boring...L&D not bad, but still, I prefer all the med-surg stuff. Have been a tele tech for 18+ mos, so I like all that stuff- except pts with Cdiff in diapers.... :uhoh3:

You'll find your niche, I'm sure....good luck!

LilRedRN1973 · Feb 19, 2005

moonbunnie,

I just had my school clinical in the ICU where I've been working for over a year. Funny thing....I LOVE going to work, but I HATED being a student nurse there!!! I didn't like not being able to jump in and take charge the way I do when I'm working as an Apprentice Nurse. I had to follow the nurse around and listen to her explain things, yadda, yadda....I couldn't really chart the way I'm used to and it was just different.

Hang in there...some clinicals you will hate and some you will love. I HATED my OB/L&D clinicals, LOVED my neuro, HATED my LTC, and LOVED my Oncology. It's definitely different with each clinical....AND it also depends on the nurse you get paired with. That makes a big difference as well.

Melanie

moonbunnie · Feb 19, 2005

thanks everyone. i think its mostly just the sense of not belonging that i dont like. i dont love my cna job, where i work in ltc on the weekends, but at least i know what i am supposed to be doing every minute of the day, and what i can and cant do, and i dont have to be supervised all day. i really am hoping that when i graduate i can find my place. i know i dont have to stay a bedside nurse forever either, which is also comforting. at least i have a pretty nice clinical instructor this semester, although she can be a little crazy about always wanting us to constantly stay busy, while i am feeling like there is nothing to do, but at least she isnt out to get us.

manna, BSN, RN · Feb 19, 2005

I agree with what someone else said - maybe you'll enjoy another clinical site or clinical rotation more.

I was not very fond of my past two med surg rotations, but so far I've LOVED the time I spent on the L&D floor and in the OR. :)