Bad day or am I a bad PCT?

[Holopugs]

Today was my first official orientation day working on the floor. It was a disaster. I'm a nursing student with funds and med surg experience, so I never went through PCT school but I thought I knew enough to be good at my job...

Long story short I majorly SUCKED today... I couldn't do anything right. I couldn't even take a set of vitals without forgetting to do something every single time. I'd either be fumbling with the long cords getting wrapped in everything, meanwhile taking my sweet time, or I would forget to do respiration's, how do I forget that?! And the girl training me looked like she wanted to laugh and strangle me at the same time.

in addition to the vitals I was slow to put on my PPE, hand washing, charting, etc. I felt like I was trying to nail jello to a wall meanwhile my PCT trainer ran laps around me.

Not only that but my patients didn't seem to like me but they loved the other person training me. I can be a little socially awkward but I believe I am a compassionate person. I've always dreamed of working in a big hospital taking care of others, being that hero to make someone's day a little easier during a tough time, but now I feel like a failure, and an incompetent moron.

I gained a little more confidence towards the end of the day, did some patient teaching like we were trained to do in my hospital, and got told off by a patients caregiver who also said she hopes to not see me here again. I ended my shift by crying my eyes out in my car for a good 20 minutes.

I'm worried that I'll just suck as a pct/nurse. I graduate next year and I don't want to think this is how I'll always feel.

[Hygiene Queen]

Give yourself a break! It was only your first day! If you keep at it, you can only improve.

I sucked when I first became a CNA. I had coworkers and nursing home residents betting on how long I would last! I set out to prove them wrong and just kept at it until I hit my stride.

I knew I'd broken through the sucky-ness when a resident flat out told me, "Honey, when you first started, I thought, 'there is no way she'll last two months'... and here you are! I think you're one of best one's here!"

God love that woman! I needed to hear that. I was (still am!) socially awkward, but she really boosted my morale. I needed that boost, but I had to do the work and keep at it and keep at it!

It just takes time and building on everything you learned the day before.

Good luck to you.

[Holopugs]

Thank you so much, I'm so happy to hear that I'm not alone!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[ProperlySeasoned]

The misses you described are skills. All skills take practice, and "muscle memory" to master. The good news is, vitals, PPE etc are core functions of PCT. Translation - you will have ample opportunity to do these repeatedly and get them right.