clinical blues

BabyRN2Be · Mar 14, 2004

Don't give up Purple Princess and Elizabeth. The road to nursing is a long, sometimes difficult journey with a lot of bumps in the road. Please don't give up and by all means please keep us posted on your plans.

Warm, encouraging thoughts to you both. If you'd like, please feel free to write me personally and I'll encourage you the best way I can.

Katherine

Purple Princess · Mar 14, 2004

Thanks. By the way I am Elizabeth, that's just my online name. "purple princess" It's just so hard. I took all the courses like the anatomy, English, Psychology, and algebra to be accepted into this RN program. It's two short years and basically a crash course. Usually the ones that make it have had previous experience, the teachers seem to favor them while they'll never admit to it. In fundamentals we were taught all of our skills and there was alot, now we're accountable for all of them and sometimes it's hard to remember all the intricate steps of say blood transfusion. Many second level students have still not had the opportunity to carry out foley insertion or NG tube insertion in the clinical setting. I'm going to take my CNA test and work for awhile at that. I have decided to go to Lenape which is what I wanted to do all along. Nurses just don't get enough time to spend with patients. I like the emotional aspect of caring. I would just get real frustrated on clinical because while the RN's depended on us it just seemed like they didn't want bothered with us when we had questions. They would tell us to talk to our instructor but our teacher doesn't know how that patient is. Anyway; where are you from? do you want to write emails? You seem to have been in my shoes. I would like talking to you, it just might help.

Don't give up Purple Princess and Elizabeth. The road to nursing is a long, sometimes difficult journey with a lot of bumps in the road. Please don't give up and by all means please keep us posted on your plans.
Warm, encouraging thoughts to you both. If you'd like, please feel free to write me personally and I'll encourage you the best way I can.
Katherine

Baby Catcher · Mar 14, 2004

Have you thought about other careers that help people like social work or psychology? It sounds like you get good grades but have anxiety in the clinical setting. Maybe there are some other helping type jobs that you would like better. If not, you will be a nurse some day if that is what you really want to do.

Purple Princess · Mar 14, 2004

I actually have thought about that. Like a medical social worker or something. In the clinical setting, it's like rush rush rush oh by the way your patient has a test this morning..... no notice in report or the kardex. I remember getting so tense in clinical, anxiety rising, and just unable to think calmly about what I was doing. I'm going to take a career planning class, it starts in a week, it will hopefully help me to make a realistic career goal based on my skills and capabilities. Clinical was just chaos at times. I do want to help people but maybe nursing is not it right now. I remember the doctor coming in and telling my patient that she was to have a lung tap but he had to leave again. The nurse talked to her briefly, yet she was left alone again to cry. I stayed with her and we talked. She didn't like the idea of having the procedure but she didn't appear to be crying as much when I had to leave. Friends have told me I give really good advice and we've helped each other through some really tough times in our lives. So I will consider that thank you.

Have you thought about other careers that help people like social work or psychology? It sounds like you get good grades but have anxiety in the clinical setting. Maybe there are some other helping type jobs that you would like better. If not, you will be a nurse some day if that is what you really want to do.

Stephanie in FL · Mar 14, 2004

Elizabeth,

I have been where you are now. I started nursing school (a BSN program) when I was 20. I had difficulty with clinical and a lot of anxiety. I considered changing my major, but I had always wanted to become a nurse. I did clinicals my first semester on a neuro unit at a teaching hospital. Patients on this unit had had very complex surgeries. My first instructor was like a drill sargent. However, I did well in classroom work. One of my professors sent me to the psych professor for counseling. The summer between my junior and senior year, I worked as a nurse tech on a busy diabetes/med-surg unit. I could do any skills, but could not pass meds. I learned ALOT! This experience really helped me in my senior year. I remember in clinical and being proud that I could answer a question that someone else could not. I shadowed a home care nurse for a day during nursing school and knew that's what I wanted to do. I worked on a renal/urology/surgical unit for 2 years after graduation. Some days were tough, but it was worth it. I took care of a lot of patients with diabetes on this unit, which helped me gain the knowledge to become a certified diabetes educator. Yes, I now work in home care-and see a lot of patients with diabetes. Please don't give up, Elizabeth. Hang in there. Get more experience. Follow your dream! You can do it!

Stephanie