Clinical Instructor Put Me On the Spot and Intimidating Me - How to Deal?

[live&love&heal]

I just started my first semester of RN school. I am an LVN and so even though I have nursing schooling under my belt, the RN schooling is much more intense and there are other concepts and procedures which are very new to me.

With that said, I had my very first clinical rotation and my clinical instructor knows that I am an LVN. She had me do an admission assessment on my Pediatric patient. This was my very first experience doing this as LVN's don't do admission assessments. I took my time and had trouble along the way and asked me instructor for assistance. After the assessment was done, she told me that I took too long and that she expects more from me since I am an LVN. Is this fair?

I have been thinking about the whole situation and now feeling a lot of pressure to do well. If I don't live up to her expectations, I'm scared that she will fail me for this clinical rotation. How should I deal with this situation. Thanks in advance!

[metricalpound]

The only advice that I can give is that you shouldn't take it personally.

I've been blessed by having really good and really understanding clinical instructors who really have a knack for teaching but I hear that some instructors think that it's a good thing to chew off the heads of nursing students. Why? I have no clue.

If she keeps giving you problems, I would talk to her in a very professional manner explaining your experience as an LVN so she knows what you know and what you are there at the clinical experience to learn.

Do you know how to give a shot and document it? Yeah, you probably do. But do you know how to assess a patient and interpret the data? Probably not as good as an RN since that is an RN duty.

Anyways, good luck and I hope that your instructor doesn't cause you too much stress. =D

[kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN]

What's the difference between an admission assessment and a regular one? Shouldn't you cover the same body systems and what not in each? I think it's fair and a good thing that they are holding you to a hire standard. I like a challenge and wouldn't want them to teach me stuff I should already know.