Discouraged by it all!

Tony35NYC · Nov 10, 2004

Nursing school is stressful for most of us and when it comes to clinicals we all have great days and horrible ones, too. So you missed a delivery. So what? Baby's are always being born, and if that clinical instructor is any good she'll give you a makeup opportunity to experience another delivery. I also missed my first delivery while I was in OB, but I later teamed up with another student whose patient was in labor and it all worked out just fine. Its only been a couple hours since you called and maybe she's just busy. As long as you left a message explaining the reason you didn't make it in on time I don't see how she could have an issue with that. Now, it would be an entirely different thing if you didn't call after not showing up.

I'm past being overly concerned about discouraging comments from any nursing instructor. Some of them are b*tches (or sons thereof), and I'm sure more than a few of us have had our fair share of bad experiences and put-downs from them. Do you really believe that their negative opinions will prevent you from being a good nurse? Sometimes you have to put up with their crap just to get through the class and then you move on. Nursing school doesn't last forever, and after you graduate you'll probably never see any of these intructors again.

Chin up! :)

T.

hypnotic_nurse · Nov 10, 2004

Your daughter's safety comes WAY before anything else. So banish those guilty feelings. I am sure at some point you will see another delivery (they are cool!).

This was a non-mandatory experience. Your instructor should understand that you couldn't leave your child at home alone...and as stressful as nursing school is, I can't believe they would have wanted you to stay up all night anyway with this woman at the hospital. How could you have paid attention in class the next day?

Don't beat yourself up. Some instructors are great, some are awful, and some are average; as long as you're passing, I wouldn't worry about it. Instructors should NOT be "anti-intelligent" which is what I term those people who feel like they have to cut you down in some way if you learn easily. (I had an instructor from "you-know-where" as well, a horrible experience, I could do nothing right in her rotation).

Clincal skills are new to some nursing students, and for most of us, it was not something that came easily or naturally -- had to be learned and practiced.

akcarmean, LPN · Nov 10, 2004

When I went through clincials we had several instructors come and go b/c of the director/class room teacher. She was a B*tch every clinical instructor was different and it was hard on us to have to learn hoe a new instructor wanted things done. we went through 5 clinical instructors during that short amount of time. I think as long as u know u are doing your best that is what counts. talk to your instructor and see if u could see another delivery. they are aspme to watch and you can learn a lot. ever different to be on the other side of the table don't stress yourself out your family comes first. sorry for the mistakes hope u can understsnd i have the baby on my lap trying to type with 1 hand while baby is throwing everying on the floor off the top of my desk. Hope this helps have a great dayl

angelia

kk8j · Nov 11, 2004

Hello, everyone. I've just recently discovered this website and absolutely love it! It's given me some comfort to know that most of the nursing school concerns that I feel seem pretty universal, and it's not just me.
I really want to be a nurse, I've always loved the medical field. Problem is that lately I find myself becoming so discouraged by nearly everything. I don't know if I'm setting my expectations too high, if I'm being overly sensitive, or if I'm just too stressed.
Currently, I'm in my second year and doing an OB rotation. Each student was assigned an "OB mom" through various medical offices in this area. Although not mandatory, it was highly recommended that we attend our OB mom's labor and delivery. I received a call at 10:30pm last night from the hospital that my assigned mom had been admitted in labor. At the time of the call she was reported at 2cm dilation.
Well, to make a long story short, I missed my OB mom's delivery by about half an hour when I called the nurse's station this morning to check on her labor progress. My problem was this: I have an 11 year old at home and am a single parent with no support system. I have no family here locally and no one I could have relied on to take my daughter overnight. Leaving my daughter at home alone overnight was not an option I wished to consider. My hope was that her labor would continue throughout the night, and I had planned to go in to be with her first thing this morning after getting my daughter to school. I don't know how I expected this to work out, I was just really, really hoping that by some fluke of luck my assigned mom would go into labor during the daytime, and I would have been happy to miss a few classes to be there for her.
I'm trying to think about this rationally, because I'm feeling incredibly guilty. I know it wasn't mandatory that I absolutely attend my OB mom's labor and delivery. I know there wasn't a whole lot I could do given the circumstances. On the other hand, I feel that I let my OB mom down by not being there. Worst, I have this sick feeling that my clinical instructor will look upon my absence unfavorably.
I don't like the way I'm feeling right now, and it was made worse by speaking to a very rude nurse in the OB department who answered the phone both times that I called. Ugh.
I take my current nursing studies and my future career very seriously, as I'm sure we all do. I'm one of the dreaded over-achievers who does well in the class setting. Not as well in the clinical aspect due to inexperience, but I'm working on that. I've even been made to feel bad about -that- lately by a couple of nursing instructors who have the viewpoint that anyone who does well in the class portion of the curriculum will likely not be a good nurse because they're too "book smart." I just can't understand this, making a student second guess themselves because they're doing well?
I left a message for my OB clinical instructor to call me back, as I definitely do not want her to have the impression that I just blew this delivery off. I'm biting my nails because it's been nearly two hours, and I haven't heard back from her.
I don't know what my point is! I just think this whole program is so stressful, and I'm trying to do my very best. Someone please tell me this gets better, this next six months until graduation cannot come soon enough!

I'm only a first year and worried about my first quarter. sounds like your a good mom your own delivery should cover your OB since you been there done that. Letting down your paitent now that she is a mom I think she will relize why kids come first. I have two girls but I'm a dad. support I would love to help might keep me sncouraged too. My mom was an RN and Dad was a X-RAYtech I sorta grew uu in the hospital. After having many loser jobs I now work in that hospital as a nurses aide. might be an RN there if I make it. but if it was easy; everyone would do it. only 6 months to go thats to far along to give I to being left handed am booksmart And I will make a fine RN, as you will because we have a heart too. hang in there i will if you will. hang in there I might be a paitent some day and need you. hope this helps, George