Do you get nervous before going to clinical?

ear · Feb 3, 2005

I am a first semester student, and I am going into my first clinical setting this afternoon. YIKES! Now I am nervous!!!

CNM-to-be · Feb 3, 2005

I'm like you...in my second semester and I do get nervous before clinicals. In fact I expereinced that feeling at 0630 this morning, lol! I usually get all jittery, in part from the caffeine I've injested but mostly b/c of my nerves. I'm kind of a shy, introverted gal myself as well but I usually warm right up to my patients. When we go to the hospital the night before clinical to get our assignments I go over in my head all the horrible things that could go wrong in my care of my patient. It almost never ends up as bad as I've imagined, in fact it ends up much, much better!

I don't have any advice for when the nervousness goes away...not sure it will ever go away completely for us introverts but I do know that it will get better as our skill and confidence level increase.

I'll be thinking about you on clinical morning...we can be nervous together!

*PICURN* · Feb 3, 2005

once i threw up in the bathroom about 30 minutes into clinical!

don't worry, you aren't alone!

klone, MSN, RN · Feb 3, 2005

Not anymore. But I do get nervous if I know I'm going to have to do an invasive procedure (like an IM med). I'll be positively DREADING the first time I'm faced with having to insert a foley or start an IV. Thank goodness it hasn't happened yet. This semester, though, we've got an OR rotation and we've been told that since the pt. will be sedated, we'll be allowed to insert a foley. Unfortunately, we'll also have the surgeon breathing down our neck, waiting for us to finish it so he can start the surgery.

twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN · Feb 3, 2005

I'm in my third semester now and in psych nursing and I still get nervous. But it usually stops after a couple of clinical days. :chuckle: I don't expect that to stop either. in another 6 weeks I have to start Acute med/surg and I've heard horror stories from friends who are in it now.

HyperRNRachel · Feb 3, 2005

Not anymore. But I do get nervous if I know I'm going to have to do an invasive procedure (like an IM med). I'll be positively DREADING the first time I'm faced with having to insert a foley or start an IV. Thank goodness it hasn't happened yet. This semester, though, we've got an OR rotation and we've been told that since the pt. will be sedated, we'll be allowed to insert a foley. Unfortunately, we'll also have the surgeon breathing down our neck, waiting for us to finish it so he can start the surgery.

Believe me the catheter will be in and urine will be flowing before the surgeon even steps into the room! No surgery ever starts on time. In fact, in the surgeon handbook it clearly states: NEVER start a surgery on time.

If they break the rule the surgeon could lose their license. :rolleyes:

HappyNurse2005, RN · Feb 4, 2005

I used to get nervous all the time. I found that the kinder the instructor and the better you got along wiht your classmates, the less nervous you are-because if you get into trouble, a good instructor/classmates can help you out. I was always nervous my first day, or on a day i knew i would have a difficult patient, but it goes away once I get busy. Generally im not nervous anymore! (4th semester).

checkers · Feb 4, 2005

I am also in my 2nd semester. My clinical starts next week, I am sooooo nervous! I know everyone in my group would be nervous to get started, but then when we meet at post conference, we think how silly we were.

My instructor would say that thanks to our nerves, at least we won't have to worry about staying "regular" while in school. Gosh is that true, I'm just glad I haven't thrown up yet.

lil' girl, LPN · Feb 4, 2005

Nervous as all get out. Soon as report is over I am fine. Our instructor is detail detail detail, and will ask things you never even think about. They threw us in the first day didn't tell us anything and I mean NOTHING and said go to it. So we had to figure out everything we needed to get off orders, labs, etc. blah!!!

TweetiePieRN · Feb 4, 2005

Hey there. I have been an RN for 8 months now. I was ALWAYS nervous for clinicals, and I am not shy nor an introvert. Some mornings I would throw up, get sore tummy, you name it!! Trust me when I say, it gets better!!! You WILL be nervous the first few months on the job too. Just believe me...it goes away slowly, but surely. Even now, I get some days when I get to work and I feel nervous, but this rarely happens.

The funny thing is...I work in the hospital and unit where I did a lot of my clinicals. We would do the clinicals during the day shift. As an RN I work the evening shift, but if I work a day shift I feel super nervous as if I am coming to clinicals. It takes me a few minutes to remember that I am no longer a student!! My coworkers and managers think its funny!

Hope you all learn to deal with the anxiety and believe me...IT GOES AWAY!!

wms · Feb 4, 2005

How many people get really nervous before going to clinical? This is my second semester and I still get really nervous every time before I have to go in.
It is my 3rd clinical sem. and I can still get totally freaked. Especially when you know what you are going to be doing before you get there. In clinicals tonight, (med/surg) I had to give 9 G tube meds and two injections! Talk about going through things in your head!! But, I made it through, just like last week, and the week before, etc. But next week, I will still be nervous. Just remember, try not to let your pt. ever see how nervous you are, and never answer a clinical instructors question with "I think", act like you know it. If you are wrong, you're wrong. But if you do know and you say "I think", you'll be told to come back when you know. I've seen this happen alot in my class! Believe in yourself and do the best you can, you'll be great!!
Good luck, Wendy :)