Does it get better?

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I graduated a year ago and have been working in long-term care. I have been working in COVID immunization clinic for a few weeks now. Yesterday was my first rotation to after care area, where clients sit for 15 minutes after vaccination.

I had a client who began to experience fainting. He had clammy skin, shortness of breath and eye balls rolling. Good thing I noticed the client for help otherwise he would have fell down from chair. I was in shock myself. I didn’t know what to do besides asking for help to get a mat so he can lay down. My heart was beating so fast. I didn’t think of doing other interventions. Others came to help and took over.

I feel so incompetent. I did learn something and if next time it happens I will know what to do. But man, I am embarrassed. The firefighter was asking the client what’s his name and checking his level of consciousness. But me, I just froze completely.

Does anyone have similar experience or is it just me?

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
29 minutes ago, Toaster2k18 said:

I did learn something and if next time it happens...

This is the essence of growing and developing in the nursing field, Toaster.

You asked if we had experienced something similar. No, in that I was an EMT before pursuing a career in nursing and had learned good basic assessment/intervention skills in emergent situations. Yes, when I broke into OR as an LPN Scrub Nurse.

In working my first three months in OR, I was all thumbs. Surgeons yelled at me for my incompetence. The Assistant Supervisor questioned whether I was cut out to work in the OR.

Then, everything fell into place. One Surgeon who had yelled at me later requested that I scrub in on her case. I was assigned procedures that I had not done before. I'm not talking emergency brain surgery, but ones like vascular cases.

Time and experience allows us to become better at our jobs as Nurses, and this will happen for you, Toaster.

So, don't beat yourself up.

Too badly.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

"Does it get better"? Yes, after time and more experience, it most certainly does.

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What they said!

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

You are experiencing an unusual time in history.  How discombobulating it must be to be working at a vaccine center with NO acute nursing experience and have to handle deciphering a true emergency from the contrary outside of a medical support system.  In a true emergency, you will be best served by focusing on the ABC's, airway, breathing and circulation.  You'll never go wrong with that approach.  First year of just a lot of pain for everyone.  But after that things start to fall in place because you have a framework for learning.  If nursing were easy, anyone would be able to do it and all complex jobs come with a long learning curve.  

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Thanks all for the encouragement. I will definitely look at this as a learning opportunity.

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.
9 hours ago, Toaster2k18 said:

I will definitely look at this as a learning opportunity.

That's the best thing for you to take away from most new situations you encounter. Fortunately, you are unlikely to experience an emergency in a situation where there isn't someone else around. Who knows, one day soon another nurse may post that they weren't sure what to do in a new situation- but fortunately Toaster2k18 was there and could handle it! Give yourself time, that's what it takes. 

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Specializes in ICU, OB/Pediatrics, Education.

Everyone provided beautiful insight. You're human, and sometimes freezing happens. Panic, feeling overwhelmed; sounds like you hit fight or flight mode. Recall the good aspects of your care: you noticed the problem, you acknowledged it and began to look for help...great! Now comes the learning experience, and guess what, you already know what else you could have done. Next go: your body will be set in motion, your brain will be right there with you. What's great about nursing is you are part of a team. No one wants to see harm done to anyone, so yes, it will get better!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
On 6/5/2021 at 12:21 PM, Toaster2k18 said:

I graduated a year ago and been working in a long term care. I have been working in covid immunization clinic for a few weeks now. Yesterday was my first rotation to after care area, where clients sit for 15 minutes after vaccination.
I had a client who began to experience fainting. He had clammy skin, shortness of breath and eye balls rolling. Good thing I noticed the client for help otherwise he would have fell down from chair. I was in shock myself. I didn’t know what to do besides asking for help to get a mat so he can lay down. My heart was beating so fast. I didn’t think of doing other interventions. Others came to help and took over.

I feel so incompetent. I did learn something and if next time it happens I will know what to do. But man, I am embarassed. The firefigher was asking the client what’s his name and checking his level of consciousness. But me, I just froze completely.

Does anyone have similiar experience or is it just me?

Experience comes from screwing up and learning how to do it better next time.  So  yes, we've all had similar experiences to  you.  I remember how hard I worked to pass BLS the first time.  I practiced on that Recording Annie for hours before I got the perfect strip that entitled me to receive that precious BLS card.  And then I thought I would know EXACTLY what to do when my  patient coded.

Turns out the first time I had to do CPR, it was on the patient's spouse, who complained vaguely of "not feeling well" right up to the point where they slumped to the floor.  And I froze.  I knew what to do, I was sure, when my PATIENT DFO'd (done fell out, for those unfamiliar with the correct medical terminology) but I wasn't prepared for the visitor to do so.  Turns out one of those crusty old bats at my first job saw what happened and knew exactly what to do . . . and that's how you learn.  

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Specializes in BSN, RN, CVRN-BC.

Panic responses include fight, flight, or freeze.  Being human and confronted with an unfamiliar situation you froze.  Next time you might be a bit slow to respond, but having some familiarity with the situation you will respond.  It is all a part of the learning and gaining experience process.  This is why experienced nurses are worth more in the market place.  Congratulations on your inauguration! 

Some people can take book learning and immediately apply it to practical application, but it is rare for a person to be able to apply it to an emergency situation the first time they encounter the situation.

When patients become altered, dizziness, nauseated, and/or diaphoretic it is a sign or poor perfusion and time to get them lying down with the legs elevated.  If the patient is on a stretcher please don't tilt the entire thing.  If that doesn't work then they need an IV fluids asap and perhaps a transfer to the ED depending on your location's capabilities and the potential cause.  After it happens to your a few times it will become second nature.  Hopefully it won't happen often in a vaccine clinic.

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On 6/8/2021 at 8:29 PM, Ruby Vee said:

Experience comes from screwing up and learning how to do it better next time.  So  yes, we've all had similar experiences to  you.  I remember how hard I worked to pass BLS the first time.  I practiced on that Recording Annie for hours before I got the perfect strip that entitled me to receive that precious BLS card.  And then I thought I would know EXACTLY what to do when my  patient coded.

Turns out the first time I had to do CPR, it was on the patient's spouse, who complained vaguely of "not feeling well" right up to the point where they slumped to the floor.  And I froze.  I knew what to do, I was sure, when my PATIENT DFO'd (done fell out, for those unfamiliar with the correct medical terminology) but I wasn't prepared for the visitor to do so.  Turns out one of those crusty old bats at my first job saw what happened and knew exactly what to do . . . and that's how you learn.  

Thank you!!

 

On 6/25/2021 at 9:33 AM, Robmoo said:

Panic responses include fight, flight, or freeze.  Being human and confronted with an unfamiliar situation you froze.  Next time you might be a bit slow to respond, but having some familiarity with the situation you will respond.  It is all a part of the learning and gaining experience process.  This is why experienced nurses are worth more in the market place.  Congratulations on your inauguration! 

Some people can take book learning and immediately apply it to practical application, but it is rare for a person to be able to apply it to an emergency situation the first time they encounter the situation.

When patients become altered, dizziness, nauseated, and/or diaphoretic it is a sign or poor perfusion and time to get them lying down with the legs elevated.  If the patient is on a stretcher please don't tilt the entire thing.  If that doesn't work then they need an IV fluids asap and perhaps a transfer to the ED depending on your location's capabilities and the potential cause.  After it happens to your a few times it will become second nature.  Hopefully it won't happen often in a vaccine clinic.

Thanks y’all! 

It’s surprising how many people are afraid of needles. It’s an eye opening!

I had a few incidents after the first one and I did not panic one bit! I asked firefighters to get me a wheelchair/mat just incase and rolled him in to a private toom,gave the client juice and asked him to take off mask so its easier to breathe and took the clients’ vitals and everything was OK. I would say that I am getting better at it!

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