I just finished the long term care rotation, and tomorrow is the first day on the hospital floor. I am so nervous, I feel like I'm just not going to know what to do. I really just need some encouragement, tips on what to do and what NOT to do. Or any personal experiences would be really helpful.
bambam1288 52 Posts Apr 8, 2010 I found it really helpful to have a nursing worksheet. I took the pieces of each or the worksheets I liked. I find organization decreases stress. http://www.minnesotanurse.com/work_sheets.htmBring your drug book, lab values book, and care plan text they can come in handy. the more stress and intimidated you are the more your forget. trust in yourself as a student nurse. Be aware of what you know and what you don't if you are unfamiliar with a test or dx look it up. once I started not trying to be perfect and do everything flawlessly I ended up doing a lot better. This is the only time in your careerer that it okay to say IDK. At this clinical it just important to inform your nurse and instructor when you recognize something is abnormal. when trying to understand the client as a whole it helpful to concept map. write down their past medical hx, drugs, and lab test and see how they relate it allows you to step back and get how everything is interconnected. I just got done with my first hospital clinical and these were some of the lessons I learned. I hope this helps just trust yourself and the rest will fall into place.
CrufflerJJ, RN 1 Article; 1,023 Posts Specializes in ICU. Has 5 years experience. Apr 9, 2010 I just finished the long term care rotation, and tomorrow is the first day on the hospital floor. I am so nervous, I feel like I'm just not going to know what to do. I really just need some encouragement, tips on what to do and what NOT to do. Or any personal experiences would be really helpful.Nervousness is PERFECTLY normal. I'd be more worried about you if you were not nervous!Do your best. Accept that you do not know everything. Treat your patients with respect, and try to learn from every patient interaction. If you're not sure about something, ASK your preceptor or the nurse to whom you're assigned. Don't try to act like you know what you're doing if you don't - otherwise it will be painfully obvious.That being said, try not to be timid/afraid. Yes, you're new to the clinical scene. So what. If your instructor(s) didn't think you were ready, you wouldn't be there.You CAN do it. You WILL do it.Take notes on where stock rooms are, the names of unit clerks, managers & such. DON'T BE LATE.If you hit a slow period during the day, try to offer help to the nurses on the floor. Don't just hide in a corner & text all your friends grumbling about how slow & stoooopid the day is going. That sort of stuff will get noticed (in a negative way).Keep your eyes open, your mind open, and your mouth semi-shut. Be friendly to other folks, and just do your best.GOOD LUCK!
DayDreamin ER CRNP 640 Posts Specializes in ED. Has 13 years experience. Apr 9, 2010 If you hit a slow period during the day, try to offer help to the nurses on the floor. Don't just hide in a corner & text all your friends grumbling about how slow & stoooopid the day is going. That sort of stuff will get noticed (in a negative way). amen to THAT!!! There is nothing worse than 2 or 3 of your classmates sitting in the break room watching TV or texting while the rest of us are busting our butts! I can't wait to work with THOSE nurses. You will learn so much during this rotation! Keep a journal for yourself and track your progress in these clinicals. Be ready and eager to learn. I pour through my patient's chart and get that patient's nurse to show my his/her xrays and other tests on the computer. I have my pt's nurse pull the med sheet and go over that and look up drugs I don't know and learn what the drugs are used for and then I try to go home and learn more about each one. I also encourage you to go into your patient's room when the doc is on rounds. I've learned a lot by doing this. I have to share this too.... a few weeks ago I had an older male, alcoholic pt that was admitted after an alcohol binge and he had been found 2 days later in his own urine and feces and vomit. He had not eaten in a few days and was really shaky. Well, he hadn't eaten because he was shaking too badly and couldn't get a fork full to his mouth. I decided that this guy really needed to eat so i fed him and told the nurse that i did. The doc came in 30 mins later with her 4-5 residents and the pt's nurse. The doc was asking dozens of questions and the nurse didn't know what the heck was going on with this patient at all. The doc even asked why he had not eaten. What do you think the nurse replied? "He is too shaky and can't get food to his mouth." I piped up and answered all the doc's questions and told her I had fed him. The doc continued to direct her questions at ME and not the nurse. I felt SO good that day knowing *I* did a good job and I earned a little respect even as a student too. My confidence was sealed that day. You have to take some initiative - follow your nurse around and ask her what you can help him/her with. Go get meds with her and administer them, chart with your nurse, go with your patient to any procedure or test, and don't forget to ask questions. Don't forget that YOU are responsible for what you learn in the clinical, not your teacher or your nurse. Don't be afraid to insert yourself and make it happen! You will be GREAT!! good luck and have fun!meredith
