First Clinical - Feel totally lost.

[colta]

Hey all, this is somewhat of a vent, but more of a plea for guidance.

My class is currently in our first clinical. We're in nursing homes caring for geriatric patients and this is our first time out into the real world after a semester of theory and lab practice.

Now, before we went out to clinical... I felt great! As far as marks go, I'm top of my class and I feel like I have a really good grasp on what we were taught. That being said... I feel like a total dummy when it comes to clinical.

I'm nervous, terrified and feel like I don't know anything. I don't know what to do, what to say... and we're not even doing anything crazy... just bed baths, am care, feedings, ambulation and suppositories.... so nothing too major.

I don't know if it's just me or what. None of the other students in my clinical group seem to mind. They're all doing great, while I still struggle on the most basic things. I dunno. I don't know if maybe my lack of experience in the health care field (all of my clinical classmates were CNA's previously) or what? I mean, as far as myself goes... I've never been around an ill geriatric person, or someone who is severely mentally or physically handicapped, which I feel has been a huge part of my not doing well.

Have any of you felt/feel this way? If so... how did you cope? Any words of wisdom would be very much appreciated... I feel like I'm drowning and this is only our first time out!

[seasoned hopeful]

i makes a difference if you have had cna experience before. (i was in the same boat ...lost lost lost). i think what you are feeling is absolutely normal. how would you know how to do it if you had never done it. it feels different on a live person rather than a dummy. hang in there and ask lots of questions. you will do fine and it will get easier.

[color=#483d8b]

:yeah:

[ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN]

Do you ever remember being a new employee somewhere? You go through classroom training and some hands on training for a couple of weeks and then…..BAMB! You’re out on the floor. The same is true with nursing clinical. The first thing I learned was not to compare myself with others in my class. There are always those who do exceptionally well. Then you have those who need to “feel” their way through. There is nothing wrong with that. Just continue going to your clinical with a new goal in mind each time. For example, I will get my three clients showered and dressed before breakfast time today. The next time make a goal of, “today I will have my three clients showered, dressed, and in the dining room ten minutes before they begin serving breakfast.” No one is expected to perform in clinical as though he or she has ten years of nursing experience. If that were the case, then there wouldn’t be a need for nursing schools. If it makes you feel better, talk with your clinical instructor about helping you to create goals. Doing this will ensure that you are meeting the expectations of your clinical instructor.

Good luck to you!

[kenpochic]

dont be so hard on yourself. your not alone. everyone without patient care experience goes through it. I know i feel that way sometimes. nervous and clinicals go hand and hand lol

[colta]

Thanks for all of the kind words everyone. I did speak with my clinical instructor, and she was really great in helping me set goals and answering questions that I had about how things work and what to do. I felt my clinical day today was much better because of it and I'm starting to get my 'clinical legs'. .... But yes, thanks for all the kind words...

It really helped to buoy my confidence.