I'm a first semester nursing student and I just had my first clinical day today. I've been doing very well in the classroom, but this is a whole other deal.
I've never worked in any sort of medical or caretaker situation and have never even had a family member in the hospital. I felt very uncomfortable, was nervous, and made several mistakes. Is it like this for everyone?
I'm a shy person, which is part of the problem. I'm not really a "people person". I like people, and am interested in people's needs and desires and right to remain healthy, but I've just never had a hands-on type of situation to play that out in. I like to stand back and observe for a while before I jump in and start doing something, but that isn't going to work for nursing school. I can tell that the learning curve is going to be pretty steep, as far as the hands-on stuff.
I know this is probably very premature, but I'm already thinking maybe I am not meant to be a nurse if I was so uncomfortable around illness and in that hospital situation. It was quite a shock, honestly.
Wow, OP don't worry! I can totally relate, and just had my first day of clinicals, and my second day (pre-nursing, so nursing fundamentals, CNA stuff).
The first day was really tough, and I felt REALLY awkward because this work is so new to me! It's like that first day of class where you don't know anyone and you can't figure out where to sit at lunch. The only way you can get anything accomplished on your first day of any new job, is if someone holds your hand every step of the way, and that is a terrible feeling (and always makes you feel like you aren't good, or going to be good at the job).
My first day of clinicals, all my basics just went right out of my head. I didn't know how to start up conversation when feeding... I was so nervous about performing the actual skills (like bed bath) that I barely remembered to wash my hands! At one point I had everything read, gloves on... and I had to stop and say "I haven't even washed my hands..."
I found it really hard to keep basic things in check like cross contamination and such.
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Thank you so much for this. I was the same way .. we're talking really basic stuff like hand-washing, which I was forgetting because I was so nervous .. I wasn't even doing any vitals or assessments or ANYTHING like that. The other thing was, yes, my entire class was nervous, but many left that day saying that it was so much better than they expected and some saying that they absolutely loved it and it was so much better than sitting in lecture. I was thinking "ack .. bring me back to the safety of the classroom", lol.
Thank you so much for this. I was the same way .. we're talking really basic stuff like hand-washing, which I was forgetting because I was so nervous .. I wasn't even doing any vitals or assessments or ANYTHING like that. The other thing was, yes, my entire class was nervous, but many left that day saying that it was so much better than they expected and some saying that they absolutely loved it and it was so much better than sitting in lecture. I was thinking "ack .. bring me back to the safety of the classroom", lol.
Your very welcome :). Just know you aren't alone, and what you experienced really is normal I promise! What you may be doing is internalizing this too much. Don't let it decide your worth, or ability, because it isn't accurate. The big thing is, do not let this defeat you!
I do this sometimes and it's been a struggle for me. I would start a new job, and make really stupid mistakes. Sometimes people would say "no problem, you are new," but sometimes they would expect more than was fair. Either way I judged myself very harshly, and I consistently thought I was stupid. If I finally got the hang of a job, I would find that a month down the line I would have an off day, and then once again feel like I couldn't do anything right. Because I felt this way, I would have an off week, which would lead to an off year, which would lead to me being that employee nobody wanted to work with. I would apologize all the time which furthered my feelings of being defeated, and being stupid, and more than this - it gave others that impression about me.
But when I finally began to build some self esteem, what I found I was lacking was confidence. When I developed the confidence, yea I would still have off days... and do something REALLY stupid, and then do something else even more stupid five minutes later, but I wouldn't let that define me as stupid. So then I started seeing promotions, and raises, and hours. I have been a manager at every job I've worked in the past 6 years, and have been offered higher management positions (that I had to turn down) at every job in the past 6 years. That doesn't happen for people who are stupid.
The thing is, you are smart and it sounds like you did a great job given that you were in a brand new environment. You will still forget basics sometimes, because you are human and that's always the first to go when you are nervous. Hold out for a year, and know that you are MORE than capable of doing this, and see if clinicals get easier for you, and don't let ANYTHING defeat you!
You wouldn't be normal if you didn't feel totally unprepared.
When I get nervous, I usually misjudge distances. So, I bang into doors and walls, making loud noises. I do this on new jobs as well. There are plenty of places with hugh gouges and indentations in the walls because of me. I remember a job where I hit many walls with their scale, I saw them fixing them all one day. I felt bad at first, but laughed later on.
My first clinical, I knocked over a whole cart of trays, and a women came screaming and yelling at me from out of he blue. I knew at that moment, I would never pass clinicals. But, I did.
Just practice in your head, or on your kids or spouse, or friends. Make them lay on a bed, and be their nurse. It will come to you. Just go slowly, one step at a time.
When your scared time seems to pass much more quickly than it really does. One interesting thing to try is to take a video of yourself doing cares, as you watch it, you will understand what your teachers are seeing, and you can make the changes you need.
Stay focused, we need nurses who honestly care about their jobs and the patients.
I remember after my first semester of nursing school the clinical instructor said "You're so quiet and shy. You have to speak up more and be more active." She said I was doing superb as a nursing student in clinicals but needed to be less shy because most teachers like the out going ones. Don't worry, it will get easier after this. You will be more familiar with the hospital setting. You will get nurses to are the nicest people and others who will shout at you untill you want to cry. Don't worry, you will get through it. I volunteered at a hospital for 3 years, but the responsibilities such as passing meds and cleaning wounds still were hard for me in the beginning.
ONE TIP!! Don't stand back and watch. When you see a nurse doing something, ask "Can I do that?" or "Can I help with that", Usually they will let you do the procedure by yourself with supervision and guidance. Its great.
Also, if you are second guessing nursing as a career, think about why you wanted to be a nurse in the first place. It took me a year of volunteering in a impacted ER before solidifying my decision to go to nursing school.
Neldavi
27 Posts
Thank you so much for this. I was the same way .. we're talking really basic stuff like hand-washing, which I was forgetting because I was so nervous .. I wasn't even doing any vitals or assessments or ANYTHING like that. The other thing was, yes, my entire class was nervous, but many left that day saying that it was so much better than they expected and some saying that they absolutely loved it and it was so much better than sitting in lecture. I was thinking "ack .. bring me back to the safety of the classroom", lol.