Clinicals: Do you LOVE it???

MIA-RN1, RN · Nov 3, 2005

I don't dread clinicals. I don't jump for joy over them lol but dread them? No.

What I do dread is the early morning hours, the risk of oversleeping, and the thought of driving across town in the snow.

I love watching the nurses and learning from them. Maybe I'm weird lol but nursing IS what I want to spend my life doing and what I am born to do.

RNinJune2007, RN · Nov 3, 2005

Ok, ok, I know no one LOVES it:roll
I know the anxiety is high and you hate feeling like a bother and all that other crappy stuff but when it comes right down to it...........
Do you watch the nurses and just KNOW that this is what you were made for/want to do with your life?
I'd like to know how many of you just dread clinicals and how many of you just dread clinicals AND the work of the nurses?? Clinicals make me very anxious but when it comes right down to it I am not dying to live the rest of my life doing what I see the nurses doing. Does that mean I got into the wrong field??:chair: I can't believe that the only profession I was "made" to do is personal training or aerobics instructing, LOL
How deep is your love????:roll

I don't freak out with excitement over the prospect of clinicals. But this is because the whole day before I have to collect my patient information, as well as stay up to work on this information. I don't really even look ahead. It also means waking up by 5 or earlier to assure that I will be there on time. Actually, I kind of dread it.

Once I'm there, and get to do my thing, though I LOVEEEE it. I love watching the nurses, I know this is what I'm meant to do. I love everything about it, and walk off the unit at the end of the day with this huge fulfilled feeling.

If nursing doesn't give you the "fuzzy" feeling, this absolutely does NOT mean that you can't be an awesome nurse!!! Good luck!

kjwalley · Nov 4, 2005

omg....i don't freak out over clinicals or anything but i do dread the early morningsnad fighting the traffic to not be late right now...adn the thought that i may oversleep but once i get here i love it. i have always known this was what i wasnted to do with my life and right now i just have to deal with the scrifices to make it through school. however, i love to watch the nurses nad to have the opportunity to be able to learn from them..

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 4, 2005

I hated clinicals as a student many years ago ... absolutely hated them in almost every respect.

However, I enjoyed my time as a NICU staff nurse after graduation. The 2 experiences had little in relation to each other. Had I chosen to take a job as an adult med-surg staff nurse, I think I probably would have hated that as much as I hated my school clinicals. For me, it was a matter of finding the right "fit" as a nurse. That made all the difference.

llg

GrnHonu99, RN · Nov 4, 2005

Ok, ok, I know no one LOVES it:roll
I know the anxiety is high and you hate feeling like a bother and all that other crappy stuff but when it comes right down to it...........
Do you watch the nurses and just KNOW that this is what you were made for/want to do with your life?
I'd like to know how many of you just dread clinicals and how many of you just dread clinicals AND the work of the nurses?? Clinicals make me very anxious but when it comes right down to it I am not dying to live the rest of my life doing what I see the nurses doing. Does that mean I got into the wrong field??:chair: I can't believe that the only profession I was "made" to do is personal training or aerobics instructing, LOL
How deep is your love????:roll

I love what I will be doing once I graduate..I like the actual work...I DREAD the mountains of clincial paperwork beforehand and feeling like an idiot...I hate the rude nurses who seem bothered by students...I hate working for 8 hours and not getting paid..although I do like the learning part!

sydie · Nov 4, 2005

I don't dread clinicals, but I do have some anxiety on Tuesday's when we go on search and meet our patient for the first time. I'm always afraid they won't want a student...so far, so good. We were oriented to acute care today...so Tuesday will be our first day working with RN's on a regular basis. I know what they are doing is what I want to do...it's the obstacles that it takes to get there that I dread a bit!

Guitar_Heroine · Nov 4, 2005

I always get nervous for clinicals but come home from them feeling GREAT! I love having the extra time as students to spend with patients and it is so nice to finally be doing something "real" after all the years of school. So yeah I do love clinicals, but not the doing all the care plans!

crb613, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2005

Guess I am weird but...I do love clinicals. I am currently doing care for 2-3 pt's & I like it...I do stay up late looking up dx info, meds, planing care & I am tired when the day is over...but I really enjoy clinicals! I won't say I had a "calling" to be a nurse I just love being able to help those that need help. :)

spaceystacy · Nov 4, 2005

Last week was my very first clinical...I was absolutely terrified!! My instructor just basically threw us to the wolves and I had no clue as to what I was doing. I left the hospital that night confused and I felt as though I didn't "do" anything. I was beginning to doubt if nursing was what I wanted to do. I had NIGHTMARES about that day all week long....

But this week's clinical went great! I had the whole week to prepare myself and look back on what I should have done. I was much more confident and much more hands-on this week. I felt as though I "somewhat" knew what I was doing and that, YES, this is my calling. I am still a little nervous, especially since next week I will have my own patient, but I am looking forward to the challenge.

ear · Nov 4, 2005

Funny topic,

We just had to do our self evaluation last night. I commented on myself that I need to calm down as we enter a new unit. I am absolutely paralyzed with fear at the begining of each unit. I have such high anxiety levels I have had to stop myself from

1) puking :barf01:

2) crying and :cry:

3)running :imbar

from the program.... it is that bad. After the first night in a new setting, I am floating through it, loving every second of it. But that first night..... ugh!

I literally though I was going to have to be taken from the OR on a stretcher myself before it started, by the end of it, I couldnt get close enough to see what was going on. The nurses I had last week are still laughing with me about it.

I guess what I am trying to say, is yes, I do love it. I really do.

girlfromtx · Nov 4, 2005

My first semester I HATED clinicals. Second semester loved them! Third semester HATED them. Now I neither love them, or hate them. I think it all depends on what clinical areas I am in. As an earlier poster said, you just have to find where you fit.