halfway done with nursing but not confident with skills

[polter]

I just failed a clinical this previous semester and my confidence took a dive from it as my instructor found various flaws in my clinical performance -- amongst the complaints, the two that felt true to me were my confidence/communication skills and time management skills. So my semester of retaking this course is about to start and, as it postponed my graduating semester, I was thinking about either working somewhere as a CNA or just start working somewhere to boost my communication skills at the very least.

The problem with the CNA route is that I am not certified as a CNA, and I am not sure if it would be worth it to go that route while I am in my 4th (out of 5) semester of nursing school. Though, this semester is watered-down due to the prereqs of the class from my would-be 4th semester, resulting in me taking half as many credits as I would normally be taking in a semester. Externship would be a good idea if I weren't moving out of the city after graduation. Working at a grocery store could be great for my confidence but not so much for my resume and time management front. Perhaps I should just volunteer?

I think suggestions would help greatly at this point. Any takers?

[Bug Out, BSN]

I would not go the CNA route at this point, you most likely won't have the time to complete a course nor work long enough to make it effective in time.

Externship would be a good route if you can find an opening, I know when I was an Extern I did not have to sign a contract. However, you would be very lucky indeed if you could even find a position let alone get one.

You need to remember that you are your patient's advocate. If you cannot stand up for yourself then you cannot stand up for your patient, big problem here.

Study, study, study. I found that many of the people I went to school with that were quiet were ill prepared for the task at hand.

Get organized, know what you are talking about, and get comfortable with your patients.

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

a lot of places hire techs by using the first semester or year of NS as your cna background. takes time to get to learn your time management skills and get your feet wet. good luck!

[Annaiya, NP]

I think you should get a CNA job. If you've had Adult Health 1 or Fundamentals or whatever your school calls that course, you should be able to be hired on as a student tech, so you don't need to be certified. The thing I heard over and over again from my classmates who had tech jobs was how much it helped their time management skills. It will also help with your communication skills and feeling comfortable going in a patient's room and talking to them. Obviously, don't work so much that your school work suffers, but no amount of studying can teach you time management and communication skills, so the CNA job is like studying nursing every time you go to work!

[Pebbles2067]

I'm 8 weeks away from graduating as an RN and I still feel very shaky. I'm was very disappointed in myself because I thought by now I would be SO ready to graduate, jump on the floor and fit right in. But now, I'm so worried about graduating and being a new nurse. Yesterday, the nurses I was working with told me this was completly normal and they were the same way. Another nurse last semester told me it took a few months as a new nurse for her not to come to work completely nervous and sick to her stomach. I recently made a dumb mistake during clinical and totally beat myself up about it. My nurse said it was ok but I felt like such a failure. Before nursing school, I used to work at a department store where I was ahead of my game and at least I had confidence in what I was doing. We all doubt ourselves sometimes. Just keep with it. You'll be fine.