help and encouragement needed.

lmccrn62, MSN, RN · Apr 1, 2013

Being slow is not uncommon. Many students have trouble with time management but it doesn't mean you shouldn't graduate. I would fin a hospital that offers a great residency or higher learner program for new graduates. There are things you can do to step it up. It takes 6 months to a year to have some comfort. Hang in there!

bluedove1 · Apr 1, 2013

school nurse....you do a lot of health promotion but you will give some mess but you don't have to be super fast just accurate in passing those meds. Keep your head up, you will find your groove

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2013

In what way have the been "discouraging even though they say repeatedly they want to help you succeed"? Are they telling you about things you need improvement on, and you're taking it as "I'm a failure" criticism? Or...? More info here would be helpful so we can help you with school BEFORE you start looking for a job.

jt1o · Apr 1, 2013

Nursing school clinicals are wonderful because we get to spend some time on several hospital floors and also get experiences in the community health setting. Some students found themselves absolutely thrilled with L&D, while others were just 'meh.' From what I've seen, I'd say home health nursing is a slower paced nursing. A student doing the traditional track at my program did their precepting at home health and was hired by the agency. Don't let your amateur status discourage you, most of us had 2 left feet at some point. The only time I'd say to 'drop out' is if you become comfortable with your weaknesses and don't want to improve. But from your post, you seem eager to progress through this period, that's most important!

bluedove1 · Apr 1, 2013

Oops that suppose to be some meds..

pkline1 · Apr 1, 2013

I am about to graduate from a BSN program as well. For awhile in clinicals, I struggled with the same issues... even this semester I had to redo a part of my competency exam because I forgot to swab a port with alcohol (oops! I was SOO nervous!) Anyway, the key is to be CONFIDENT in yourself, but even this won't happen until you get into practice (so I hear), so you just have to have confidence that you will find the groove and continuously get better. Also, take the criticism as them trying to help you... its hard sometimes when you feel like everything you are doing is wrong, but you will get better as time goes on.. just move on from each experience knowing that you are still learning and you won't be perfect yet. Even if you feel like your instructors are negative, find an instructor that you have connected with, and even share with them these concerns... you may see a major difference in how you feel if you just get it out of your system. Its hard to really focus on the task at hand and give the best care possible if you feel as though you are negatively viewed every time you complete an intervention. However, some of this may also feel as though its a negative experience, even if it is not. Good luck, it is a crazy journey, but it's over before ya know it!

Music in My Heart · Apr 2, 2013

I started in med-surg at a tiny rural hospital and it was a great place to begin because the acuity and census were usually fairly low so I had time to learn but there were times when both were high so I got that experience, too.

I was able jump from tiny med-surg to tiny ER to small ER to a large ER.

While the first job was lame in many ways, I viewed it as a paid internship and opportunity to learn. It did leave some large gaps in my knowledge and experience base but the foundations were solid.