I failed my simulation for fundamentals today..

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Hi everyone, for fundamentals of nursing, we were issued a scenario where my group and I had to reenact as to what would happen to our (pretend) patient. Each nurse got a task, everyone else had assesment and intervention, while I got medication. I was told to administed IM morphine 6mg, but I was so flustered that I ended up giving 10 mg, and i didn't do sanitary precautions and I was just a mess, dropping needles, and everything! I prepared for this scenario thinking I was only going to administer PO meds, how sourly wrong I sure am. Our professor said this excercise is merely for evaluation purposes and that we can reflect as to the wrong things we have done. I just feel so terrible! guys, how do you deal in those situations? I just could not think straight and I really want to do my best to stay in the program.

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If its not for a grade, you won't be out of program. If you are near the end of your term, it should be do-able in your sleep. You have to control your anxiety. Morphine is a double-check medication, next time, get a classmate to check you off as if you we're on the floor, problem solved, problem staying solved. Always do things methodically so no matter how nervous you are you never mess up. Skills are 90%muscle memory IMO. Same steps every time, you will never fail. I can do a foley rather quickly in an emergency situation, and was also able to do it quickly as a student no matter what was going on around me because I practiced the same steps in the same order every time.

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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Our professor said this excercise is merely for evaluation purposes and that we can reflect as to the wrong things we have done. I just feel so terrible! guys, how do you deal in those situations? I just could not think straight and I really want to do my best to stay in the program.

Listen to your faculty. Learn from the experience. Practice, practice, practice. Learn that anything you have learned before you have to remember and they can ask you to demonstrate it any time. Remember that this is why you are in school, to have the opportunity to practice where it doesn't matter to any real patient if you don't get it right the first, or the fourth, time.

We've all been there. You'll get it if you keep at it.

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Specializes in LTC, Rural, OB.

I had a SIM last week as well that was pretty similar and it had me flustered but I am always more anxious in those SIMs than I actually am at clinical. SIM is just a good way to show what you need to practice and a good way of learning from mistakes. The one that got me was that I had to give a subq insulin injection and almost forgot to put gloves on before giving it...duh. I have never made that mistake with an actual patient, something about that talking dummy gets to me :) As long as it's not for a grade, it's just a really good learning opportunity.

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thank you guys, it definitely was a very good learning opportunity, I swear to myself that I am going to master injections because of this. I just feel like Ive left my instructor down as well as myself down so much. Next course is going to be Med Surge, and she even plain out said that I would fail if I was in that course which is definitely understandable because of what I did. I am gonna have her for the next two semesters as the same clinical instructor as well as instructor for theory, just how do you guys better prepare for med surge? I heard that it is very difficult, and I am already at my wit's end from pharm and patho..

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First off---calm down. Take a breath. Relax. Stress, IMO is the number one cause for mistakes. Read, comprehend, practice. When in the floor, recall, read and do.

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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Specializes in hopeful ER/Surg.

They already know you'll be scared, fumbling, and frustrated when they give it.

Why a student still in Fundamentals would be pushing Morphine is beyond me. Don't stress it. In a couple of semesters, you will see this clearly, and be more confident and knowledgeable.

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They already know you'll be scared, fumbling, and frustrated when they give it.

Why a student still in Fundamentals would be pushing Morphine is beyond me. Don't stress it. In a couple of semesters, you will see this clearly, and be more confident and knowledgeable.

The only reason I can figure is because they are already hammering in double-checks and knowing what to assess before giving it. ?????

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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Specializes in ED.

We didn't do IV push meds in my program till second semester. IV meds will become easy peasy before you know it! I was really nervous the first few times I gave IV meds, now I'm an ER nurse and I swear half my shift involves giving meds IV push. Double check your dose, clean the injection port with alcohol, push it slow(unless it's adenosine or a code situation!), and all will be well :)

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