I hate clinicals!

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 3, 2012

You need to be a little more humble, do as you are told, and start to accept criticism because you are FAR from perfect. Otherwise, you will not work as a Nurse for very long.

In the real-world of nursing, expect to be criticized from all directions (managers, co-workers, patients, patient’s families, patient’s friends that like to google everything, etc.) all shift long! If your attitude is bad, your co-workers and your managers will pick up on it as a weakness. The ones that do not like you, to include managers, will use your attitude against you and it will not take long for you to be out of a job. Therefore, think of clinicals as your future work environment and get used to being critiqued. Otherwise look at another profession where you do not have to work with or for people. Good luck.

truckinusa, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 3, 2012

I was not aware there is a whole theory of criticism. I was doing some reading. I am the type of person that does that avoids criticism and will do my best to stay out of it. I dont think there was any specific criticism which seems vague and more like an attack which makes me defensive. Seems like there is nothing I can improve on that i can specifically work on.

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Oct 3, 2012

Just take it easy and enjoy the ride, there will be criticism whichever way you look at it, if you are hot at the moment, take a breather, and than consider what you were told. If you can benefit from it great, if not, then too bad, it will get in one ear and out of the other. Just be ready because it will not stop at all! Just remember the first dumb mistake is to "think you know it". You have to know you know it, and that comes with time. Be careful!

truckinusa, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 3, 2012

I work hard and excell at most tasks, but i recieved crappy grades for my "Attitude." I was told I should be open to criticism. I dont like criticism because most of the time I am good at what I've learned. Im not a know it all, but most people are far below me in intelligence. how should i handle this?

I was just venting. Not sure where all this will lead.

1. I hate being the only male in my class of 40

2. My medical experience doesn't seem to matter

3. questions on tests don't relate to lecture. My unconventional studying seems to get me passing grades most of the time but it provides for a lot of anxiety.

4. just barely passing with a 74% and its trashing my GPA in other classes of 3.5.

5. instructors that don't know the current information that can easily be googled or contradict the textbook they are lecturing from

CP2013 · Oct 4, 2012

I was just venting. Not sure where all this will lead.
1. I hate being the only male in my class of 40
2. My medical experience doesn't seem to matter
3. questions on tests don't relate to lecture. My unconventional studying seems to get me passing grades most of the time but it provides for a lot of anxiety.
4. just barely passing with a 74% and its trashing my GPA in other classes of 3.5.
5. instructors that don't know the current information that can easily be googled or contradict the textbook they are lecturing from

Don't worry so much about contradicting the book or teacher with Internet information. It's great knowledge to have in your back pocket, but what they teach is what will be on NCLEX.

Try note cards, try really understanding pathophysiology. That will help moving forward. Try getting into a study group or meeting with an alumni nurse. Or any nurse on the units you do clinicals may be able to recommend books that helped them get things to "click".

And I have seen many a 4.0 student start nursing school, make solid C's through the program, and then take NCLEX and pass with 75 questions. Nursing school is a beast of its own. Gotta roll with the punches and take a deep breath. This too shall pass.

veggie530 · Oct 6, 2012

You have an attitude problem. It took less than 5 sentences for you to provide evidence of that, and your follow up post solidified it.

Grow up, drop the attitude and realize that no one but you gives a crap of how great you think you are. I'm just being real with you, dude. I don't know what your background is, but you need someone to say this to you.

If you want something to "improve on" based on criticism, figure it out. If you're as smart as you said you are, you'll be able to find the implied areas needing improvement based on the aforementioned criticisms. More prudence, less self-congratulatory.

If nothing else, use it as motivation to perform better.

sekishin · Oct 7, 2012

Truck,

Been there, done that, now long gone.

My motto after the second semester clinicals became: fail fast, learn fast.

Meaning: push into the mistakes (not in doing patient harm, instructors will stop before it gets near there anyway) by doing your best, then look and expect the critique, learn from it immediately, and move on. My school and clinicals have been better and less stressful since then.

Letting go of my ego is difficult, but is easier to learn with less of it (IMHO).

sekishin

MusicEMT · Oct 10, 2012

Criticism is a good way to learn about what your doing wrong and how to improve on it. Sure some criticism is just empty, those you have to not let it phase you. In health care you need a thick skin or else youll be eaten alive.

and if you already knew everything, youd be passing your nursing classes with a 4.0 or just challenged the NCLEX somehow.. but you dont know everything, so dont act like it. and dont act like everyone is under your "intelligence level" youll look like a pompus *blank*

treat everyone with respect and learn from those who have a lot more experience than you.

lack of respect for anyone including patients or your superiors will get you kicked out (or be hated) of healthcare faster than you can say RN..

I am an EMT, i have healthcare experience, but does that mean i know alot ABSOLUTELY NOT! sure i might feel a bit more comfortable with patients and i can take a mean blood pressure. but i know a miniscule amount compared to a new grad RN or an RN whose been doing it for 10 years..

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 10, 2012

Truck: I'm one of six males in my class of about 30. So you work hard. We all do. So you used to get basically really good grades. We all did going into Nursing. Yes, you have had some medical experience. So do I. It doesn't matter beyond a certain point. Most people are far below you in intelligence? Maybe so. Nursing School is an entirely different type of schooling that is very different from anything you have ever encountered before.

You aren't open to honest criticism. It's not a bad thing. Use honest criticism as an opportunity to improve.

Your medical experience doesn't matter, other than you're more comfortable with vitals.

Your test questions will be unlike anything you've seen before. They're written that way for a reason. You'll see those types of questions on the NCLEX, written just like that.

You think your study method is unconventional? Mine is too. I'm getting A's and B's. What works for me probably won't work for you or the rest of my classmates.

The lesson that they're trying to teach you right now is humility. Not learning that lesson will cause you to fail.

Guess what? I don't come off as a know it all, rather I come off as eager to learn. I seek out learning opportunities, and grab them when they present themselves. Why? Because I know that I don't know. If you're that intelligent, you should already know this stuff.

LCinTraining · Oct 10, 2012

I am an EMT. I also got into healthcare as a lactation consultant. I have a pretty extensive medical background. hOWEVER I would never presume to think that most people are beneath me in intelligence. That's just down right arrogant. You are not god and therefore are not perfect. It is arrogance like that that gets people killed. Your medical background is not as extensive as a nurse. If it was, you would not be pursuing this degree. Start looking for things to learn. Start realizing everyone comes into this journey at a different starting point, but the finish line is the same for all of you.

itsnowornever, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2012

You have an attitude problem. It took less than 5 sentences for you to provide evidence of that, and your follow up post solidified it.
Grow up, drop the attitude and realize that no one but you gives a crap of how great you think you are. I'm just being real with you, dude. I don't know what your background is, but you need someone to say this to you.
If you want something to "improve on" based on criticism, figure it out. If you're as smart as you said you are, you'll be able to find the implied areas needing improvement based on the aforementioned criticisms. More prudence, less self-congratulatory.
If nothing else, use it as motivation to perform better.

All this.