I don't want to be "clueless" when I hit the floor

ObtundedRN, BSN, RN · Jan 11, 2011

I think the best way to gain skills in school is to look for them during clinicals. Often your patients will not have much for skills to do, but other nurses on the unit will have patients needing skills performed. Nicely ask them to let you know if they have anything come up through the day that you could do for them so you can get some practice in. And if anyone ever asks you if you'd like to perform a skill for them, even if it isn't something you're interested in doing (like an enema, etc) go ahead and do it. You'll be happy to have the experience as a student. Some of these things just dont' seem to come around while in school but show up all the time once you're a nurse.

momuv4qtz · Jan 11, 2011

These are awesome suggestions. Thanks to all of you! I will definitely look into the externship option.

RNJoInMI · Jan 12, 2011

I'm a recent graduate and can still remember my very first day of clinical. It was as exciting as it was frightening. Mostly frightening!

Please be aware that there will always be times during your clinicals where you will feel "clueless" or inadequate. If your nursing instructor does not make you feel like a fool, then it may be another nurse or another student. You are going to feel clueless, just like every other student in your class. There will also be days where you walk out of the hospital feeling on top of the world, because the best nurse on the floor said "thank you" or "nice job". It's a roller coaster. Jump aboard and learn to let go.

From your post it kind of sounds like you might be the type of student that likes to read about procedures first, just to gain a little bit of insight. I always liked to read about the procedure/skill, be shown once and then do it myself with supervision. If this sounds like it fits you, there are some wonderful books available to help. You can read them now while you have 5 weeks off, or use them later as you go on in school. Reading them now without nursing knowledge may not make as much sense to you, but you may pick a few things up to boost your confidence. The books are : "... made Incredibly Easy!" There are a whole series of them and they are fabulous. Wound Care made Incredibly Easy!, Med/Surg made Incredibly Easy!, Assessment made Incredibly Easy!, and the list goes on and on. They get to be a little pricey collecting the whole set, but the major bookstores send out coupons for 20% - 40% off a purchase if you join their email list.

Good luck to you.

nina_RN · Jan 12, 2011

HI all! sorry for posting totally off topic here but this msg is for 0402

thanks for the PM. I don't have current access to reply back to PMs as per all nurses rules.

So, this is my only way to thank you.

mama_d, BSN, RN · Jan 13, 2011

One of my good friends works as a tech on our floor and has the same desire...she knows a certain amount of cluelessness is to be expected but is actively searching for ways to minimze it. My suggestion to you, as others have said, is to get a job as a tech at a hospital in a med/surg or tele environment. At my hospital, anything less or more critical wouldn't allow you the same learning opportunities. This will give you the exposure to a lot of different skills you'll find valuable, as well as letting you see what the difference in styles of nursing are.

She knows who the nurses with the best skills are, and has asked that if something comes up that we think would be interesting to let her know. So we're on the lookout for stuff for her all the time...from "um, I think my pt just aspirated, wanna listen to his lungs while we wait for the stat CXR to get done" to hearing "why in God's name is my CO2 retainer on 6L when he's satting 98%? We're gonna work on weaning him tonite". Which invariably leads to a Q&A session and us walking her through the critical thinking that we're using.

Keep in mind that school does not prepare you to be a nurse, it teaches you to pass a test, and most of us recognize that and will not hold it against you. Be willing to work hard, be cheerful, and learn...and don't be a know-it-all...and you'll find plenty of veteran nurses willing to help mentor you through your clueless stage.

She also plans on working with us once she passes her boards, and has given us total freedom in critiqueing her when the time comes.

momuv4qtz · Jan 13, 2011

Thanks for the suggestion! That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Your friend is really lucky to have that opportunity! :-)

Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP · Jan 13, 2011

Working as a tech is more helpful that I could have ever imagined. I work PRN night shift as a tech so I get to see what it's like on night vs being at the hospital in the day time for clinical. I obviously can't do nursing skills while I'm a tech, but my nurses always try to grab me and bring me along if they have something interesting to do, and they'll teach the whole time they're doing it. There are some experiences that I've only had as a tech and not a student. I know better how the hospital functions (which really comes in handy if there's down time at clinical, I know how to help out the techs and win brownie points with my teachers), and I'm exposed to real life nursing instead of how it is in school. I get floated a lot so I get a chance to learn different parts of the hospital and find out places where I might like to work, or places that just do not interest me at all. I really treat my job as an extension of my clinical schooling.

I also did a student nurse internship this past summer and I gained so much knowledge, skills, confidence, networking opportunities, and really found out what I hope to do after graduation. Plus I got paid ;P