I'm having doubts about nursing... :(

Nursing Students General Students

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Okay everyone, I am just starting my second semester of nursing school and I just had my first day at orientation on the med-surge floor that I will be at this semester. This is my first semester doing clinicals.. Long story short, I absolutely hated it. But there are several factors that may have affected my experience with it. Because it was orientation we were not set up with computer access so some of us were set up to shadow an RN, and others were set up to shadow a CNA. I got set up to shadow a CNA, I felt so unfulfilled.. We literally changed sheets, and cleaned poop the whole time. I was envious of my other classmates that got the opportunity to shadow nurses. The whole day I kept thinking to myself, am I really busting my a** in nursing school for this? It was extremely disheartening and discouraging. I went home almost in tears. Now let me back up and acknowledge the fact, that YES I WAS WITH A CNA, and I am sure it is much better actually shadowing a nurse. I was able to pop in and tag along with other classmates, but even then it was kind of boring. I know I should probably give it another chance but it was not a good first impression at all by any means.

I guess I just thought it would be more exciting... I would be able to use more of my nursing skills. I just don't know if I will ever like the med-surge floor.

Specializes in Ortho.

I can understand that your first day of clinicals may have not been what you would have expected. It is also okay to vent your frustration on a public forum.

Try not to take feedback you received here to heart. Consider it constructive advice. im sure many can agree it's far more cut throat in the real world. Having a thick skin is essential. For now humble yourself and try to appreciate the accomplishments you've made so far.

You got to crawl before you can walk.

Try not to lose heart. Remember that CNAs are the backbone of what we do, just as Med-Surg is the backbone of nursing - or so said an older and wiser nurse than myself. I would give a lot personally nowadays to be on the med-surg floor in a hospital learning. Not that you are sounding ungrateful - just a fact. Hang in there, finish strong, and remember why you started! You got this.

You answered your own question of why a nursing student would be paired with a CNA duh!

This was in response to the person that said to complain to the instructor about being paired with a CNA. Please please don't do that, if you think nirsong school is difficult now try pissing off a clinical instructor. .....

Specializes in PACU, pre/postoperative, ortho.

OP, it's been a week since your initial post. Curious how your 2nd clinical went?

Specializes in Ortho.
This was in response to the person that said to complain to the instructor about being paired with a CNA. Please please don't do that, if you think nirsong school is difficult now try pissing off a clinical instructor. .....

Exactly because they talk amongst themselves lol. Wouldn't want to be a target.

I spent my first 3 clinicals with a CNA. I found the experience to be extremely valuable. CNA skills are also nursing responsibilities. It is extremely important that students learn these skills and are ready to perform them when they become RN's. Not all floors have CNA's all the time. CNA's don't always have time.

I think it is very important to work "in their shoes" before becoming an RN. When you are good to the CNA's/empathize, they will remember you and be more willing to help you.

I have formed a really great relationship with 2-3 CNA's on my floor, even though I am exclusively now with RN's. When they have an interesting patient, they grab me to help. If they need help, I make myself available to them. I see every opportunity as an opportunity to learn. Some of the aides have shared some amazing techniques with me over the past semester, and will make me a better nurse for it. They show a LOT of compassion, and are often the ones left "holding the hand" of the sick patients. I didn't learn a lot of basic needs in my fundies class, and I am SO thankful for the kickbutt aides that I have worked with that have shown me the way.

I know a lot of people are upset they have to work with CNA's, I really don't understand why. Their duties are YOUR duties. Your patient is still your patient. You will have the rest of your nursing education and career to develop skills. The best nurses I work with take it upon themselves to make their pt's comfortable whether or not the aide is available.

Remember: CNA work IS nurse work. You need to build from the basics.

I think every program should start students with a CNA, tbh.

Hang in there, it'll get better. I remember being told that nursing school is school and if I want it to be great then I need to make it great. It's what you make of it. My first clinical day was similar. Not very exciting but I was also going in with a number of years experience as an ICU nurse assistant. It gets better. Just learn as much as you can and strive to do great. Clinical is a place to learn, if you get bored then look stuff up, don't just stand around and gossip with friends or joke about patients. It's up to you at this point. Nursing will definitely be boring at times. There'll be many a day where you really feel like a glorified butt wiper but those patients need you just the same as the exciting ones who are crashing and burning fast. Don't be hard on yourself. And a word of advice, now I dont blame you, but be careful about venting here, you would think it would be good to but you'd likely be wrong :)

Specializes in ICU, ER, NURSING EDUCATION.

Do not, I repeat, do not complain to instructors about minor things.

Save it for big issues; unprofessional or unethical conduct, safety issues, HIPPA violations, etc. Pick and choose your battles very wisely.

Specializes in Oncology.

I would have been annoyed about being paired with a CNA as well. When I was going through CNA clinicals, I expected to be paired with a CNA and see that role in its entirety. However, the RN role is much broader and requires a different skill set that includes the skill set of a CNA.

I can understand their desire to allow the students to shadow CNA's in early clinical settings for the purpose of learning basic hygiene, bed changing, and mobility (and a whole lot more) if they do not require them to go through a CNA licensure prior to starting their clinicals. However, that should not be the norm for a med-surg clinical in any respectable nursing program. If there are not enough nurses to go around, the clinical instructor should facilitate learning by taking a small group of students themselves, splitting them into teams, assigning multiple students to one patient for parts of the day...there are just so many more creative ways to allow students to get an idea of the RN experience rather than being another body performing hygiene tasks.

Yes, these tasks are important. Yes, the CNA role is important. But that does not change the fact that placing a student nurse with a CNA is not allowing them to see the delegation, prioritization, and coordination that a registered nurse performs in the hospital setting on a daily basis. While yes, you may have to be your own CNA for patients due to short staffing, you still are responsible for the duties performed by the RN.

One clinical - I would let it go. But I would not allow myself to be placed with a CNA the next clinical without speaking up, especially if they are not rotating the nurses around. We had anonymous evaluations every semester - if you do, I would also make sure to note that this occurred in your evaluation and how you felt honestly. Schools do make changes, including clinical site changes, based on evaluations if multiple people speak up.

I would have been annoyed about being paired with a CNA as well. When I was going through CNA clinicals, I expected to be paired with a CNA and see that role in its entirety. However, the RN role is much broader and requires a different skill set that includes the skill set of a CNA.

I can understand their desire to allow the students to shadow CNA's in early clinical settings for the purpose of learning basic hygiene, bed changing, and mobility (and a whole lot more) if they do not require them to go through a CNA licensure prior to starting their clinicals. However, that should not be the norm for a med-surg clinical in any respectable nursing program. If there are not enough nurses to go around, the clinical instructor should facilitate learning by taking a small group of students themselves, splitting them into teams, assigning multiple students to one patient for parts of the day...there are just so many more creative ways to allow students to get an idea of the RN experience rather than being another body performing hygiene tasks.

Yes, these tasks are important. Yes, the CNA role is important. But that does not change the fact that placing a student nurse with a CNA is not allowing them to see the delegation, prioritization, and coordination that a registered nurse performs in the hospital setting on a daily basis. While yes, you may have to be your own CNA for patients due to short staffing, you still are responsible for the duties performed by the RN.

One clinical - I would let it go. But I would not allow myself to be placed with a CNA the next clinical without speaking up, especially if they are not rotating the nurses around. We had anonymous evaluations every semester - if you do, I would also make sure to note that this occurred in your evaluation and how you felt honestly. Schools do make changes, including clinical site changes, based on evaluations if multiple people speak up.

It was the first day...of orientation. They didn't even HAVE patient assignment.

I would take this experience with a grain of salt. I also recommend becoming a CNA while in nursing school. Yes, the roles differ, but it is extremely important to feel comfortable having to manage cleaning up patients yourself when the CNAs are busy. You'll get to see a bunch when you become a nurse. I honestly didn't see a fraction of what I do now in nursing school, it's a whole new world when you're done. It is important to know what the CNAs do though.

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