I'm in my first semester, still got 6 more weeks left with 4 clinical.
We already had 4 clinical.. and so far, I am still feeling very lost. I don't know what to do at all when I'm at clinical, I usually just went in, take vital morning vital sign, do physical assessment, give PO med., or just help the PCAs around if needed. I honestly have to say I didn't learn anything much at clinical, I don't know what am I doing there. I don't really know how to talk to my primary nurse, and my clinical instructor is very intimidating (most of us try to avoid talking to her if we could, cause she just make you feel so bad and that you are doing everything wrong). I feel like i'm only there on monday, to fill out the paper work, which is patient's vital sign, physical assessment, etc. so I could have something to turn in by the end of the day. I don't feel a connection with my patient, its really bad (and I feel guilty sometimes ), but sometimes i really feel I'm only there to finish "my work" instead of helping the patient to feel better.
How can I make my clinical experience better?? What do people do during clinical? do you constantly keep in touch with the primary nurse? like ask how is the patient doing? (does that make them feel annoyed, cuz sometimes I am really afraid talking to them I dont know why >
this whole clinical experience has been pretty negative for me so far, I don't even remember how many times I thought about quitting nursing school already. I spent almost 17 hrs doing careplan on 2 patient last week. and i dont even know if I learned anything from it . The instructor is not helpful. I really don't know what to do, I dont think i'm ready to move on to next semester at all!!! (which is at med. surge, my current floor is "oncology/respiratory") is what im feeling normal?
because I really feel worse each time going to clinical, because it seems like everyone's learning something new, and i'm stucked here and dont know how to move on! I feel so selfish too because I dont have much connection with my patient. =(
is nursing school just not for me.. is it normal what i'm feeling right now?
. so sometimes i don't know what to say to my patient too (especially if the patient has cancer, I dont know how to comfort them or to cheer them up.
Sometimes, you don't have to say anything at all. Just let them know you are there if they need anything or want to talk. As long as you are a good listener, it's a good first step. Sometimes there is not much you can say to "cheer them up" and that is not what many of them want anyway. Just a caring presence is often more than enough.
Based on your post, I would suggest that you think long and hard about what you want to do. I'm not trying to discourage you, but only trying to be realistic.
I think once you get done with your own responsibilities, and assuming there are no new procedures for you to try, it would be a good idea to offer to help a CNA do patient care. They will show you how to talk with patients and do basic stuff that seems overwhelming right now, and in my experience, they were very kind to 1st semester nursing students and appreciated the help. When you gain a bit more confidence, you can ask the nurse responsible for your patient if s/he minds if you shadow them when they do their patient care.
I totally feel your pain. I have had 4 clinicals so far. We are there once a week for 12-hour shifts. I still feel like I do not know what to do at all. The instructions have been so vague and last week my anxiety was so high that I almost cried. Nothing bad happened, it is just me feeling overwhelmed about not knowing what to do and where to begin. I still have not really given a complete bed bath (watched a tech only and sponged down one side of a patient)., haven't made a bed. I did give one oral med. The physical assessments are awkward. We have like 8 pages of questions and my patient last time was totally unresponsive. I just feel overwhelmed on what to do, when to do it, how to do it, etc. I almost felt like quitting too. A friend of mine in clinical convinced me to give it more time and we would get through this. I hope so!!
I felt like that most of clinicals. You can't really feel like you're helping the patient because you have so much redundant paperwork of your own to take care of -- even an an RN you will feel like this sometimes! In NS, you just have to jump through the hoops and take in as much as you can. Real nursing is nothing like NS.
clinical can be confusing and overwhelming at first. i think i spent the first few weeks trying remember where things were kept. as you progress you will build on all the things that take up your whole morning now.
writing care plans and using nanda is right up there with learning a new language.. you will get faster at it.. becasue you will start to know what to look for. things will start to come together, a bigger picture will be there eventually. sit with your patients ( now is the time to do it- you actually have the time) ask them how they got to this point. the h&p can tell you alot, but ex: denies alcohol use, denies tobacco use. hmm?? then why does patient x have we'll say.. hepatic ca.. oh well he quit both four years ago when he had a lobe of his lung removed...
most patients love students and most people love to talk about them selves.
get your nose in there, if you hear in report that the guy in 18 has a peg tube even if he's not yours ask the lpn if you can watch his feeding or his med pass....or if someone had a wound vac dressing change.. ask if you can watch and have then find you before they do it..opprotunities woun't come beat your door down.. speak up.. tell your instructor what interests you.. if you don't other students will.
you are totally right on this. i have got my best experiences from asking to go help with other patients. most of all the iv insertions i have done have not been on my assigned patients. you need to seek out other opportunities. that is the only way you will get comfortable with procedures. another thing is if you hear the doctor is on the floor and is in your patients room go in with them and listen to what they have to say about your patient. it is a great experience. also, most of the nurses have to do their own head to toe assessment on their patients. go in with the nurse or compare what you heard or felt to what they did.
I am in my second year of nursing school and I still feel lost and confused. I will admit that I don't feel as lost and confused as I did first quarter! What I am trying to tell you is that as time goes on, things will start to come together and click for you. And I have always heard other RN's tell me that you won't start to feel like a competent nurse until at least a year after you have started. Nursing school is tough and so is the first year on the floor.
Don't give up.
I know how you feel though. I never wanted to be a nurse, I wanted to be a elementary school teacher. Teachers, however, make very little money where I live and there are no jobs. So, I decided to join everyone else and pursue nursing. I thought nursing would be easy. HA!
My first year in nursing school was tough, I didn't have the passion for it and I had never worked in a hospital. In clinical I spent most of my time trying to avoid my instructor. Now, in my second year, I look forward to becoming a nurse. What helped me change my mind? I got a job in a hospital as a Student Nurse Tech. Now, I feel comfortable being around patients, I know how to do all the stuff that a CNA does, and best of all--I get to practice my nursing skills with nurses that aren't instructors (I don't feel like these nurses are out to fail me). Even though in school I still feel that lost and confused feeling and that I shouldn't be in nursing school, whenever I go to work my feelings completely change. I know that I will be a good nurse someday.
So, my advice to you is that maybe you should get a job at a hospital and work as a CNA. Lots of hospitals also employ student nurses. Do you have a Veterans Hospital near you? They employ student nurses, that is where I work. Try this, if this doesn't help you in clinicals then maybe nursing isn't for you and that is okay to admit.
One more thing, I am curious to know if you still are in the nurisng program and how it is going for you?
), but sometimes i really feel I'm only there to finish "my work" instead of helping the patient to feel better. 
DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP
1,301 Posts
Sometimes, you don't have to say anything at all. Just let them know you are there if they need anything or want to talk. As long as you are a good listener, it's a good first step. Sometimes there is not much you can say to "cheer them up" and that is not what many of them want anyway. Just a caring presence is often more than enough.
Based on your post, I would suggest that you think long and hard about what you want to do. I'm not trying to discourage you, but only trying to be realistic.
Best to you,
Diane:nurse: