med/surg help

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hi,

i start med/surg clinicals this week. this is my 3rd semester. i am really feeling overwhelmed. they say this is when we will start feeling like nurses. but i feel like i don't know anything at all. is this a normal feeling?

also, i start an IV therapy this week. will that help pull IV info together for me? cause i am feeling nervous about that.....or is it something you have to do to learn it?

i have very little skills experience...no cath, no IM shot, no IV, no NG, nothing really....i realize that is a lot of my nervousness...i am one of the few that has not been able to do much because the hospital that i did my extern rotation is very, very small.

i guess my main question is this...can anyone give me any insight as to what to expect from med/surg clinicals...? all i have heard is that is more hands on than our 1st set of clinicals.... that we will be doing everything.

my instructor seems ok, she has a lot of pet peeves like checking the arm band every time you walk into the room, and she wants us to call her "Mrs.____," not by her first name, but that is her preference and does not matter to me at all.

i will say i do PCP work at a hospital, and i have never seen a nurse check an arm band unless it was for a blood transfusion...

i am feeling so overwhelmed, i have a lot of family that lost their homes in Katrina, and my grandmother died in a nursing home because of Katrina also, this all happened the week school began, and i got behind the week of cardiac and fluid and electrolytes....they keep saying that this semester will weed out the ones that can't put info together and i am just afraid i will not be able to put it all together, so if any one could give me tips on the lecture parts of med/surg, will also be apprecaited...

my first time to post...will get more organized with thoughts as i go...

thanks, Nay

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

Hi Nay,

Welcome to allnurses! I am so sorry to hear about your family. Please know you are all in our thoughts & prayers.

I am just starting my 3 semester out of 4 and beginning my Med-Surg rotation on Wednesday. I picked up "MedSurg Notes" (ISBN: 0803611153) and it seems to have so much useful information. I plan to keep it in my pocket at clinical.

We won't be doing IV therapy, so hoping someone will be alone to help you with that.

Take a deep breath and one day at a time :)

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

Dear nayray13:

I would also like to welcome you to AllNurses. You will find much support here. You would be a rare nursing student if you did not feel overwhelmed. Try to take things one day at a time.

As for checking the arm band, our school requires this of our students. This is to train the students in the 6 rights of medication and to hopefully prevent future medication errors. You will notice nurses on the floor doing many things they should not do and cutting many corners. Your instructors are there to train you in the correct way of nursing.

One tip: Even though you are very frightened about IVs, try to act very confident in front of the patient. Don't ever say to a patient, "This will be my first IV stick." Instead say, "Where would you prefer me to place your IV?" This is a skill that is acquired with much time and practice. Know the facility policy and procedures and follow aseptic technique and you will be fine.

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Don't worry everything will fall into place with school. I just wanted to extend my deepest symphathy to you and your family. God bless you.

hi,

i start med/surg clinicals this week. this is my 3rd semester. i am really feeling overwhelmed. they say this is when we will start feeling like nurses. but i feel like i don't know anything at all. is this a normal feeling?

also, i start an IV therapy this week. will that help pull IV info together for me? cause i am feeling nervous about that.....or is it something you have to do to learn it?

i have very little skills experience...no cath, no IM shot, no IV, no NG, nothing really....i realize that is a lot of my nervousness...i am one of the few that has not been able to do much because the hospital that i did my extern rotation is very, very small.

i guess my main question is this...can anyone give me any insight as to what to expect from med/surg clinicals...? all i have heard is that is more hands on than our 1st set of clinicals.... that we will be doing everything.

my instructor seems ok, she has a lot of pet peeves like checking the arm band every time you walk into the room, and she wants us to call her "Mrs.____," not by her first name, but that is her preference and does not matter to me at all.

i will say i do PCP work at a hospital, and i have never seen a nurse check an arm band unless it was for a blood transfusion...

i am feeling so overwhelmed, i have a lot of family that lost their homes in Katrina, and my grandmother died in a nursing home because of Katrina also, this all happened the week school began, and i got behind the week of cardiac and fluid and electrolytes....they keep saying that this semester will weed out the ones that can't put info together and i am just afraid i will not be able to put it all together, so if any one could give me tips on the lecture parts of med/surg, will also be apprecaited...

my first time to post...will get more organized with thoughts as i go...

thanks, Nay

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Don't worry everything will fall into place with school. I just wanted to extend my deepest symphathy to you and your family. God bless you.

i appreciate all the input...and the prayers....i just want to be a good student and a good nurse....i have read many posts before actually posting, and there is so much good advice and support on these pages...thanks again

nay

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hi,

i start med/surg clinicals this week. this is my 3rd semester. i am really feeling overwhelmed. they say this is when we will start feeling like nurses. but i feel like i don't know anything at all. is this a normal feeling?

also, i start an IV therapy this week. will that help pull IV info together for me? cause i am feeling nervous about that.....or is it something you have to do to learn it?

i have very little skills experience...no cath, no IM shot, no IV, no NG, nothing really....i realize that is a lot of my nervousness...i am one of the few that has not been able to do much because the hospital that i did my extern rotation is very, very small.

i guess my main question is this...can anyone give me any insight as to what to expect from med/surg clinicals...? all i have heard is that is more hands on than our 1st set of clinicals.... that we will be doing everything.

my instructor seems ok, she has a lot of pet peeves like checking the arm band every time you walk into the room, and she wants us to call her "Mrs.____," not by her first name, but that is her preference and does not matter to me at all.

i will say i do PCP work at a hospital, and i have never seen a nurse check an arm band unless it was for a blood transfusion...

i am feeling so overwhelmed, i have a lot of family that lost their homes in Katrina, and my grandmother died in a nursing home because of Katrina also, this all happened the week school began, and i got behind the week of cardiac and fluid and electrolytes....they keep saying that this semester will weed out the ones that can't put info together and i am just afraid i will not be able to put it all together, so if any one could give me tips on the lecture parts of med/surg, will also be apprecaited...

my first time to post...will get more organized with thoughts as i go...

thanks, Nay

I am with you on this one I am just as nervous myself. I start my clinicals this week and am petrified I heard alot of the same things. I missed the first week and it was just preop but i feel like I am soo lost now I could definitely use some advise on studying especially with 3 kids I would like to pass this class.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Nay.

It will all be ok. Stop for a minute take a deep breath, tell yourself "I can do this" and do it. I just started my third semester. We did med/surg last semester. I was scared. I also did not get to do many skills that I needed to get done, however, I got to do a few that weren't supposed to be done until this semester. It will all balance out. Just keep telling yourself you can do it.

I am sorry to hear about your family. I will also keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck!

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Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.
hi,

i start med/surg clinicals this week. this is my 3rd semester. i am really feeling overwhelmed. they say this is when we will start feeling like nurses. but i feel like i don't know anything at all. is this a normal feeling?

also, i start an IV therapy this week. will that help pull IV info together for me? cause i am feeling nervous about that.....or is it something you have to do to learn it?

i have very little skills experience...no cath, no IM shot, no IV, no NG, nothing really....i realize that is a lot of my nervousness...i am one of the few that has not been able to do much because the hospital that i did my extern rotation is very, very small.

i guess my main question is this...can anyone give me any insight as to what to expect from med/surg clinicals...? all i have heard is that is more hands on than our 1st set of clinicals.... that we will be doing everything.

my instructor seems ok, she has a lot of pet peeves like checking the arm band every time you walk into the room, and she wants us to call her "Mrs.____," not by her first name, but that is her preference and does not matter to me at all.

i will say i do PCP work at a hospital, and i have never seen a nurse check an arm band unless it was for a blood transfusion...

i am feeling so overwhelmed, i have a lot of family that lost their homes in Katrina, and my grandmother died in a nursing home because of Katrina also, this all happened the week school began, and i got behind the week of cardiac and fluid and electrolytes....they keep saying that this semester will weed out the ones that can't put info together and i am just afraid i will not be able to put it all together, so if any one could give me tips on the lecture parts of med/surg, will also be apprecaited...

my first time to post...will get more organized with thoughts as i go...

thanks, Nay

I hope its normal cause I feel the same way. I am pretty sure my instructor taught the instructor boot camp :devil:. She is a tough cookie so I will either learn alot or fail! I have never even emptied a cath. bag so I feel pretty dumb. I have no previous experience in health care & feel so behind the LPN's & those that have worked as CNA's in our class. I am also wating to feel kinda nursy but it ain't happened yet! I am sorry to hear of your sorrow & my prayers are with you. I like you just want to be a good safe nurse so maybe it will come if we just keep on trying. Good Luck :wink2:

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I hope its normal cause I feel the same way. I am pretty sure my instructor taught the instructor boot camp :devil:. She is a tough cookie so I will either learn alot or fail! I have never even emptied a cath. bag so I feel pretty dumb. I have no previous experience in health care & feel so behind the LPN's & those that have worked as CNA's in our class. I am also wating to feel kinda nursy but it ain't happened yet! I am sorry to hear of your sorrow & my prayers are with you. I like you just want to be a good safe nurse so maybe it will come if we just keep on trying. Good Luck :wink2:

i have heard from previous students that our clinical instructor is really great...i feel like if i can just get caught up and get my reading done...i will be less overwhelmed...it's almost funny how you hear other people say the same things you are feeling....anyway, we will all be ok......

nay

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Nay.

It will all be ok. Stop for a minute take a deep breath, tell yourself "I can do this" and do it. I just started my third semester. We did med/surg last semester. I was scared. I also did not get to do many skills that I needed to get done, however, I got to do a few that weren't supposed to be done until this semester. It will all balance out. Just keep telling yourself you can do it.

I am sorry to hear about your family. I will also keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck!

thanks for the prayers, you can never have too many of those...can you tell me what was the hardest thing you experienced in med/surg? and what was a situation that stands out in your mind of a good and bad day?....just curious, and fearful of the unknown

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(((((((NayRay)))))) This is a hug from me. I too had clinicals in a small hospital and had a hard time. I will tell you that IV experience takes time. One day you realize that you are comfortable and everytime you attempt to start an IV it gets easier and easier.

When I graduated I had not gotten to start a foley catheter on a man. When I started working there was a man who needed one and I said hey I never got to do one in clinicals do you mind watching me start this one.

Make a list of what you haven't done and when you get to clinicals tell the nurses that these are the things you need to check off on and to let you know if any opportunitys arise. Not only do you get experience but they usually tell your clinical instructor that you took advantage of learning opportunitys.

The nurses at my hospital did not find it unusual at all that there were things that I had not seen or done in clinicals. It was the same for them.

*** I am very sorry about your grandmother and your family homes. I will be praying for you all during this trying time of your life.

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thanks mandrews....i will take advantage of your advice.....and i am trying to look at clinicals in a more relaxed way....thank you for the prayers too..

nay

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