Microbiology struggles

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Today I began my first microbiology lab. I've done well and gotten and A in biology 102 and have also revived good marks in anatomy and physiology and math. However this lab went terribly wrong. With very little instruction I was attempting my first spread plate, I dipped my spreader in the alcohol and then into the busen burner for a few seconds, apparently I needed to wait longer than I did and I burned through my plate. My professer was furious with me and told me that this was a huge mistake and how there would be points taken away even though there were very little directions. After he yelled at me and found me a new plate I was very set back and my lab partners had to wait while I did the microscope part of the lab which I struggled immensely with because I've barely been taught how to use a microscope. Overall I'm feeling very discouraged, this was only the first Lab and I did terrible. I don't know if should continue taking the course. Please let me know if you've struggled in lab before, thank you

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Specializes in Surgical Critical Care.

It happens, really. It'll happen in classes, it'll happen in nursing clinicals, and it'll even happen during nursing orientation. Every so often, you make a mistake and someone reacts badly to it. It sucks, but it's not a reason to consider giving up. If this was a repeated pattern, then I would consider it, but for all you know, this was a one-off thing.

So the best thing to do for mistakes, especially those that earn the ire of others? Learn from them. You now know that you might have a weaker foundation in microbiology than your classmates -- after all, they somehow didn't make the same mistakes as you despite the poor instruction from the professor. All this means is that you should work a little harder, possibly on your own time to have a leg up in class. This sort of mistake is not a reflection of you as a person -- the way you react to it is =)

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Do you guys have open lab time? Or a lab study area?

I had to relearn how to use a microscope when I was in Micro. My teacher wrote out really great instructions to help - I'm going to see if I have them saved.

Don't be too hard on yourself. You'll get there. Like any skills, things will take practice.

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