2nd day of clinicals & I feel like an idiot...help me gain some confidence!

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So, I'm that stereotypical student who does great in class & on tests and papers, but who is struggling in clinical. I'm in an accelerated program and we just started our clinicals - yesterday was my second day in the hospital. I had to give a pneumonia vax IM. The PT's daughter had been in the room all day, watching me closely & taking notes about everything I said & did. It's great the PT had an advocate, and we had a good rapport - but it made me very nervous.

Anyways, here's what happened. I went to give the IM injection (in the deltoid) - and the needle didn't go in. It just bounced off the skin. I'm sure my hand was shaking and I just didn't use enough force. I was stunned & just kind of stood & stared for a moment. My instructor was also watching me. He went to go swap out the needle and I was so flustered I asked him to please give it - I didn't want to hurt the PT.

I feel like a complete failure and an IDIOT! I mean, really - who does this? Who can't give a simple IM injection? My confidence is shot. I want to dust myself off & try again, but there's a tiny part of me that's wondering, if I can't do something this simple, am I really cut out for nursing?

Please tell me what you think...be honest with me. Is this a sign that I can't hack it? If not, how do I get over this and get some confidence back so this doesn't happen again?

your a student not a nurse give yourself a break. we are learning. if you were perfect you wouldnt be a brand new student or a student right.

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My first ever subcut I gave rebounded and I was fairly surprised. Fact of the matter was, the skin integrity was clearly nothing like the sponge we practiced on. Embarrassing thing was, second subcut my clinical educator decided to assess me on it and I ended up stabbing the guy a bit too hard because I was so nervous. Lucky my teacher wasn't too angry and just told me to take it easy and the patient was just a little bit shocked but quickly recovered! But honestly, after doing it too soft, too hard I've learnt the goldilocks effect and haven't had any patient complaints. Bi-winning! You'll be a great nurse: because you care. I had a patient once tell me, never stop worrying about your patients feelings, that's when you become a bad nurse.

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Good Lord, it's your 2nd day and probably one of your first injections. Give yourself a break. This might have been the first time you felt like an idiot but it definitely won't be the last!!

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Every day in NS is another to seriously consider chucking it all and moving to alaska to take up dogsledding. -and I HATE snow!

Seriously, as your 2nd day, it will get better. It takes time.

I still delight in telling nursing students that I almost got kicked out of the program my first day of clinical. Took the forgetful diabetic patient back to his room, because we were told that the first thing we needed to do was take the patients to their room to assess them as soon as we got on the floor. Took him back, checked him out, got all ready to give his morning meds, and found out he hadn't had breakfast! (I was not working as a CNA yet) Also the staff nurse came in and asked me if I could have him drink a fiber powder when I was done. It's a med! Got dinged for not giving medication with a instructor. shouldn't have said anything, extra fiber isn't gonna kill him!

so, relax, it will be ok!

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
Anyways, here's what happened. I went to give the IM injection (in the deltoid) - and the needle didn't go in. It just bounced off the skin. I'm sure my hand was shaking and I just didn't use enough force. I was stunned & just kind of stood & stared for a moment. My instructor was also watching me. He went to go swap out the needle and I was so flustered I asked him to please give it - I didn't want to hurt the PT.

I did that once when I was getting started as a clinic assistant years ago. You only do that once if you do it at all :lol2: I added a little humor as I changed the needle, completed the injection, and moved on :up:

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It was your 2nd day.....and sub cuts are simple...but IMs aren't! Im not in an accelerated program and even though I've practiced IM's in class, my preceptors only ever let me watch not because I was incapable but because I was new to all this. Don't worry at all, we all at some stage as for extra help and guidance from our preceptors-well at least I have and my nursing student friends! Just enjoy it, the point of clinicals is to learn and gain experience, its an experience and you can learn from it :)

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It's absolutely normal. I remember coming to allnurses to go through countless first injections posts to make me feel that my extreme nerves and shaking while giving my first injection wasn't an indication of things to come. It wasn't! It's so normal to get nervous when you're doing something for the first few times. Every single time it will get easier! As for that "idiot" feeling..... Just remember everyday that you're there to learn. You're not supposed to be perfect in the beginning and whether or not they tell you..... your instructors were in the same place at one point. Everything gets easier with experience. Be a sponge and ask tons of questions.... Nursing school is stressful and intense at times but it's also one of the best experiences that I have had so far! Best of luck to you!

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Same thing happened to me, although I was giving Lovenox SQ in the abdomen and those needles are notoriously dull. Also this dude had skin like leather. Went to stick the needle in him and the freaking thing just bounced back at me, and I used quite a bit of force lol. I just wound up and stuck that baby in there again. Can't change the needle on the lovenox syringe.

This is exactly what happens to me. The same situation.

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so, i am 1st year and share your feelings. i have had 8 days and have cried following most of them. it sounds like you know your book-knowledge, as do I, but our confidence level is low. all I can say is I intend to go down fighting. I know I can be a good nurse, I just need to use my support group and team members to gain conifdence in myself. good luck.

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Specializes in Psych & Gero psych.

I can't believe they let you give a shot on your second day. All we could do first semester was vitals, AM care and an assessment. Second semeter we could give Meds with the nurse or instructor and take Blood Sugars. In the third semester we could, give meds after the clinical instructor first checked the MAR and pulled the meds out of the Pixis with us. It was until our 4th semester we could go into a room on our own with meds to give them.

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I can relate.

While i had had no problem giving shots, when I got to OB, the thought of poking a poor little wee guy in the leg (with his proud papa looking on) was almost too much.

I poked the little guy's leg, but my shaky hands pulled the needle out before I even gave the shot... oops.

I felt like an idiot and, fortunately, the dad was generous with me and the nurse was very patient.

She said, "Well, we have to do it over. Why don't you watch me this time?"

I said "I completely understand" and watched her give the shot as I tried to get over the shame!

Poor babe had to get pricked twice because of me.

Don't be too hard on yourself.

We have to learn somehow and if we already knew how to do everything, we wouldn't be students, now would we?

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I can't believe they let you give a shot on your second day. All we could do first semester was vitals, AM care and an assessment. Second semeter we could give Meds with the nurse or instructor and take Blood Sugars. In the third semester we could, give meds after the clinical instructor first checked the MAR and pulled the meds out of the Pixis with us. It was until our 4th semester we could go into a room on our own with meds to give them.

Our first semester we were in LTC and could only do Vitals and assessments, blood sugars, catheters and NG's and Trachs (if the opportunity came up which it didn't). Second semester we were in a hospital and before clinicals we were checked off to do shots and meds. I did my first shot my first day in clinical which was supposed to be more of a shadow day but the opportunity came up.

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