2nd day of clinicals.. STILL nervous

[camci]

Today is my second day of clinicals at our instructors nursing home and i'm still nervous :/ It's ALLOT different practicing transfers with other students and actually transferring a fragile person, I feel like if i'm not perfectly careful I'll break a bone!

Anyone ever get nervous during clinicals? I spent half an hour making a bed the first day and my instructor told me I don't have to be perfectly precise and that it's ok if the sheets aren't "starch flat".

I feel like 4 days isn't enough, the exam is gonna kill me.

[lilbearzmom]

No advice, just know you aren't alone. I finished clinicals today, and was still nervous. Funny, though, once I got in the groove, I felt like I had been working there awhile...good luck!

[AzDeb]

I just finished clinicals on Tuesday. And you definitely aren't alone! I think everyone is a bit nervous. Each day gets easier though. As for the skills test...I'm very nervous. I wish I could have practiced much more or had clinicals longer than I did. I'm just going to get together with classmates to practice as much as we can before our test date. Good luck and get as much out of clinicals as you possibly can!

[DarkBluePhoenix]

I was going to post a new thread about this but I guess I'll just ask it here.

What should I expect? I start CNA training at my CC at the end of the month and I am really excited but then again really nervous and the class is only 8 weeks.

So again what can I expect as far as class time and clinicals?

THaNKS

[yousoldtheworld]

I was nervous the entire time I was in clinicals.

In fact, I've been a CNA for four years now, but I'm STILL nervous when I start a new job (and due to moving several times for school and family reasons, I've started new jobs several times now). It's normal.

And, you're not going to break someone. I understand being afraid, but they're tougher than you think. And most likely are used to being transferred by now!

[KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN]

I was afraid during clinicals too. Its a little scary going from practicing on dummies & your classmates to real life people! You'll get the hang of it & trust me there's nothing to worry about. Good luck!!

[BabyGirlx3]

I was nervous up until my last day! And don't worry about taking awhile to do a skill. That's why you are there, to learn. I don't know about your class, but we were giving only one patient for the day. And let me tell you, it would usually take us the whole day to finish. That was doing like 4-5 skills for one patient. But I took about 45 min one day making the bed. I could not for the life of me, get the corners. It gets easier! Good luck! I feel you on the whole 4 days thing. I had clinicals for 4 days also, and I got for my exam in 4 days and I am so scared. I wish we would of had more practice. :/

[Kelly9405]

It's completely normal to feel nervous during clinicals, especially if you have no prior healthcare experience. I remember feeling exactly the same way as you do when I first started. I even felt that way for the first few months of my first CNA job. Don't worry, it does get better and with more experience you will feel very comfortable after awhile.