Need help bouncing back from a bad day of clinicals...

[Kateoh82]

I've been upset all day... .. I don't know if its that time of the month or what.. I just wasn't on top of my game today at all. I was slow getting to stuff, just going through the motions..I felt so nervous today for some reason. Probably because we only had 2 patients, and my instructor was able to really really watch every single move we made... This is only my second month of ever doing clinicals.. No medical experience.. I feel like theres so much I don't know. Basically while we were at the computers documenting she was telling me I'm not progressing like some of the other people, and my paper work is not coming together, that i really need to pick it up... I don't know if its because about 75% if my class has already worked or is currently working in the medical field.... I understand to be a good nurse, you have to be quick on your feet, and be able to critically think well... I guess everyone moves at different paces... I am trying to do it all.. pass all my classes, do well at clinicals, etc... It was just rough today... I'm sure many of you have had days like that... Any advice, or encouragment would be amazing right about now!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Think of it like a new job. It is always rough at first, then one day things that overwhelmed you make sense and you are actually swimming instead of treading water. Just hang in there. If your instructor says something vague like that, ask if you can make three concrete goals to work on and review together by next week. Gives you specifics to work on and lets them know you are serious about measurable improvement.

[Kateoh82]

thank you! that was really helpful... i'll have to do that for sure.

[studentnursepupmom]

My personality is to get very flustered and emotionally upset when something like this happens to me... I don't start nursing school until Wednesday, but in other aspects of my life, especially at other jobs, I've had to just tell myself that tomorrow is a new day, and that just because my boss corrected me or talked to me about something I did wrong, it doesn't mean I'm terrible at everything or that my boss thinks that I'm a total failure -- on the contrary, discussing problems you're having means they want you to get better because you have a lot of potential! So just go in tomorrow (or whenever your next day of clinical is) with your chin up and a smile on your face. Even if you have to fake it, soon the smile will become real if you keep making yourself look like you're happy and "bounced back." Keep in mind what you can learn from your bad experience yesterday, but just forget about the crappy way it made you feel, and cut yourself some slack -- everyone has bad days sometimes, especially when they're under pressure like you are! :)