need help please

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Hi all

I just finish my first nursing semester last week.

I am asking for help regarding the nursing procedures: I did really have a hard time with lab and clinical last semester. I am planning to invest in buying a nursing video to watch the procedure done in an orderly manner but do not know which one to invest my money into? I did have a book for procedures but the steps were not set up in order for me. As a new beginner, I like to view things done in order. When procedures are presented the first time in lab, Most of the time I do not get them. I do not want to blame anyone, all I want is getting help regarding procedures because I spent a lot of time this semester googling informations and searching. I ma not really complaining about the time I invested because I had to do that as a student but the stress of not understanding things and always coming for the lab skills for second trial put a lot of sorrow in my heart and affected my self esteem because I do not want to be coming back for skill evaluation for the second time each time. As far as lecture, I am really doing well in my exams. But something is happening between me and skills. . All I know is that I am trying to get help during this summer period to learn better, relieve my stress and save my self esteem. I really want to work on my weaknesses and I highly appreciate any feedback

thank you dearly for reading my email. any help is greatly appreciated.

Hali

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

Hali--I think those nursing videos can be quite pricey. Can you arrange to watch videos in your nursing arts lab or request extra time for practice?

Here are a couple of websites (free) that have instructional videos on various procedures. Hope this helps you a bit.

http://www.umanitoba.ca/nursing/courses/213-Lab/index.shtml

http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/nursing/courses/328/

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What type of procedures are you talking about?? Listen, I can understand you feel that your selfesteem is being affected BUT you have to understand that those skill labs are for NURSING STUDENTS to learn. You should never feel ashame to go to lab and ask all the questions to help you learn. If you don't do this, then you will end up graduating and feeling that you never really got those skill down pack. Who cares if you go back. Better to do it as a student then a new nurse.

I am sorry you feel that way. I don't know of any videos but I do know there is a book that you might check out if you haven't already. It's called nursing procedures made incrediably easy! I love those books. They are straight to the point.

Now if someone in lab is not teaching you well you need to speak up. This is your education and you are paying for it. My 1st clinical instructor was a very young woman in her early 30s. She was going through some boyfriend problems that she felt she always had to finish lab quick. We would leave 1hr before everyone else. No one said anything b/c everyone was tired and perfered to go home. BUT we ended up paying for it later. When other students knew how to do lots of stuff. WE were so jelous. I wish at the time I spoke up. I was young and timid. BUT now PLEASE I would be reporting her BUTT to the dean. SO don't sell yourself short. Remember you are not the only one who feels this way. Good luck

;)

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Skills labs can be stressful. I always try and do things that make sense to me. Such as for our PA exam, it had it all over the place, I made it so I would go head to toe and front to back, this put it in an order that made the most sense.

Ask for help if you need it or don't understand. I know our school is putting everything onto DVD so we can watch the skills as much as we need to.

Good Luck

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

How is it that nursing skills are not being done in an orderly manner? The way I was taught and learned nursing skills was to have someone stand next to me, or across from me, with a printed sheet that listed all the steps of the skill. The person started reading each step out loud "1. xxx" and I would do that thing. "2. xxx" and I would do that. After we got through all the steps of the skill, we would change positions and I would do the reading while my partner did the skill. We did this over and over and over. Learning hands on nursing skills is like learning to play a musical instrument. You have to practice, practice, practice. In your first attempts you make a lot of errors. After the 10th time you make less errors. By the 40th time you have hopefully improved a lot. There's no other way. You can't think these things to perfection in your mind or view them on videotapes to perfection in your mind. They are "hands on" skills which means you have to roll your sleeves up and do them. There is just no other way. Now, I'm not a student telling you this. I'm a nurse who has been in practice for over 30 years. I've been through the same awkward period you are now going through.

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Many of our things are in order and we are given a sheet of the steps and then memorize them and do them in order. With the PA it had you do things with them laying down, then standing up and then laying back down again. This is not an order I would due things in and changed it so I did everything I could with them laying down, then sitting up and lastly standing and like I said from top to bottom. For this we were allowed to change it to how it was best for us. However most things there are steps and an order that cannot be changed.

It is harder when we have nurses telling us in lab this is how we test "but you'll never do it like this in the real world"

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Specializes in acute care.

thank you so much! :bow:

Hali--I think those nursing videos can be quite pricey. Can you arrange to watch videos in your nursing arts lab or request extra time for practice?

Here are a couple of websites (free) that have instructional videos on various procedures. Hope this helps you a bit.

http://www.umanitoba.ca/nursing/courses/213-Lab/index.shtml

http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/nursing/courses/328/

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

I also have to stress what Daytonite has said. It is all hands on, practice, practice, practice. That's why I mentioned seeing about setting up some extra time for practice in the nursing arts lab. Good luck to you.

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Hell

I am very thankful to all of you. It was really helpful to read all your replies.

I really appreciate your help.

Hali

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