so nervous!!!

loriangel14, RN · Dec 30, 2012

Oh yes,everyone gets nervous. I felt queasy the first few mornings when I got up.Just the thought of breakfast.....

I always remember certain students, for good reasons and bad. One would stand in the med room with a book and look up all her meds, oblivious to the fact that she was in the way.Repeatedly asking her move had no effect. The same girl was so busy looking up stuff that she completely missed the fact that her patient's breakfast was sitting there getting cold and he needed help with it. A tactful suggestion that she go and help him eat was ignored.Don't forget the patient.Many are chronically late. Many can't put away their cell phones.Some will argue or become defensive when you try to correct them.

The thing is you don't need to be a brilliant know- it -all to stand out. Ask questions, do as you are told, offer to help, answer call bells, find work to do when there is "nothing" to do. The nurses will love you and think of you when there is something interesting to do/see. We really love it when a student asks if we need help.Having a willing extra set of hands when you are busy is really appreciated.

jb4455 · Dec 30, 2012

Thanks for the tips!...

I also worry about the way I dress.. as funny as that sounds... I just don't have the $$$ for a new wardrobe! I know it doesn't really matter for clinicals since I'll be in scrubs.. but as for class and everything.. first impressions mean a lot. Hopefully I can stand out in other ways!

loriangel14, RN · Dec 30, 2012

Don't let it worry you. How you dress means nothing. I saw everything from pantsuits to shorts and flip flops in class.

Compassion_x · Dec 30, 2012

Everyone gets nervous before clinicals, don't worry about it (as hard as it is).

ER(notso)n00b, ASN, RN · Dec 30, 2012

Being nervous is normal. Being scared to try new skills is normal as well, but what has helped me is just focusing on the task and not allowing myself to feel terrified. In second semester I performed CPR. It all happened very quickly and when I was told to get in there and start compressions, I just did it without really thinking about it. There were lots of people standing around coaching me along, and when I got tired I asked to switch to the airway. The gravity of what had just happened didn't hit me until AFTER we finished working on the patient. With skills, focus on the very first thing you need to do. Only worry about one thing at a time. Then move onto the next step. Try to relax, be willing to ask questions, watch as many procedures as you can, and I'm sure you will be fine. :)

Racer15, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2012

It's normal to be nervous! My first day of clinical, my partner and I had to go get our instructor because our patient's door was closed and we didn't know what to do, lol. By my last semester? I was knocking people over to get to do procedures. Need an NG tube dropped? IV put in? Port accessed? I'm your girl!! I didn't care if I'd ever done it before or not. I was actually upset during my practicum because I DIDN'T get to do CPR on anyone (I was in the ER), and two of my classmates did. BUT, I got to cardiovert a patient, so I felt a little better about that, lol.

DeBerham · Dec 30, 2012

I'd say that at this stage nervous is good and I'd have some pretty significant reservations if you were not. You're about to put the last (approximate) 3 years of school into practice, and you're going to find out that there is a big difference between knowing and doing. My advice is to ask questions and give the impression that you want to be there. As a nurse who has precepted students I want you to succeed because you may be my next coworker or nurse taking care of me or my family. The flip side of that is that they might be your coworkers... Treat them with respect (and I mean everyone, to include techs and housekeeping). I don't expect you to be perfect but show me that you've learned something in school... Odds are that you won't stun your preceptor with your vast nursing knowledge, but that's not why you're there. Be interactive and engaging). Finally, be mature. If you have a problem with bodily fluids, genitalia, etc get over it now.

BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2012

Of course you're nervous! It's an exciting and nerve racking time! :-) I'm getting ready to start my fourth (and final!) semester on mg way to an ASN and I'm definitely nervous. It's an all new and exciting experience.

It seems like you'll freeze up or forget everything you learned the first semester but unless you struggled the entire time, you will be fine! We haven't had the chance to do CPR on a patient in the clinical setting but we have a SIM man that we have run codes with and when I had to jump on that bed you better believe the CPR training from a year and a half before kicked right in. If you've put the work in before, it will come out in the end.

Good luck in your upcoming semester - I hope you have a great one!