New to MCC Nursing Program

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I've never worked in a hospital before! My first day of clinical was truly an eye opener. I've read all the material, and watched all the video's, but when it came to the day I stood there like a deer in the head lights. I froze! I didn't know what to do. I just wanted to cry. Is there any advice that anyone can give me to better prepare myself? I didn't even know how to take my patients BP, because it was with an electronic and we've been practicing with manual cuffs. I just felt so stupid!

:crying2:

Thanks

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Hey,

First: Take your own pulse! (you may read that many more times to come on the allnurses forum)

Second: Look around for someone who is doing it already, and follow them. Ask them how to work the machine... tell them that you haven't seen one like that before. It's the truth :).

Third: Remember that you are in a fundamentals class. You have never done this before and you have never seen this before so why would you know how to do it out of the blue.

Fourth: Relax, trust your instructor. I don't know what lavel you are in, but your instructor will help you through it.

Fifth: Remember to breath.

PM me if you'd like. I'm just in the middle of 1830s

Good luck,

Hoot

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Thank you for your advise and words of encouragement! I don't know what PM means. I'm also new to chat rooms.

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PM means private message...it is next to your "Welcome______" (name)- in the my account section.

Also I do know how to spell...(level..oops!),I just don't know how to type :)

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I am not at all sure how that goes. I think I might have read somewhere on here that you have to post a certain number of times. I guess you'll just have to stick around and find out. I was going to have you PM me to see which instructor you had because you can't (and shouldn't) post names or identifiers on the boards. Sometimes it's nice to hear that your instructor really is so wonderful (which has actually been my personal experience so far) and all of the anxiety that you are having is just the fear of the unknown. I am confident that whomever you have is fabulous and that you will be doing just fine very soon. Like I said, just breathe. Remember how many have done this before you. You can do it too.

Take care for now,

~Hoot~

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I felt the same way my first day a few weeks ago. i went home and cried it was so bad, but the next week was so good it made up for it. you will get more comfortable and will get in the groove. If you don't know something ask an aide, or the nurse you're working with. take a deep breath and just go with the flow. good luck.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Thank you for your advise and words of encouragement! I don't know what PM means. I'm also new to chat rooms.

Hello, Momotwins38

As stated above, pm means private message.

You are a Registered member. All Registered members must first have 15 public board posts before sending private messages.

We hope you enjoy the site and look forward to more of your posts.

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It gets better as you go - in the beginning we all felt the same way, but toward the end of the program you could stuffing NG tubes down someone's head like you were tying your shoes :)

There are however some who don't make it, if you panic to the point of which you don't interact with your patients or are mortified to go in their room/give them a shot for example, then you might need to find a new job (not to sound mean but it happens). I doubt this is your case, so just keep working at it - be a sponge to your surroundings.

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I got my acceptance letter to Macomb. Could you tell me the good and bad points about their program. I was also acccepted to another school and would like to be able to compare them.

Thanks.

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Well, I don't really have anything bad to say about Macomb. I'm sure that every program has its positives and negatives. Since I am happy and doing well in the program, I can only give you some info.

~New for 2009-2010 is that you will be assigned your clinicals instead of being able to choose. This is for all of the Macomb Nursing Students, not just the new ones.

~As far as cost, that is something you can check out for yourself, but there are for sure things that you do not need to get and things you can wait to get.

~The work that you have to do is hard. Period. I am sure that it is the same for SC4 and I would hope that it is. As far as I am concerned, Nursing School should not be easy. You should have to work for it.

~The instructors are #1, human beings, and #2, caring and wonderful people who are really looking out for the students' well-being. Some of them may seem stern, but if you are there to learn and are prepared, they are prepared to teach you.

~The simulation lab is a great experience where you can make mistakes and not hurt anyone.

Other than that, I really don't know a thing about SC4, so I can't help you there.

Congratulations on getting in TWO programs!

Now hurry up and decide so someone else can get in the other one when you pick! Just kidding, take your time.... :)

Good luck with whatever your choice is.

~Hoot~

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I got my acceptance letter to Macomb. Could you tell me the good and bad points about their program. I was also acccepted to another school and would like to be able to compare them.

Thanks.

MCC has an awesome NCLEX pass rate. MCC has awesome instructors. MCC is a great program!

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Thanks for for the info. As for clinincal do you mean that they will choose the hospital for you as well as what time of day you go there? Could you tell me how first semester looks like as far as how many classes you take and how many clinical hours you do per day? Any info is highly appreciated.

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