New Nursing School Blues

[nurse2324]

So I am in my first semester of a BSN program. I am in a skills last where we spend time in the lab and then get tested on those skills in front of an instructor. I am a CNA at a hospital so already had some experience on the skills. I had to check off on hand washing, PPE, blood sugars and sterile gloving. I was SO nervous. I did hand washing fine. Then came the blood glucose, I was incredibly nervous granted I do this every day at work. I accidentally poked my own finger with the lancet instead of my partners! She gave me a chance to redo but I was so upset I couldn't even get the machine to work. I failed that skill. Then after that I had to do sterile gloving and was still so upset I messed up twice again, I couldn't even think straight! Then I did my PPE and finally pulled it together. So I failed 2 skills and we can only get 5 fails for the whole semester and I managed to fail both within the first time. I am so upset and now questioning whether this is for me. I almost cried I love my job and thought this is what I wanted to do but now I am not sure.

[nurse2324]

Thank you all! My anxiety can be very bad, especially with tests. Especially with hands on tests! I still did practice a lot even though I am a CNA. I have those skills down. I just completely froze when I got in there. And once I made one mistake I couldn't recover. But oh well, its in the past. I am retaking them tomorrow so I will just have to relax and watch what I am doing. I will just have to work twice as hard to master the skills!

[erica2117]

When I first started in nursing school and would start doing skills, my hands would shake and they even said I looked liek a little baby chihuahua... they just want to guide you and help you through it..they aren't trying to make you fail. If you can clearly show that you are trying, they will work with you through your skills

[emergenceRN17, ASN, BSN, RN]

Don't give up. I'm in my second semester and nervous as heck still. I don't feel even the slightest bit confident in any skill but I won't let it bother me. I just keep moving forward. :)