What are you most freaked out about learning in nursing school? What makes you the most nervous? I am worried about taking blood. My hands tend to shake a little, even when I am not nervous, but really bad when I am nervous. I plan to take beta-blockers in nursing school so poor patients don't have to see shakes the clown coming at them with a needle.
I have been really trying to desensitize myself to the idea of sticking a needle into someone's vein. I look at people's arms a lot and visualize calmly and gently finding a vein, making the stick, etc. I know that seems strange, but just trying to gear up for it.
For all of you experienced students - do you usually get free time in the labs to just practice and practice on the models?? Do you practice blood draws on your fellow students?
:) Thanks for the info. I'm sorry about your incident. That will remind me to be very careful when I am giving injections! Can you give me any advice for working on the Telemetry Unit? I start my Summer clinical on that unit in about 2 weeks. I'm a little nervous, but excited also! Thanks, Tina
When I was 18 an urgent care nurse gave me an IM injection of phenergan and hit my sciatic nerve. Ouch! My hip and butt cheek we numb for years...eventually the size of the numb area got smaller and smaller.....
Thanks to that incident I am a little scared of giving IM shots. :uhoh21:
:chuckle I worked in a doctors office for almost 4 years before starting the nursing program. I wore scrubs to work everyday. We could wear any kind or color that we liked. My dream since I was 19 was to become a nurse, and wear those all white uniforms!
Well, let me tell ya, in school, we are in white from head to toe! And we come in groups of 8. I may NEVER wear white again! We look like escapees from a chain gang or psych ward or something.
Most likely as a student, you will be wearing all white too! You may never want to wear white again. Tina
Oh I hear ya! the first week my group was on the floor in our whites, someone commented that we looked like a bunch of marshmallows coming down the hallway! :rotfl:
My biggest fear is needles. I never look at them. When my 3 kids get immunization, I ask the nurses to get help, and I turn my head away. This freaks me. What kind of nurse am I gonna be? God help!
My biggest fear is having to give a shot to or draw blood on a screaming baby. I am afraid I will be crying to before it is all said and done. Other then that, I think passing is a good concept. I am going into it with the thought that it is all hard, and probably a lot harder then what I can imagine. One of the RN's I work with said that that was the right attitude to have. Scary!!!!Uh?
I am worried how I will react when the cardiothoracic surgeon (ego bigger than God) starts yelling at me. Will I overreact and cry or will I get in the ring and fight back :angryfire ...both of which are the wrong answer....Honestly, I don't know how nurses tolerate so much crap.....
I am worried how I will react when the cardiothoracic surgeon (ego bigger than God) starts yelling at me. Will I overreact and cry or will I get in the ring and fight back :angryfire ...both of which are the wrong answer....Honestly, I don't know how nurses tolerate so much crap.....
Just look them in the eye w/ a blank stare (and slightly puzzled look) and say "Could you talk calmly and repeat what you just said? I have trouble understanding when people yell - too much stimulation of my neurons. You know how that is. Now, calmly, what is your concern?"
Works like a charm.:chuckle
And in defense of CT surgeons... not all have big egos - I have one for a neighbor and he is one of the most down to earth people I know. Who knows, maybe he is the exception, huh?
:) I was scared of catheters too but once the time comes you will have practiced in the lab, and when it's time to do it in real life,you'll just do it. Stay confident.
As far as finding something to do on clinicals. When I was finished with my pt. in 104, I would find my classmates to see if they needed help with something, or ask one of the nurses if I could observe if she was doing a skill, such as a catheter or a picc line dressing, etc. Trust me, you will find something to do. Then of course you can complete your clinical worksheets so that in post-conference with your Instructor you will be able to answer her questions about your pt.
When you start clinicals, your Instructor will tell you what she expects of you.
On my 2nd to last clinical day, I had completed my assessment of the pt, given her A.M. Meds, and I was running here and there. I had to go hunt down the scales to weigh her. It seemed like we had so many intrusions, 1st PT came in, then the Activity director , then a caseworker, then the pt's family. By noon, I still had not seen that my pt was bathed!.....My Instructor informed me that there was no way that pt. should not have already been bathed!....so, DO IT now!....I told her about all the visitors, and she said it was my place to tell them that they would have to wait to see the pt. until I was finished. oh well, I dropped the ball on that one. I find myself not to be very assertive, but you HAVE to be in some cases or you will get taken advantage of. When I first started in my clinicals I would try to do everything for the pt. I thought I was being helpful...WRONG..you have to let them be independent in the things that they can manage......I learned that on my 1st day, when an activity director "straightened me out" I just wanted to help!!
Anyway,,,you'll learn as you go...and you'll do fine....Tina :balloons:
I think the thing I fear most is failing. Not so much failing a test as much as failing and disappointing myself and my family who are so proud of me.
As far as the thing I fear most in clinicals, that would have to be drawing blood/starting an IV on an elderly patient with "rolling" veins (or whatever they call them) and having to ask someone else to do it.
When I was 18 an urgent care nurse gave me an IM injection of phenergan and hit my sciatic nerve. Ouch! My hip and butt cheek we numb for years...eventually the size of the numb area got smaller and smaller.....
Thanks to that incident I am a little scared of giving IM shots. :uhoh21:
Sounds like who ever gave you the shot did not check your body's landmarks! That is why it is best to not get complacent when doing procedures, that is when mistakes happen! Do not ever be afraid.....be educated and follow procedure that way you reduce the possibility of making a mistake.
I think the thing I fear most is failing. Not so much failing a test as much as failing and disappointing myself and my family who are so proud of me.
As far as the thing I fear most in clinicals, that would have to be drawing blood/starting an IV on an elderly patient with "rolling" veins (or whatever they call them) and having to ask someone else to do it.
Fear of testing? Buy a NCLEX review book, most of them have instructions on how to look at nursing questions. Also many of the books have online sites with practice questions that help you get familiar with test taking. Look under the "sticky" for this forum and you may find some helpful websites.
You may never want to wear white again. Tina
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TINAMARIE28
31 Posts
:) Thanks for the info. I'm sorry about your incident. That will remind me to be very careful when I am giving injections! Can you give me any advice for working on the Telemetry Unit? I start my Summer clinical on that unit in about 2 weeks. I'm a little nervous, but excited also! Thanks, Tina