Help New and Nervous

cursenurse · May 16, 2008

Have you tried public speaking courses? I have done alot of public speaking, and I know that it really helps to know the material inside and out. Have a good outline to refer to, but don't be tied to it. Try to have good audience contact. If you are using handouts, or overhead outline, try not to just read from it, I hate when someone hands me material, and then they spend an hour reading it to me. Mainly, being a good speaker takes lots of practice. You have to practice your discourse at home, until you are very comfortable with it. And try to get constructive feedback from your audience, what is it that they did not like about your presentation? I know nervousness is a problem, but i find it helpful to make myself slow down, remember to breathe, if you get a little tongue tied, smile, take a deep breath, and continue. Sometimes, when that happens to me, I'll acknowledge the fact that I can't get the words out right, act lighthearted about it, and the audience gets a chuckle because honestly everyone can relate. For pete's sake, just look at our President, he is by no means a fluent speaker, he flubs something, chuckles, and keeps right on going. Just practice, and have confidence that you will get better as time goes. :up:

KarynicaRN · May 17, 2008

oh how i know the feeling. when i taught my first nurse aide class i was so nervous i didn't know what i was talking about half the time! i guess i did a pretty good job because the students learned the material and did well on the tests.

when i was taking my train the trainer program to teach nurse aides, we had to prepare a teaching lesson and present a teaching style. i was so nervous and some of the people in the class gave me a poor review. of course they were my peers, but i still felt a little slighted by some of the remarks. now i don't let it bother me. i am doing what i enjoy doing and hope to continue doing this for a long time.

just be you and try to get over the nervousness. it takes time. a whole lot of time. don't rush it. you will do fine.

rene6313 · May 17, 2008

guys... can you please help me out. i am a newly licensed nurse. I intend to pursue a career in psychiatry. Is there a mental institution beside NCMH or hospital offering trainings which are located somewhere in south or north luzon.

RN1989 · May 21, 2008

It has to be fun. If it is a required course and it isn't fun, you are going to lose the audience. Did you have specific comments? That will help you figure out where your strengths and weaknesses are . Toastmaster's clubs can help with the public speaking part of things. Perhaps you can do more non-lecturing type classes. Give more handouts, use power point, make self-study modules with exams, and have poster inservices until you get the formal lecture presentation down pat.

handyrn · May 21, 2008

I Love Love Love public speaking and teaching. It really is my calling and I wish I could be doing more of it. The next best thing for me is learning. I love learning new things. Here are a few things that may help you based on my experience as an instructor and student.

You say you work in a facility. Therefore, you are on the same "team" as those you are educating. Remembering that may help you to see your students as team members instead of your critical students.

Yes, you need to be the expert, as you are the instructor, but be down to earth. Be human. No one likes to learn from someone who thinks (or appears to think) that they are a "know it all." The sad part is that some people who are shy are sometimes taken as this when it is not the case at all. Get a group of friends together and present your material to them. Ask for their criticism. They may be able to tell you how you are "coming off" to others.

Know that when teaching adults, they all have different learning styles. Just because you may be a visual learner, some are auditory, hands on, etc. Make sure you incorporate all of these things in your presentation.

And yes, be interesting. Don't just read handouts!

Involve your audience as much as you can. Is there a 10 minute activity that they can do that will help them learn the material without you having to actually teach it? If so, this gets them involved, gives them some active time, and helps those who learn better by doing.

Set the stage. If you are using an overhead, have a funny cartoon on the overhead as they are entering the room. If you can get your audience to relax and be in a good mood from the start, I find that this helps.

Practice, practice, practice! Just remember that the more you present, the better you will get. Remember the first time you did your clinicals as a nursing student? I'm sure you were not perfect the first few times you did a task. This is no different.

Hope some of these ideas help.

iteachob, MSN, RN · Jun 3, 2008

These are all good suggestions. Having said that, we have a long-time faculty member (14 years) who, in spite of a great deal of experience, had to resort to low-dose Inderal for her "stage fright" (classroom teaching). It's an off-label use, but it worked like a charm for her..... eliminated the shakiness in her voice and general feelings of nervousness. Just a thought....

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jun 3, 2008

Previous posters have offered constructive and helpful comments but I would like to point out that - especially in today's world - education is les and less about traditional stand-up teaching and more about effective instructional design & use of existing and emerging instructional technology.

Some people will never be comfortable speaking in public. No matte how much preparation and rehearsal they have. It, quite simply, causes them misery. There are other ways to develop & deliver education these days besides ILT (instructor-led training). Although I still love ILT, it is not my organization's primary delivery method any more. I have to be comfortable developing self-instructional modules, eLearning & webinars.

Just a thought. .