Passed out my first day of clinical!!!

Nurses General Nursing

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Does anyone else have a first day story like this? My first day of clinical, I was standing at the end of a Pt's bed, watching a wound VAC procedure, and I passed out cold. The student next to me caught me so I didn't hit the floor, but they weren't sure if I had had a seizure. So I ended up in the ER, where I heard people whispering, and some actually came and asked me "Are you the nursing student that passed out?" I ended up staying 2 days because they had released me to go home and my husband was driving, on the way home I passed out again. Five minutes after leaving the ER I was back. After 2 days and $10,000 later they told me I had vaso vagal syncope and orthostatic hypotension aggrivated by dehydration and not eating that morning. Moral of the story? Eat breakfast and drink lots of fluid before clinicals.:uhoh3:

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Third moral: watching something messy like a wound vac is not the best choice for the first day of clinical!!

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On one of my last clinical days in 2nd term one of my classmates kept getting whoosy & our teacher had her sit in the hall. She then questioned her about when she last ate & learned it had been the day before- it was an afternoon shift! This student was given a grade of 0 for that day for her stupidity of not eating. The teacher felt that she was dangerous to be working with patients in that condition.

I thought that was a bit extrme but had to agree also. She should have known better.

Dixie

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Thanks. Advice taken. Although as a CNA I had helped this same wound nurse several times do these wound VAC's. The ER doc's had originally thought the incidenced were connected, but as I passed out on the way home with no wound VAC in sight, they decided to admit me for further tests. I was afraid the two were connected, even though I didn't feel like the "sight" bothered me. I was afraid I woudl not be able to handle these types of things as a nurse, knowing the responsibility was mine now, not just a CNA helping. I am drawn to ER nursing and would love to end up there. Thanks for answering my thread.

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Moral of the story? Eat breakfast and drink lots of fluid before clinicals.:uhoh3:
+ a good night's sleep and when you're standing there watching a procedure, don't lock your knees ;)
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Specializes in CMSRN.

You may require more calories than you are taking in while doing clinicals/working. I know that when working I get hungry fast and need to eat at least two times during my shift. (not a whole meal but just enough to boost me up again) Your energy level can drops fast when the mental and physical energy being expended.

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Sorry, OP, I thought you were brand new to nursing, didn't realize you were a CNA!

Could have been just that you were wearing different shoes, then.

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Expensive way to learn that lesson. You aren't the only one who pulls that sort of trick out of their hat. There are lots of people that don't eat or sleep right, and refuse to drink the right kind of liquids, except they usually get away with it. I'm happy that you were able to resolve the problem without being penalized by your nursing department. You could have been forced to bring a doctor's statement. Be very careful from now on. You can bet that you will be watched like a hawk because the school wants to minimize liability issues and won't be so willing to look beyond your incident next time you have any kind of problem. Glad that it was determined that you don't have a serious condition. Thanks for sharing your experience with the rest of us. Perhaps you have helped one person to prevent the same situation. Good luck in the rest of your program.

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So I ended up in the ER, where I heard people whispering, and some actually came and asked me "Are you the nursing student that passed out?"

That was your cue to sign out AMA.

Seriously.

As a health care person, they will always do more for you than they would for a normal person. But it's a waste of your time. If you knew what happened (ie - vasovagal episode), tell them to get off you because you're going home.

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I (nearly) passed out in clinicals in the OR watching a lady partsl hysterectomy...they had barely started, but the uterus was visible. I was excited to watch, and didn't think I was having any problem with the sight of the uterus...then 2 seconds later, i knew I was gonna fall...luckily I was talking to an OR nurse and alerted her before I fell, so she helped me to the floor...and I HAD eaten breakfast. I also passed out in school while watching a video on colostomy care...guess I can't handle much.

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That was your cue to sign out AMA.

Seriously.

As a health care person, they will always do more for you than they would for a normal person. But it's a waste of your time. If you knew what happened (ie - vasovagal episode), tell them to get off you because you're going home.

But don't you have issues with your insurance paying for the treatment if you go AMA?

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But don't you have issues with your insurance paying for the treatment if you go AMA?

Hmm, good point. Hadn't thought of that.

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