perfectionist or not cut out for nursing?

Nurses LPN/LVN

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Hi everyone,

I know there are a lot of wonderful, competent LPN's out there and each of you just blow my mind! :bow:

I am an LPN student and we are just wrapping up our 1st qtr of clinicals in a LTC facility. We've spent a total of 70 hrs at the facility and have passed meds every class on 2 residents plus done blood glucose checks, tube feedings etc. My grades so far are good but I feel so incompetent. I make some type of error every class. It ranges from almost pullling the wrong med (either I or my instructor has caught it - thank goodness) to placing a breathing treatment in a nebulizer and forgetting to tighten the cap. I know there are many opportunites for things to go wrong, and this is my 1st experience in the medical field, but I think maybe I don't have what it takes to not hurt anyone and protect my license. Afterall, I know realistically I will be working with 20+ residents daily and I can't even get it right with 2!

LTC is really where I want to be, I love working with the residents, but does it sound like maybe I'm not cut out for this?

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Specializes in Psych/Substance Abuse & School Clinics.

Don't be so hard on yourself. That's what school is for -- to learn. And part of learning is to make mistakes. You're in school so hopefully you won't make as many mistakes by the time you graduate. You're only human and no one is perfect except God. Enjoy your time in school. Good luck.

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Hi everyone,

I know there are a lot of wonderful, competent LPN's out there and each of you just blow my mind! :bow:

I am an LPN student and we are just wrapping up our 1st qtr of clinicals in a LTC facility. We've spent a total of 70 hrs at the facility and have passed meds every class on 2 residents plus done blood glucose checks, tube feedings etc. My grades so far are good but I feel so incompetent. I make some type of error every class. It ranges from almost pullling the wrong med (either I or my instructor has caught it - thank goodness) to placing a breathing treatment in a nebulizer and forgetting to tighten the cap. I know there are many opportunites for things to go wrong, and this is my 1st experience in the medical field, but I think maybe I don't have what it takes to not hurt anyone and protect my license. Afterall, I know realistically I will be working with 20+ residents daily and I can't even get it right with 2!

LTC is really where I want to be, I love working with the residents, but does it sound like maybe I'm not cut out for this?

I know how you feel...I felt the same way. I just graduated two months ago and working in LTC now. I worked as a Medication Aid for 5 years, prior to PN school and that's what helped me a lot when it comes to meds. Although, I feel like an imcompetente every single day, when it comes to some skills like indwelling catheter. So, hang in there! Time makes things better. And you can always make the option to work in another area, if this one does not fit you.

Teresa:coollook:

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Specializes in LTC.

Don't worry! In school, I dropped a narc on the floor on my very first med pass, had a lovenox injection "bounce" off of the pts stomach, and tried to tube feed with the cap on, (just couldn't figure out why it wouldn't go in!), just to name a few. These things happen. It's how you handle mishaps that count. None of us are perfect, and we all make mistakes of some sort. As you continue through school, you will become better at catching mistakes before they happen, as well as learn ways of safeguarding yourself and your pts against them. If you had those skills already, you'd be a nurse! I've had a couple of med errors as a nurse, and they are quite humbling. The key is to recognize what went wrong and learn from it. We all learn every day.

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Specializes in ER, Pulmonary.

Lighten up on yourself!! You probably have instructors breathing down your neck, scrutinizing every move, no wonder you're a mess! They are supposed to do that. Don't freak out, be prepared for class, think of what you are going to do, take your time. Make your mistakes now! You will be just as nervous after you are done and passed your boards!

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Please, never be so hard on yourself turtle....It is like anything else in life.....you already know what to do, you just have no practice! When was the first time you drove a car? 2000 pounds of steel at your hands? You had in your hands the ability to kill anyone within you sight LOL. Now you are not in a car, you have only your hands and insight.

Trust yourself and ask when you need help.

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Specializes in M.S, CORR, LTC, Sub. Abu, ER.

my late response!!!!

yes well! it may be a humbling experience for some, however, if you get an instructor that dosent see mistakes as a learning experience, or tool, etc.,

and you have one that would rather use you as an example for the rest of the class!!

lets just say....my rn instructor was a nightmare from "hell"

i dont think the criptkeeper had anything on her!

on the other hand, my lpn instructor's were a blessing in so many ways!

i cant say enough about my lpn nursing instrutors!!

it was like night & day! needless to say, i had a horrible experience in my rn program. no, i did not graduate from that college either!

your instructors may not be the problem, im just saying that mine definatly were!!!

so, long story short------> dont give up on yourself, even if someone else does!

and if you have a bad instuctor! by all means!!

go somewhere else! you should'nt have to put up with an invironment you cant feel comfortable in to learn.

or such uncaring, inpatient instuctors! esp. if your paying {big time} bucks for an education!

~:typing:typing~good luck~ ~:typing:typing ~good luck~

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Thanks to all of you for your words of wisdom! I just finished up my last clinical for the quarter and all went well. I actually discovered that part of my problem was anxiety - I was so nervous that I was allowing myself to become so distracted that I would lose track of what I was doing. I tried quitting caffeine this week and it seemed to help with this as well. Today I actually caught that one of residents meds from last month had dropped off of this months MAR - today is the 6th and I was the one who caught it! Thanks again to all of your comments really helped!:redbeathe

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Specializes in snf, hospital- stroke unit.

i just finished my first week on my own as an lvn. I work at my facility where I worked as a cna for 5 years, so I know the patients but it is very crazy and I forget to do tons of stuff, It stresses me out but I know once I get organized it will all come together, so dont worry you will do fine.

calgirl123:p

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turtle, you caught a med error? You Go Girl!!!!! Sorry if that sounds strange. But I do not believe we all eat our young! Sometimes we become so good at what we do, that we forget to look carefully. Critical thinking is a big part of what we are taught. The balance is for fresh eyes to look at us and old eyes guide them. Med errors at change over is one of the greatest problems we have. And I am sorry or happy to say, that it is the fresh eyes who catch them. So, keep doing what you do, and accept all help you can. Soon you too will be an elder in nursing LOL.

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First of all you need to try and calm yourself when your getting ready to pull a med, do a tx., etc. Really focus on the order, not on maybe making a mistake. It was a long time ago, but I can remember being tewrrified of the instructor breathing down my neck, then I was actually doing the procedure. Just relax. They won,t kick you out or deny your lic. due to a small mistake. I went through school with a classmate that gave Heparin to the wrong pt. and she graduated with flying colors. She was at the top of the class in the classroom, but a pure mess in clinicals. She just had no common sense and thats what it takes.

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You will be amazed at how much more confident you will feel at the end of the program! What you're feeling is normal and it will get better each clinical experience you have! Good Luck ;)

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