curiousrainbowfan

Wow, I am a new grad and I feel EXACTLY the way you do, OP. "- I feel like a scatterbrain on the floor sometimes and I fear it will lead to a mistake - I don't have the basic confidence that I feel I should have for even entry level nursing practice - I don't know if I have the critical thinking skills I need for this job" These thoughts swam through my mind during the last semester of nursing school, and they still do. My main concern is critical thinking. I worry that I will not recognize s/s which require further intervention by the MD. I worry about my assessment skills. I worry that everything I've studied in school won't "come back to me" when I'm in a tight situation. But I also know that I am going to give it my all when I do start my first job. I guess that's all I can ask of myself. And I totally agree with NurseHopefulInOH: I'm going to ask for help!

Just got quick results... PVT works! I passed! Don't stop believin', whether you passed or not. You can do it... Thank you, Jesus Christ.

I realize that this is a more than late reply, but I am grateful and appreciate all of your kind, wise, and well-thought out responses! I returned to nursing school, and recently took the NCLEX, and after receiving the "good pop-up" from the PVT, I am more than excited to begin my nursing career. *Crossing fingers* I am still cautious, but I think that facing my fears has made me stronger. I've also realized that no matter what happens in my nursing career, all I can offer to my patients is my best. I just wanted to thank you all for your honest replies.

Is it just me, or does the original poll listing the two choices inaccurate of whether the PVT Trick is accurate or not? I would like to incorporate more specific choices to choose from, if possible. If you'd like to participate, please pick one of the following choices: 1. Get a PVT "Good pop-up" and pass? 2. Get a PVT "Good pop-up" and fail? 3. Get to the Credit Card page and pass? 4. Get to the Credit Card page and fail?

I just quit nursing school. My main fear was of making a mistake in the real world. I feel incompetent because after one year of the nursing program, I can't even give a satisfactory bed bath; in fact, I couldn't even button one of my patient's gowns because I couldn't find the snap to match. I feel stupid; maybe I am too stupid for this. I am afraid of needle sticks, open cuts on my hands, holes in my gloves, accidentally not using sterile technique, relentlessly poking a patient's arm to find a site for an IV and having him become exhausted and angry, forgetting to do an important task and putting my patient in jeopardy, etc. I used to be a waitress for about 7 months. I compare it to nursing, but instead, in nursing, we are dealing with lives, not food. I felt bad enough spilling drinks on customers' laps. I am now in a completely different major, something completely unrelated to health care, but I am still wondering if I could possibly go back... I was in agony over my decision because I did not know what to do. I only chose nursing because I had two friends who were interested in it, and because I needed to choose a major, I was determined to prove to myself that I could get into the program. I did not hate the nursing program, and I was hoping that I would love it intensely, but I guess I was scared. Should I attempt to go back? Or is it too late... Has anyone ever dealt with this kind of problem? Or is there a specialty in nursing where I don't even have a chance of accidentally hurting the patient? Thanks for reading.