knikkole

Hi guys, I am a first semester nursing student and in need of some advice. I just had my first clinical last week and after getting my evaluations back have found out that I failed my first clinical. I am a bit frustrated and concerned to say the least. In preparing for clinical we were told by our instructor that she would like us to take an evaluation on a chosen patient if we can but if not not to stress about it because it was our first day. Overall all though, by the end of this semester's clinical rotation we needed to successfully complete a head to toe assessment. Other than to follow our nurse we were not given much direction. Getting to clinical my instructor had trouble locating my nurse so I missed report. Once I found her, my nurse immediatley began passing medications to her patients giving me little information and was short in answers to my questions. She continually mentioned that soon we would chart and go over the patients together. I assumed this meant that she wanted to choose my patient for me. After an hour or so my nurse disappeared to a meeting and told me she would be back. After a few minutes I found my instructor, feeling a bit lost without my nurse, I asked what I could be doing while I wait for her. She asked if I had done an assessment yet, and I told her no that my nurse had not done any assessments yet. She said she would go with me to get one done or I could wait on my nurse. I opted to wait on my nurse because I still had not chosen my patient yet. My nurse returned and continued to pass medications, after giving one medication she did do a partial assessment in which she assessed the abdomen, lungs, and heart sounds quickly. Asking the patient's permission, I did jump in after her and listen quickly as well. Soon after, my nurse took a break. My instructor found me again and helped me pull up this patient's chart so I could get a little background information. I told her that I was was able to listen to heart, lung, and bowel sounds and we discussed that I wasn't sure if what I had heard was normal or abnormal for her condition. She explained this to me. I asked if she would like me to listen to them again and she offered to watch me do my assessment. I admitted that I was nervous and she said that she would walk me through it. I agreed and we went to the patient's room. The patient was having a conversation with her daughter. My instructor and I hung back and went over what I knew about the patient and what we could see. After a few minutes of the the patient continuing to talk, my instructor told me that we would instead look at her chart because they were busy. I went back and got all the information I could without further instructions from my instructor. When getting my results back today I was told that I made no attempt at taking an assessment and as a result I did not pass my clinical. Her notes also mentioned that she remembers a visual assessment but that I did not assess the areas I mentioned. Although I did not complete a full assessment I did assess several key areas on my patient as many of my classmates did the same. Can anyone give me tips on how to remedy this situation or what I could have done differently? I definitely need to work on communicating with my nurses but I am concerned about stepping on their toes if they are not completing assessments themselves.

I had been wondering about enrollment as well so I emailed our advisor and she said to keep checking, they should it open it up and day now. I will also be going to the meeting on the 18th as well so let me know if anyone needs anything! Getting everything ready for next semester is getting exciting :) I could have sworn a year ago when I first spoke to the nursing advisor that it was a 5 semester program but that one of those semesters was a summer? either way I will only be able to take 7 hours as well, I thought about looking for a job as a nurse tech since I will have more time. Are any of you ladies currently working in a hospital setting?

You have great scores, I have no doubt that you'll get in! Let us know when you get your letter :) Seems like we have a pretty good to do list for the next few weeks, I'm just sitting down with the packet today to sort it all out.

Came here looking for other Spring 2017 students, congratulations Srauh! I just got my acceptance letter yesterday as well! I'm excited to get started