Someday we'll laugh about this, someday.

[missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN]

Clinical...even mentioning the word causes the heart rate to increase and can make the most confident people nervous. All of the skills we've had, everything we've learned, and we get to do those on a patient...with an audience of other students and an instructor. Gasp.

I cringe when I mess up and usually those mistakes stick with me. Someday I'll laugh, it's just not right now.

What have you done that was cringe worthy, that has made such an impression on you that you know you will never do again? Things you know you will laugh about later (or maybe have laughed about) since then.

[missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN]

For myself:

I had to draw up medicine in a syringe. I carefully wipe off the top for 30 seconds, pull up the air in my needle (1ml), inject the needle and insert the air, and flip the vial upside down to draw the med. I pull back, and there it is: the air bubble.

I hit the syringe. Nothing. I literally beat the syringe, begging the bubble to move, willing it to leave with what is obviously a non-existent jedi force. Nothing. It hangs, suspended in fluid, violating laws of gravity and fluid, taunting me.

I proceed to do the next best thing. Draw more liquid and use a forceful push of the plunger to get that bubble out. I pull back, anticipating the obvious win I will have, when I hear a small "pop". I've drawn too far, the medicine dribbling down my arm. I push the plunger back into the syringe and assess the damage, hoping I can save it. I now have two bubbles in the syringe, one at the top and one in the middle. There isn't enough medication in the vial for the dose needed. I hung my head in shame while my instructor obtained a new vial of medicine.

Me: 0 Bubble: 1

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

I had the dreaded bubble experience as well. Knocked the syringe with a pen, tapped it, etc. wouldn't budge! Drew more fluid in and injected back in and the dang bubble sat there like a stone. My instructor even wrestled with it and couldn't get it to budge. I tried tapping it one more time and it flew out of my hand and on to the floor. I think we were both relieved to get to start over fresh :)

The worst experience was packing a stage IV pressure ulcer with a ribbon dressing we'd never heard of before. Not one of the nurses on the floor had used it. Our instructor said "figure it out yourselves". It took us 45 minutes to get it done because we were so worried we were doing it wrong. I felt terrible for the patient, having to endure the equivalent of Moe, Larry & Curly working on him. I will never forget that experience. Learned a lot about what NOT to do!