1st year nursing student

rmkelly · Nov 14, 2009

Been a nurse 37 yrs - I'll let you know when it all comes together for me. I cannot believe all the stuff you guys have to learn!there has been so much progress since I was in school.I've said here before that I believe there were only 10 meds I had to learn! Now - pass meds with Epocrates on my blackberry! Trust me, your classmates are confused as well.

dozndawg · Nov 14, 2009

Nurses of today were doctors of yesterday!

Always_Learning, BSN, RN · Nov 14, 2009

First, you are not alone! Nearly every clinical day I come home and can't sleep, fearing I have omitted or missed some critical item that will inevitably lead to my patient's horrible demise! Consider this: the fact that you are concerned is a good thing. My clinical instructor says the students who scare her the most are the ones who aren't afraid.

I'm not sure if you're spiritual at all, but before I go to clinical, I try to say a little prayer asking God to help me perform to the best of my ability. (And I have also done lots of prep work and research, to hold up my end of the bargain!) When the day is done, I say another prayer, committing my patient(s) and the work of the day back to God...after all, that's where everything ends up anyway! This helps me (a little) to take the burden off my shoulders.

Above all, just know that you're not alone. You never hear anyone else second guessing themselves, because - guess what? They're trying to look professional and "together", just like you are. If we were all completely forthcoming with how we feel, we'd look a hot mess! I go home and cry and fret more than I thought possible!

I bet you're doing fine - this is your time to learn. Hope you have a great weekend - best wishes! :yeah:

rmkelly · Nov 14, 2009

Amen. The sisterhood is not for sissies. I'm not sure when I learned to both live with my limitations and push beyond them.

southernbelle4lu · Nov 15, 2009

Hey! Don't worry.. thing will start to come together. I am graduating in December and I finally feel like things are coming together for me. Not that I know everything... but I'm a lot more confident than I was in first semester. Keep your head high. You can do it!

RNnTrainin' · Nov 15, 2009

I think this will make you a better student. You will cross paths with some students who don't care, and just want to get through the day as quick as possible. I graduate in May, and I have had many days like you have. Wondering if what I heard was REALLY what I heard. Just remember, you chart what you see/hear! Don't follow someone else's lead. If you ever have a question, grab another student (that you trust) or better yet the instructor - this will show them how eager you are to learn, and some one on one teaching time is the best! Stay with it, you will feel like a lost dog, and one day, it will all come together and make sense. Now, I'm not saying we will know it all, but things will come together. My instructor told me my "light had come on" over the summer, and it really boosted my confidence! It will come for you too! Good luck to you!

diane227, LPN, RN · Nov 17, 2009

Everyone is confused. Nursing school is more complicated today in many ways for you guys that it was for me 31 years ago. Even now, I learn something new every day and I am not kidding. It is amazing how much you have to know just to keep up. Breath sounds and heart sounds are hard to learn but you will get better with practice. And if you can build up some rapport with a couple of physicians have them listen with you and describe what they are hearing. I used to go get the docs in the ED and say "listen to this. What is this?" and I was able to learn it that way. Also, if the patient had a certain known diagnosis of let's say a mitral regurg, you could listen and know what that sounded like. It gets easier with time. Your not alone girl so hang in there. Speak up and don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. There are NO stupid questions.

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2009

what i used to do, i Id follow my nurse and hear all the patients, than id tell her to tell her mates if any of their patients had funky sounds so i'd go listen to them!!! and that is how i got a bit more used to them... i'd hear like 16 people per day on clinicals!

mammac5 · Nov 18, 2009

Trust me when I say that any of us (new nursing students) who is not freaked out is either lying OR clueless. Some of the people in the program I'm in act all tough and like they have it all together all the time. With all due respect, that's BS!

On the opposite end of the spectrum are those who fall into a puddle of tears on a frequent basis because they're too overwhelmed to deal. There has to be some middle ground...a healthy amount of fear shows that we understand the awesome responsibilities we have in front of us. Too much fear is paralyzing and anti-productive.

Hang in there and keep learning and growing...we're getting there!

nursingstudentnikkic · Nov 18, 2009

thank you guys for the support!

allnurses Guide · Nov 18, 2009

The first time I heard some gunky sounds in a toddler's lower lobes, I looked in the chart and no one else had ever heard them there. Fortunately, my CI also heard them, because half an hour later the doc came through and went to listen to what I had charted and he didn't hear anything wrong. I was so busy second guessing myself.

Finally my CI said, think about it! what happened between the time you heard the rales and when the doc listened? well, I'd gotten the kid up, bathed him, walked him around and little, and he had coughed. You got it, he cleared out the gunk that had accumulated while he slept.

So, if you heard it, you heard it! things can, do and will change just at the moment to cause the most embarressment:imbar:yeah:

It all just comes with time, and here, 28 years later, I'm still learning. :up: