Starting Senior Year--Feeling Inadequate. Normal?

I'm enrolled in a 2-year diploma school which more often than not boasts 100% NCLEX passage on the first try. From what I have heard, it is a tough school. We do something like 60% more clinical time than is required. I have a 4.0 average.

My problem is this. I look back at what I have learned in the past year (and it is a LOT!). I see that I only have one more year of school before I am an RN. Then I look at what the actual RNs on the floor do, and I am petrified! I feel like I would need 6 years of education to even come close to being able to function as a nurse.

Oh, yeah, I can write a kick-butt care plan. I can give a bed bath with the compassion of Mother Teresa. But I've never dealt with an NG tube. I've only done one straight cath. I'm still fuzzy on the procedure for documenting Is & Os. Hypotonic or hypertonic solutions? I freeze up just thinking about it.

I can't even fathom doing all this without a clinical instructor holding my hand and guiding me. New nurses, recent grads: How have you dealt with your insecurity?

TIA!

edited because I can't spell sometimes.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

We all go through it. It doesnt matter if you go BSN, ADN or diploma. Remember you wont be cut loose your first day out of school, there is an orientation process. Normal course of things, it will take at least a year to 18 months to get "comfortable" not needing someone to fall back on fairly regularly for questions or explainations.

It will be fine, absorb all the experiences at clinical you can even if it is just watching a procedure.

[crb613, BSN, RN]

I hope its normal cause I feel the same way! I have 1 year left & I keep thinking Lord I do not know nearly enough. I am scared to death to be quite honest & even more scared that I will hurt someone.....I keep thinking this last year has to be a dilly cause I sure have alot left to learn!

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

Yeah, pretty scared here too. A couple of nights ago, a patient I was taking care of unexpectedly crashed. Instinctively, I knew what to do and how to assess the situation. I blended into the code team and didn't get the deer-in-the-headlights look. I was thinking out loud and the nurses were actually listening to me and following my lead. Talk about scary! Surprised myself royally. I guess it kicks in when you need it to.

[HopefulRN2006]

you are not alone..I feel the same way.

Me and another student were just saying how we need to re read most of last years chapters to remember again....yes, I am petrified going back on the floor for clinicals. Hopefully the info I learned will all come back to me.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Hmmm.....4.0 and 60% more clinical time and you're worried??? Puuleeze. :)

Just kidding ya!

It's totally overwhelming. And entirely normal to feel this way. Don't worry about the tasks you haven't done yet, if you don't get the opportunity this year, you will get the skills you need after you graduate.

Sometimes I felt as if there was so much information it was coming in one ear, out the hand for the test, then out the other year to make room for more, because there wasn't enough room in my head for it all.

Try not to stress over things out of your control, but put one foot in front of the other and look at what's in front of you. You could be stepping in a pile of do do for looking and worrying to far ahead.

Best of luck to you and congrats for getting this far!!

[murph]

I'm enrolled in a 2-year diploma school which more often than not boasts 100% NCLEX passage on the first try. From what I have heard, it is a tough school. We do something like 60% more clinical time than is required. I have a 4.0 average.

My problem is this. I look back at what I have learned in the past year (and it is a LOT!). I see that I only have one more year of school before I am an RN. Then I look at what the actual RNs on the floor do, and I am petrified! I feel like I would need 6 years of education to even come close to being able to function as a nurse.

Oh, yeah, I can write a kick-butt care plan. I can give a bed bath with the compassion of Mother Teresa. But I've never dealt with an NG tube. I've only done one straight cath. I'm still fuzzy on the procedure for documenting Is & Os. Hypotonic or hypertonic solutions? I freeze up just thinking about it.

I can't even fathom doing all this without a clinical instructor holding my hand and guiding me. New nurses, recent grads: How have you dealt with your insecurity?

TIA!

edited because I can't spell sometimes.

I am an old BSN grad but experienced the same thing. I hate to tell you but you will still feel like that way about things LONG into your carreer. The issues that you have are with skills, they come with practice and training not education. There will always be a first time for everything, healthcare is changing rapidly. Right now you just have a whole bunch of first times to face. There may not be instructors around but I will bet that there will be more experienced nurses on the floor. Someone doesn't have to be an instructor to be a teacher. Learn from everyone around you. You know all the stuff about the straight cath so after the first you will be less fearful.

[Spatialized]

I know exactly how you feel. With all the time on the floors and in class, I still am feeling like I'm not ready, and am actually a little bit in denial about my last year. But I think we all know more than we think, it's just a matter of realizing that and knowing that we will not be dropped into the fire our first days out. I continually surprise myself at least once a day at my externship, when the I make a connection between the book and reality and the proverbial light bulb goes off. So it does happen, just not as often as I would like.

And as far as learning all the stuff, in a 2 year program the pased is fast so we can't absorb everything the way we would want to just to, just because of the speed. A friend of mine put it this way: learning in a 4 year program is like drinking from a garden hose, in a 2 year, it's like drinking from a fire hose.

Anyway, good luck, you're not alone!

Cheers,

Tom

[z's playa]

Yeah, pretty scared here too. A couple of nights ago, a patient I was taking care of unexpectedly crashed. Instinctively, I knew what to do and how to assess the situation. I blended into the code team and didn't get the deer-in-the-headlights look. I was thinking out loud and the nurses were actually listening to me and following my lead. Talk about scary! Surprised myself royally. I guess it kicks in when you need it to.

Totally cool !

Z

[suzy253, RN]

I'm glad I found this post as I'm feeling the same way. Going into 3rd and last year of diploma program and I feel totally inadequate. Sometimes I'm questioning myself if I should go on. I know several nurses who didn't get to cath until they were RN's on the floor. I'm feeling really nervous with just 2 more semesters to go until I sit for the NCLEX. OMG!!! :stone But it's good to know that I'm not alone.

[grinnurse, RN]

I'm enrolled in a 2-year diploma school which more often than not boasts 100% NCLEX passage on the first try. From what I have heard, it is a tough school. We do something like 60% more clinical time than is required. I have a 4.0 average.

My problem is this. I look back at what I have learned in the past year (and it is a LOT!). I see that I only have one more year of school before I am an RN. Then I look at what the actual RNs on the floor do, and I am petrified! I feel like I would need 6 years of education to even come close to being able to function as a nurse.

Oh, yeah, I can write a kick-butt care plan. I can give a bed bath with the compassion of Mother Teresa. But I've never dealt with an NG tube. I've only done one straight cath. I'm still fuzzy on the procedure for documenting Is & Os. Hypotonic or hypertonic solutions? I freeze up just thinking about it.

I can't even fathom doing all this without a clinical instructor holding my hand and guiding me. New nurses, recent grads: How have you dealt with your insecurity?

TIA!

edited because I can't spell sometimes.

OK-now breathe in deep and exhale. I was in your shoes a year ago and I assure you that you are normal. I felt exactly the same as you all nervous feeling and feeling like I had forgotten everything from the first year of school. Once you get back into your school routine the information will start coming back to you........it really will surprise you what all you remember.

Best advice to you is to jump in and do all the skills that you get the chance to do. Don't be afraid to start those IVs, change those dressings, do those foley's, etc.........this will only help your comfort level when you land that first job. If you get a chance at the end of the program when you do your preceptorship, choose ER, b/c that's where you can really begin honing your skills and become comfortable with those procedures.

School is only the beginning of the learning process. Kind of like the foundation for your house. Your career (from what I can see) builds upon the foundation.

I have only been working on MS floor now for 7 weeks and I learn at least 1 new thing everyday. The way that I am overcoming my insecurities is to do all that I can and get the most diversified pts that I can so I can have at least touched on the different diseases. Also, support from the experienced nurses has been with out question one of the biggest helps. They have really been great about telling me what I have done good on and things that need improved--which is what I want.

Your last year will fly by b/c you will be so busy. You have made it this far and you can and will finish it to the end!! Good luck to you! PM if you would like, I would love to help if I can.