Today after clinical I broke down in Tears!!:(

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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I just don't know if I can do this. I am graduating in 6 weeks in the LPN program and I have 5 days of rotation on a Pediatric Floor in a major hospital. This was my 2nd day of clinical for it. I just honestly feel completely lost. I don't know if it's my program or what, but all we did today was pass medication.....that's it. I have never once put in a foley before, I have changed a dressing maybe 2 times, I have maybe given a shot 1 time...... that's it. I don't know nursing at all. Today I was giving meds and my instructor asked me about 3-4 medications that this patient was scheduled to take, and I had no idea, all i knew was that one was for pain and the others were laxatives. She drilled me with more questions and I just didn't know it. Also I'm SO nervous during clinical I am AFRAID. Maybe partly because i'm shy but mainly because i don't feel confident at all! During pre conference in clincal she drills me with more questions and I have no idea. I feel dumb and I don't know if maybe it's because I'm not real strong in science or what, but I can't seem to do this. During clinical she pulled me to the side and said that I should know what these medications were and also how all the labs and everything tie into the patient. I just didn't know nursing is so much science. If I would have known that I wouldn't have gone into it. I would have became an accountant or something because i love math.

I want your honest opinion here, I don't want people to just say "oh you can do it!" when honestly, maybe I should know everything a nurse does by now since I'm practically graduating in 6 weeks. I'm just thinking about quitting I am soooooooooo down right now. What do you think? I'm one inch away from quitting.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I am scheduled to graduate in 4 weeks and I have done one day of med pass! I am now where you were then! How did you get through? I am not ready for anything but CNA work! I know how to give a bath and clean someone up after an accident. AND THAT'S IT! I am NOT ready for the NCLEX! I have boken down before, during and after clinicals before! I have been so discouraged lately and so stressed and depressed....and I could go on! I keep reminding myself that I am doing this to make a better life for me and my family but how do you work through that when you have NO confidence in your skills once your done? I have some medical background and even that is jumbled up in my brain somewhere..... I can't remember anything anymore. How did you get through your last 6 weeks? I will only get two days of teamleading and med pass. I have never given an injection, put in a FC, basically I have been a FREE CNA this year and I HATE IT! I don't feel like I am ready to be out in the real world (as my instructor puts it) working and having ppls lives in my hands! I know I will be a GREAT nurse and my instructors have told me that too but if all I have done is CNA work what will I do when I get out there somewhere to practice for real? I know that nursing is a hands on JOB but where does the line get drawn for being ready to be an LPN or RN and all you really know how to do is CNA work. The CNA work is hard and not what I signed up for! Anyways that is my opinion so what is your feedback?

Take Care and Thanks

hnvance2009

Hopefully, you'll see the response I gave to the OP, because this applies to you as well. I had a horrible clinical experience and even a doubtful orientation as a new nurse. I remember having so many clinicals cancelled because my instructor placed her personal life as priority over our learning needs. Other times, because she wasn't too interested in teaching us much, I would bored out of my skull until I wanted to scream. In fact, I was grateful when she did cancel out because it was a waste of time, anyhow. But, somehow, when the time was right and it was showtime FOR REAL...after the graduation and NCLEX it kicked in, because I reached out for it. Have faith that when you reach out, the Universe will respond in kind to give you what you need.

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HERE'S AN UPDATE EVERYONE!!! :D

First off i'd just like to thank you all for the support in writing me and encouraging me, even if i have no idea who you guys are, it's great to know that nurses and nursing students out there are supportive, and I love this site for that.

And I want every struggling nursing student to read this because it will give you much encouragement, trust me!!

I MADE IT THROUGH EVERYONE!!! I made it I made it I made it!! I never gave up and i suggest to all other nursing students to never give up because you will ALWAYS wonder in the back of your mind, 'what if'. I carried my med book and studied and for my last clinical rotation I actually received an A! If I can do this, you can too!!

I just studied studied studied and it payed off! I just have boards to pass and if anyone can give me any advice on that, it would be so great. . . any little thing helps!!

Just never give up on your dream, no matter what anyone tells you, if someone says your not cut out to be a nurse, prove them wrong. Believe me, I almost gave up a 10000000000000000000000000000 times in my program...I'm not even kidding, i've cried, i was sad, i was unconfident, the list goes on and on. But it will get better. Once you are done, a whole weight is lifted off your shoulders. The reason that I don't feel completely done yet though is because of boards, but i believe i made it through the most difficult part which was nursing school and i am proud. Just keep studying, let your tears out-it's ok because you know what? --everyone has been there, or at least I have! Take one day at a time don't think ahead.

I am sooooo happy.

thank u thank u thank u

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

:balloons::balloons::balloons:

Congrats!! Thanks so much for the update, believe! Every discouraged student should read your post. Hope you're giving your mom 10,000 hugs, too. She sounds awesome.

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

:ancong!:

And thank you so much for the update! (I wish there was a tears of joy emoticon!)

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Specializes in neuro/ortho med surge 4.

Congratulations!!!!! A million times over.

You will be a great nurse. If you can survive what you have nothing can stop you now. You go girl!!!!!!

The boards are easy compared to school. I got a lot of nclex books and studied 4- 5 hours a day. I liked the computerized question the best that came on the disks. When I was in school there was an NCLEX review cours that was 3 days. It was a good course. I forget who it was run by.

That is my 2 cents.

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Specializes in -.

Finding this thread has made me sooooo relieved !

I am graduating in about 2 months and my class has no more nursing lab sessions left. So far I have performed 1 female catherisation, 1 NG tube placement, 1 trachy suctioning, and venepuncture. On manikins, not real people. I feel like I will be going into the workforce with pretty much ZERO skills. I thought this was just my school but it seems like a lot of people are going out with minimal practice of these skills and building up their confidence in the workplace.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

What I notice happening is that many of the older nurses who graduated from schools that would not have dreamed of letting them go with no real clinical experience are impatient with contemporary grads because they are comparing their own nursing school experiences with ours (which is like comparing apples to oranges). It is a sad thing, really, because most of them believe we have the same training, but that's not true.

All you can do is when you are called upon to perform a skill, advocate for yourself by saying you do not feel safe because you either did not practice this skill AT ALL, or that it was only done once. Any facility that pushes their new grads to do what they are not comfortable with is really not patient friendly.

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Specializes in home health & nonprofit management.

Thank you for the update and I'm very proud of you! You've really earned all the accolades so enjoy your success and best of luck on the test! Please let us know when you pass b/c I know you will!

Jen

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