What can I do to raise my self confidence?

AOx1 · Dec 4, 2013

Here are a few older threads that may help:

https://allnurses.com/nursing-educators-faculty/tips-making-your-162395.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/any-tips-learning-627155.html

https://allnurses.com/nursing-student-assistance/first-day-clinical-323054.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/how-survive-thrive-532725.html

krisiepoo · Dec 4, 2013

You SHOULDN'T know what you are doing, that's what clinicals are for.

The key to everything is looking confident, however, whether you feel it or not. The nurses won't tell you what to do, your instructor should have a clear set of expectations for every clinical. Do you do the assessments? how many times/shift? are you giving meds? when are those? what does your pt need (turned, bathed, etc)? Does s/he have any procedures that day or any upcoming that they might need education aobut? Anything else they might need info about? new meds?

Nursing isn't do abc to get 123, there aren't any daily steps that you need to take.

I go into my patients room and introduce myself and tell them how lucky they are to have a student today because it means they have more people caring for them and students are extra awesome (I use different words but the fact that I go in confidently puts them and therefore me, at ease).

Just remember that you aren't expected to know much of anything at this point :) its perfectly ok to ask questions, not have the correct answers and be muddled but you can always fake confidence

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Dec 4, 2013

Your clinical instructor should be your primary source of guidance for your clinical experiences ... not the staff nurses. If you are unsure about any aspect of your clinical practicum you need to clarify expectations with your instructor.

doxielover304 · Dec 4, 2013

thanks soooo much!!!

tech1000 · Dec 5, 2013

Can you become a tech after your first semester of nursing school? I could and it helped. (I had also previously deployed so had patient care experience.) I was NEVER comfortable in clinical though. I always felt awkward and out of place. I was open with my instructors about it though. I told them I was fully comfortable at work, in the role of taking care of my OWN patients (as a tech), but that I didn't feel comfortable being watched in a learning environment. I am also fairly hands off for a nurse (not as comforting/compassionate) but have still been told over the years what an amazing nurse I am by patients. Being in a student role is very awkward. Even when I was precepting as a nurse, I felt awkward and I was with nurses I had worked with as a tech.

Crazed · Dec 6, 2013

I always tell the newbies that I mentor this, "You're going to make mistakes and that's okay. You need to take your job seriously and yourself lightly."

In any job it takes an average of 18 months to start to feel secure in your skills. The problem with nursing school is from day one we're told not to show weakness while we take care of others that are weak. You have to be honest with who you are. There is going to be one patient that you connect with on such a profound level that it will change how you treat others. You need to be open to that experience when it happens.

Signed,

A psych nurse sometime next June.

unbalanced · Dec 17, 2013

Hello!

I hope I can help! When you get to your clinical, immediately go and introduce yourself to your patient and make sure they are breathing (thats what my teacher says). Then go to the patients nurse and ask for report. Write that down and then look in the chart for any additional details you may need. Go back to your patient and do your assessment and such. Try to just get comfortable touching the patient. Eventually you will get a routine down and be more comfortable and confident!

smf0903 · Dec 17, 2013

You SHOULDN'T know what you are doing, that's what clinicals are for.
The key to everything is looking confident, however, whether you feel it or not. The nurses won't tell you what to do, your instructor should have a clear set of expectations for every clinical. Do you do the assessments? how many times/shift? are you giving meds? when are those? what does your pt need (turned, bathed, etc)? Does s/he have any procedures that day or any upcoming that they might need education aobut? Anything else they might need info about? new meds?
Nursing isn't do abc to get 123, there aren't any daily steps that you need to take.
I go into my patients room and introduce myself and tell them how lucky they are to have a student today because it means they have more people caring for them and students are extra awesome (I use different words but the fact that I go in confidently puts them and therefore me, at ease).
Just remember that you aren't expected to know much of anything at this point :) its perfectly ok to ask questions, not have the correct answers and be muddled but you can always fake confidence

I do the same, tell my patient how lucky to have a student/extra people caring for them (also reworded!). There have been patients who didn't really want a student (and I would oblige them if I knew) but I went in and fussed over them a bit and had zero problems with them having me assigned to them. I think many patients' knee-jerk reaction is that they feel crummy and they don't want yet ANOTHER person (let alone a student!) bothering them. But it's all in the presentation :) I have yet to have a really nasty-attitude patient...I just try to remember that they feel crummy, are stuck in the hospital, and even little things make them feel better and give them a boost.

And ita that you aren't there expected to know everything...you're there to learn. Put on your game face and do it to it! I've practiced assessments at home so I'm more confident in that ability, and remember to take a breath and ask if you're not sure :) That's why the instructor is there and there is always someone willing to help you out...just put out the feelers. I felt like I had zero clue going into this semester's clinicals, but now I can spout off things like I never imagined! LOL! The more you do, the less intimidating it is. Good luck to you!!!

RunBabyRN · Dec 17, 2013

You SHOULDN'T know what you are doing, that's what clinicals are for.
The key to everything is looking confident, however, whether you feel it or not. The nurses won't tell you what to do, your instructor should have a clear set of expectations for every clinical. Do you do the assessments? how many times/shift? are you giving meds? when are those? what does your pt need (turned, bathed, etc)? Does s/he have any procedures that day or any upcoming that they might need education aobut? Anything else they might need info about? new meds?
Nursing isn't do abc to get 123, there aren't any daily steps that you need to take.
I go into my patients room and introduce myself and tell them how lucky they are to have a student today because it means they have more people caring for them and students are extra awesome (I use different words but the fact that I go in confidently puts them and therefore me, at ease).
Just remember that you aren't expected to know much of anything at this point :) its perfectly ok to ask questions, not have the correct answers and be muddled but you can always fake confidence

I do this too. I tell them they have the "student advantage" today, and they always like that.

One thing you might want to do over the break is review some of the skills videos and get down what you can that way (obviously it's different IRL, but familiarity helps), and review some of the basics that you covered last semester. Disease processes you'll see a lot, like diabetes, cirrhosis, electrolyte imbalances, and pre and post-op procedures.

Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself. If a patient needs something done that you want to learn about, speak up to your nurse! Ask to observe, or ask to have him/her walk you through it (even better!). Are you clear on what you can and cannot do in clinicals?

When you come in, if you don't already pre-lab (which we did first semester only), do a quick review of the patient(s) you have, their admitting diagnoses, if they have a Foley or a PICC or tele or whatever, and whatever procedures they're due to have that day, etc. Anything you can get before report will help you to be prepared for shift report.