Wk 1 and already Panicking?

littlepeopleRNICU · Jan 15, 2016

Read what you said. Week 1. You'll get there! Keep practicing. I remember in my fundamentals class, we spent so much time on manual blood pressures. It takes practice and a learned focus. I'm assuming you're required to have your own stethoscope and sphygmomanometer? Use it outside of class on friends or see if other classmates want to practice. It sounds silly, but it's the only way you're going to learn, and I'm sure your classmates feel the same you do.

direw0lf, BSN · Jan 16, 2016

If someone told you "new career" would you be ok with that? I mean would you feel disappointed but then say "ok I'll make the best of a new path"?

Just that you were open to possibly hearing a new career just caused me to wonder if you really want nursing, or is that coming from having had such a stressful first week. (Which is SO normal, btw!)

My suggestion is neither Xanax or changing majors but for you to be easier on yourself and if you change your thinking from "omgeeeeggg I did not find the brachial artery how awful omg I better find it or I'll be stupid is nursing even for me am I cut out for it????" to this "Didn't palpate brachial artery again. Make a note to practice it on someone else especially at home, now concentrate on what's next for now" well you will probably not panic and can deal better with clinical sites, especially the more you prepare ahead.

vanilla bean · Jan 16, 2016

Practice, practice, practice. You are learning new *skills*. You master skills by repetition. Practice on friends and family members - in fact, anyone that will hold still long enough for you to practice your skill on them. As you're just starting, find yourself a quiet place with no distractions and practice just finding the brachial artery. Palpate it first so you know where to place your stethoscope and keep practicing auscultation until you can hear your markers for a BP. Once able to do that, add distractions, like a TV or radio on in the background and practice being able to block out ambient noises in the environment.

And, this may sound silly and is not meant to be insulting, but make sure that you have the stethoscope in your ears with the ear buds facing in the correct direction, or you will hear nothing. If you have a bell and a diaphragm, make sure you have it turned towards the side you are trying to listen through.

marienm, RN, CCRN · Jan 22, 2016

I had a ton of trouble finding pedal (foot) pulses at first. I'd practice on my own feet & that helped. Also, I slowed down and didn't have someone watching me & that definitely helped! When I'm with a patient, no one is going to tell me it's taking too long (unless the patient has ticklish feet!). If I really can't find them, I go get the doppler.

In the same way, as a conscientious nurse you will re-check a BP if you couldn't hear it well. I definitely recommend getting a cuff to practice with. It's a little awkward to put it on your own arm, work the pressure release, and hold your stethoscope, but you can try it if you don't have someone to practice on. There are also youtube videos of the Kortokoff sounds (I think I spelled that wrong!) So you know what to listen for. As the above poster said- make sure the ear buds fit you well and are in correctly (they should point slightly towards your nose; turn them if they don't) and if the head of the stethoscope has 2 sides, make sure to turn it to the side you're using. In a quiet room, you should be able to hear a very soft tap from your finger through the scope. Lastly, in case you don't know this, you can't hear a pulse through a stethoscope. If you're trying to find the brachial pulse with it, you won't. You'll only hear the Kortokoff sounds when releasing the cuff pressure.

Keep practicing! Ask for some 1-on-1 time with an instructor if need be.