I am a current nursing student..and i am coming off my worst clinical experience yet..We are just starting to give meds, and do our care along with it. I felt like the biggest idiot today..I thought i was prepared, but then i dont remember things when i am asked questions, and i was forgetting to chart, and just overall taking a long time to get things done. I was like a chicken with no head, i sware. Any of you experienced RN's out there have some good advice?? I am just all beside myself, I dont know how you learn to do all this for several paients at a time. One felt impossible today.
2007-02-10 07:48:53 · 2 answers · asked by amd9np 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
OK, deep breath...everyone is breathing when I went home, including me.
Lets look at it. At least you thought you were prepared, so I am assuming that you had done all of your prework, and just went into a brain freeze for a question. You didn't give the wrong med to the wrong patient for the wrong reason. you just didn't have an answer to some questions. No harm, no foul.
Once you get thrown off your game, it is always hard to get your feet back under you, and you haven't been doing this long enough to even have your feet under you to begin with. paperwork and charting never spoil, they will wait for you...... forever. Every one of us has taken old Florence Nightengale for a spin in her grave with our charting every now and then. It gives the gal some exercise.
You will learn how to do more later, and I would rather have someone working hard to learn then someone who comes to me knowing that they know it all and are planning on teaching me my job when they get to the floor.
The very first day that I worked on my floor, I caught a patient that had been given WAY too much pain med and called for the assist (no, I hadn't given it) The floor manager sent me to go "get the defibulator" so I went, picked it up off the cart, put it back on the cart, unplugged it, picked it up and carried it to the bed. The entire room came to a stop and the manager said "They usually bring the whole crash cart with it" I informed her that I brought what she had asked for, and she did not ask for the cart. So I got the cart. we still laugh about it.
It will get better. It can be done, with practice and time. Don't beat yourself up too much, save some for later. That's my advice. Sometimes the best thing you can learn is that you have the guts to get back on the horse and try again...and again. No one can teach you how to fight for a goal or believe that you can get there. Only you. So saddle up.
2007-02-11 10:20:00 · answer #1 · answered by PJ H 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to get organized! Make yourself of checklist of all the things you need to do for your patient, including what times you have meds due. Knowing that you have everything on paper and won't forget anything should free you up to concentrate on remembering material for your instructor.
Everybody struggles with organization.
2007-02-10 13:17:26 · answer #2 · answered by my_princess1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋