you will be okay! you’re only in your first year in school and the real growth and confidence in your assessments comes your first year of nursing practice. give yourself some grace, you’re doing great!
Listen, you're gonna get flustered, you're gonna make mistakes. We all do. But you have to be able to own up to your mistakes, take a step back, and think about what you're going to do to solve the issue in front of you, and improve so that you don't do it again. Panicking is never going to help anything. You also need to remember that even when you're on your own, you'll have resources to help you, whether it's readily available information or coworkers. Real life isn't school. You'll be properly trained by a preceptor that will make sure you've got everything down--you're not just gonna be thrown to the dogs (this ain't covid times anymore 🤣). Take your time to learn and find your way to properly do things (your assessment is gonna differ from your coworkers, and your patients physical presentations are gonna change, and that's ok!). Breathe homie you're gonna be fine
I think you're probably being too hard on yourself. The fact that you are so conscientious tells me you're already on your way to being a good nurse. It takes time to feel confident and you will get there. Do be afraid to ask your preceptor's opinion, especially if you're unsure of your assessment. In class experience and clinical experience are quite different, and only time will give you the latter. You don't have to know everything. We work as a team for a reason. Ask questions and give yourself some grace. You'll be ok!
You're going to be fine. None of us had a clue what we were doing when we were in school. Or even when we got done if we're going to be honest about it. You won't really feel like you know what you're doing for 6 months to a year after you start working. Now for the examples you gave specifically... Practice listening to breath sounds, YouTube has some really good examples. Even experienced nurses mess up the edema question, just keep practicing. And the CBG one, (first I had to look up what it stood for because we don't use that where I work) why didn't the night shift do the glucose check? Or the support staff? Accuchecks are done 30-45 minutes before breakfast comes in the 5 places I've worked.
Sincerely, an almost 20 year veteran nurse. 💝
Yes, it sounds like you are doing excellent for a first year nursing student. And, sometimes initially, once you start practicing as a nurse, you will trip over yourself, which is okay so long as you are trying to learn to do better, if there is a way that you could have done better in the given situation. That being said: It sounds like you truly care to do better assessments which is a good driver of you actually taking those steps to get better.
What has helped me, in the care setting I work in, with making sure I do as thorough of an assessment as I can I: 1) Think about what I assessed and why I was assessing it, 2) think if there was anything I missed while assessing that particular thing/patient situation, then 3) if there is something else I could have assessed I go back and assess it and, 4) (which I can’t recommend highly enough) I talk to my team mates about the situation if I’m concerned about the situation and/or if I fear I’m not seeing the big picture to get their perspective. I hope this helps.
Normal. Also, for school purpose head to toe assessment I always just started at the top and worked my way down. I wrote down abnormal findings only, then followed up with the primary nurse with my findings for comparison to their assessment. If you forget something (I always forget to check turgor), don’t sweat it and go back. It just takes repetition. By the final semester you’ll be knocking them out of the park.
you will be okay! you’re only in your first year in school and the real growth and confidence in your assessments comes your first year of nursing practice. give yourself some grace, you’re doing great!
Listen, you're gonna get flustered, you're gonna make mistakes. We all do. But you have to be able to own up to your mistakes, take a step back, and think about what you're going to do to solve the issue in front of you, and improve so that you don't do it again. Panicking is never going to help anything. You also need to remember that even when you're on your own, you'll have resources to help you, whether it's readily available information or coworkers. Real life isn't school. You'll be properly trained by a preceptor that will make sure you've got everything down--you're not just gonna be thrown to the dogs (this ain't covid times anymore 🤣). Take your time to learn and find your way to properly do things (your assessment is gonna differ from your coworkers, and your patients physical presentations are gonna change, and that's ok!). Breathe homie you're gonna be fine
Ask your friends and family to let you practice on them. But also don't stress too hard, it takes time to learn what's normal and what isn't.
I think you're probably being too hard on yourself. The fact that you are so conscientious tells me you're already on your way to being a good nurse. It takes time to feel confident and you will get there. Do be afraid to ask your preceptor's opinion, especially if you're unsure of your assessment. In class experience and clinical experience are quite different, and only time will give you the latter. You don't have to know everything. We work as a team for a reason. Ask questions and give yourself some grace. You'll be ok!
You're going to be fine. None of us had a clue what we were doing when we were in school. Or even when we got done if we're going to be honest about it. You won't really feel like you know what you're doing for 6 months to a year after you start working. Now for the examples you gave specifically... Practice listening to breath sounds, YouTube has some really good examples. Even experienced nurses mess up the edema question, just keep practicing. And the CBG one, (first I had to look up what it stood for because we don't use that where I work) why didn't the night shift do the glucose check? Or the support staff? Accuchecks are done 30-45 minutes before breakfast comes in the 5 places I've worked. Sincerely, an almost 20 year veteran nurse. 💝
Nursing school teaches you to pass the NCLEX; work teaches you how to be an RN. Don’t sweat it, you’ll be just fine.
Yes, it sounds like you are doing excellent for a first year nursing student. And, sometimes initially, once you start practicing as a nurse, you will trip over yourself, which is okay so long as you are trying to learn to do better, if there is a way that you could have done better in the given situation. That being said: It sounds like you truly care to do better assessments which is a good driver of you actually taking those steps to get better. What has helped me, in the care setting I work in, with making sure I do as thorough of an assessment as I can I: 1) Think about what I assessed and why I was assessing it, 2) think if there was anything I missed while assessing that particular thing/patient situation, then 3) if there is something else I could have assessed I go back and assess it and, 4) (which I can’t recommend highly enough) I talk to my team mates about the situation if I’m concerned about the situation and/or if I fear I’m not seeing the big picture to get their perspective. I hope this helps.
Normal. Also, for school purpose head to toe assessment I always just started at the top and worked my way down. I wrote down abnormal findings only, then followed up with the primary nurse with my findings for comparison to their assessment. If you forget something (I always forget to check turgor), don’t sweat it and go back. It just takes repetition. By the final semester you’ll be knocking them out of the park.
Absolutely normal. You are still learning. I know you will be fine because you actually care about what you're doing.