Starting clinicals FRIDAY

[litljenarey]

I can believe the semester is half over already....didn't I just apply?? Where did the time go?
I'm so scared about actually having patient contact. I don't feel like I have enough information to care for a patient. I don't even feel like I have a good grasp on the material I'm supposed to know. We only spend one week on physical assessment, they can't possibly expect us to know how to do this yet.
I going to be on the Cardiac unit, what is expested of me?
can anyone give me some tips on how they got though this? I feel like I'm drowning!

Thanks
Jenny

[Aaron C.]

Don't worry, everyone feels just like that. Soon after, you'll be laughing at how much you worried . Just listen, watch, and do what is asked of you...also, ASK. If you don't know, ask. You may think it's a stupid question, but I'm sure they've heard worse, and there's no such thing as a stupid question. You'll feel a lot stupider if you DON'T ask, and then find out you did something stupd .

It is better to ask, then to make a mistake.

[SoldierNurse]

[ QUOTE ]
litljenarey said:
I can believe the semester is half over already....didn't I just apply?? Where did the time go?
I'm so scared about actually having patient contact. I don't feel like I have enough information to care for a patient. I don't even feel like I have a good grasp on the material I'm supposed to know. We only spend one week on physical assessment, they can't possibly expect us to know how to do this yet.
I going to be on the Cardiac unit, what is expested of me?
can anyone give me some tips on how they got though this? I feel like I'm drowning!

Thanks
<img src="http://nursinghumor.com/nurse_forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />Jenny

[/ QUOTE ]
Jenny,

You will, or have been, assigned to a staff nurse during your clinical rotation. Make sure you start off on the right foot with that staff nurse. Act confident when you are with a patient, yet be very open with your patient by explaining to them at which level you are presently in your nursing program. Plus, a golden rule is always let the patient know what you are about to do with the patient, which can also act as a reinforcement to you.

Feel free to post up questions anytime.