As much as we try to learn certain procedures, drug names and side effects, blood gas values and their meanings and even how to operate equipment and what they do (I have a story about a commode I'd like to share). As student nurses, we're trying to blend in with the rest of the pack but it is not about blending in, it's about having the courage to stand out.
What I mean by this is, so many student nurses are afraid - not of blood, needles, sweat or patients, but of one specific thing - looking stupid. When people are afraid of looking stupid, they don't ask questions, they are hesitant to try but most of all, they don't learn. That's what I want to talk about.
I wanted to share my top four mistakes during my first placement that may even make you feel better about your learning experiences. So here we go!
1. I didn't know what a commode was. A nurse asked if I could go and get it and enthusiastic first-day me said "Yeah, of course!" and as I enthusiastically said yes and ran away to get it ASAP it dawned on me... I don't know what the heck I am looking for. It sounded like something soldiers use in the trenches. Luckily as I ran my eyes all around the utility room I saw a massive sticker that said 'Commode' which I saw a chair with a bed pan in. Turned out I grabbed the right thing - and they never knew!
2. I was giving a water bolus feed of 300ml, somewhere along my fourth bottle of sterile water I had forgotten how many mls I had done, and after counting the bottles I realised I had given an extra 30mls of water in the syringe... well, I tried to undo my mistake. I had forgotten that the point of a plunge is that it uses resistance to keep water in, without it it will just fall out... didn't think of that at the time so when I went to unscrew the syringe with 30mls inside, it went all over a 4 year old patient... whoops.
3. I was asked to get a feeding set with a bottle top, so I went down to the store room looking for a label/trying to remember what it looked like. I go in and see a label "feeding set", and what do you know, it sort of looks like a bottle top so I bring it back to the nurse and she bursts out laughing... "That's not a PEG feeding set, that's a breast feeding pump!"... Well, you live and learn.
4. First or second day we had to give a patient a bed bath, I remembered for the first patient that she had put wipes in a basin of warm water but I couldn't remember what wipes. I grabbed the closest ones I could find and put them in the basin which made it soapy. When she asked if I had put any bath soap in, I replied I hadn't... she looked confused, and then figured out I had used the green packet of Clinell wipes which are antibacterial wipes you use on surfaces, not people... *face palm*.
I hope you enjoyed my blunders, and looking back as I finish my first year of my PgDip course they make me laugh. Sure, at the time it can be a little embarrassing, but you have to take mistakes with a pinch of salt. Nurses don't mind if you make mistakes, so long as your honest about them. Of course, always follow your trust's guidelines and never do anything out of your scope of practice, but just remember that WE ARE NOT PERFECT. We make mistakes, even qualified nurses make mistakes! It's part of learning. I learnt so much by trial and error and you have to make sure you take every opportunity you can. As a student nurse, you have that title to fall back on when you make a blunder because as student nurses they expect us to make mistakes... but as qualified nurses the expectation becomes higher so use the student status while you can!
Remember to not be to hard on yourself. You're making a difference, even if you don't know what a commode is!
Please feel free to share what mistakes you've made as a student nurse - sharing mistakes should be a positive thing - we are all human!
Please feel free to share what mistakes you've made as a student nurse - sharing mistakes should be a positive thing - we are all human!
