Student Nurse Need Advice

[jojojohn30]

Hello guys!

Im after some advice about something!
I am really struggling with University and placement, i’m currently on a 8 week placement with next week being my last week. I have constant chest pain and feeling sick. Im staying near my placement as I live over an hour away so I am away Monday - Friday. Not only this but I feel like I’m making stupid mistakes and I just can’t think properly. I have a headache that just won’t go away just feel totally down in general.

I am currently taking Sertraline 100mg just increased my dose from 50. Im trying to get to bed early but just don’t seem to be getting anywhere.

I spoke to my mentor in work about how I was feeling as the ward manager spoke with me the other day regarding my behaviour. She was saying that I come over enthusiastic and a bit of a know it all… (i’m in my first year) i thought this was a good thing but she was saying that she wouldn’t want me to be in the position where I was asked to do something and wouldn’t say that I wasn’t able to. I didn’t really understand it and since then I feel really reserved and whether I’m saying the right thing or right questions. I want to show willing but then feel like I can’t jump into conversations with people.

I spoke to my mentor and she was really understanding she’s so great, so much knowledge and I’ve been getting a little bit tearful, always offers me a hug. I just don’t know. There feels an awkward tension now between myself and the ward manager I feel like she’s constantly looking at me, maybe she’s not but I’m trying to engage with conversations on break with her but she feels stand off ish towards me.

Any help or advice or just anything 🤣 would be greatly appreciated. Do i just drop out now?

No don't drop out now. I would guess its about finding balance (or she may just not be very nice) ie balance the enthusiasm to join in and share what you know with holding back about to listen and learn from those already qualified. I am sure you are doing fine. Take heart from what your mentor is telling you. That placement will be over soon enough and when you have your next one the initial nerves won't be as bad. I am sure some of it is nervous energy.

Thank you I appreciate it x

Could the increased Sertraline be making you feel a bit out of character ? I know when I first started on it I became increasingly anxious and not myself at all but then things started to settle after a couple of weeks so this could be causing you to feel anxious. The other thing to remember is that ( and I speak from 30 years experience as a Nurse) there is always some bitchy bullying person waiting to pull you up unnecessarily on something and make you feel bad about yourself. When I was training the placements were full of them. Focus on your lovely supportive mentor and get her to fight your corner. Keep talking about how you feel and get support. Do you also have someone at your Uni that you can talk to ?

You don’t have to engage her in conversations on break. I like to sit and not talk to anyone and scroll through my phone. I don’t want to talk! It’s nothing personal.

Are you asking your mentor questions?

I started the increased dosage around the end of November. Do you think there is a possibility that it still could be settling into my system?
I just feel like she has something against me, its a day unit type thing and its really chilled out there, previous to all this I thought I was doing ok. I have got HCA experience for 2 years so have some background knowledge. But now if i get asked about something regarding doing a task e.g a referral, i feel like I have to say that I would like to observe first then do it. She just kept reminding me that I am a student nurse and not a nurse yet so make sure you fit in your scope of practice. I feel confident to do it but now with the enthusiasm comment I feel like i have to just observe.

I have great family support but it's hard because non of them know what this type of profession is. I do have different services within uni and have recently had extension requests for my assignments.

I just constantly worry that I will say the wrong thing and she'll pull me up on it. I know i only have 2 weeks left but I just can't wait for them to be over and sign me off on my proficiencies!

Just keep going- you will get mentors and placements you really gel with and others you don’t. One placement told me I wasn’t enthusiastic enough- I found it a very unfriendly and cliche environment, it totally wasn’t my area either (theatres.) I got signed off though and I never have to work in that field now I’m qualified!

I didn't get on with one or two of my placements generally, and I think that's normal.
Don't beat yourself up and remember you'll be in another department soon enough.

Unfortunately you will get some placements like this.
Get your two weeks over and done with and then move on.
You have a lot on being away from home 5 days a week, plus starting the increased sertraline, plus being a student nurse with all the shifts and assignments etc.

It sounds to me like what she was trying to say was that because you're so enthusiastic, she worries that you may not ask for help if unsure what to do or may try and complete tasks without the knowledge to do them. So confidence rather than competence. I think she is just thinking about patient safety and your safety in these situations.

If youre confident you wouldnt do that and she is reading the situation incorrectly then its probably just a personality clash and that's fine you don't have to like everyone and vice versa. I have had mentors I couldn't gel with and mentors that are still friends now.

Not quite the same as I am a student midwife, but I am currently on a placement where my mentor is telling me every day that I need to take more of a lead and run my own appointments, then she talks over me constantly an doesn't let me get a word in edgeways! She is really knocking my confidence as makes me feel like I must be crap. My other mentor is great and really supportive so you just have to learn to take the rough with the smooth!

It tries and tests us that's for sure!
Its so hard to know what they are looking for as well as keeping everyone happy!

Thank you everyone for your advice I feel like I could sleep better tonight.