Was this micromanagement? Why did it make me so stressed?

[malificent7]

I was on a student placement in a hospital...we have appraisals. I did a practice appraisal, forgot to adjust the setting on a machine so failed which i didnt mind as it was a practice and i learned from it.
However for the next two or three days, the same person followed me around, asking me lots of questions, putting the pressure on. The irony is i felt so nervous about being closely watched that i made the same mistake again on adjusting the settings.
Now i don't think that this person had bad intentions...i think they were trying to help but i found their intense scrutiny very unsettling and distracting.
I never do anything without asking qualified staff to check before i proceed anyway so no patients were harmed! I always get them ti check my settings for example.
How do i cope with this in the future....? I now adjust all settings....its almost like this mistake became a massive " thing".

Who was following you around?

It's a student placement. It's inevitable that they'll be watching you like a hawk, and if you've made the same mistake several times, more likely they will be vigilant about that specific thing.

You're a trainee. You will make mistakes and you will learn from them. Just like you have this one. Congratulate your self for learning and growing and well done for choosing to care for a career. Grow a thicker skin when it comes to feedback and those that teach you (some of them may be a pain) but you will one day be teaching someone else and will be good at it if you embrace learning and be kind to yourself now.

I think for a training placement that sounds pretty normal, although I do understand that it's always stressful being watched.

If this person is supervising your work, any mistakes you make will come back to them. I don't work in a hospital but can understand that even very small mistakes might have important repercussions.

I agree...the thing is, i know it's 100% necessary to be watched...and i care about patient safety but i need to learn how to cope with it as i get so anxious.

This is your responsibility to deal with your anxiousness. Completely normal to be super closely checked when you are a student, and doubly so if you made a mistake

Would adjusting your mindset about it help? Instead of thinking of them scrutinising you as a trainer think of them watching you as an absolute rockstar healthcare worker: it’s your chance to show off to them.

Are you on ICU? If so, your mentor will be breathing down your neck. Sadly, not all are good at supervising closely while also allowing you to build your confidence. Are you able to talk to them? It's massively stressful. But it gets better the more you practice. Take a deep breath, do some reading so you are able to answer the questions, ask for more practice/ exposure to this machine. You'll be fine

Have a conversation with the person assessing and supervising you and explain how nervous you are, You might be very surprised by their response.
Remember they had to learn too and will have probably experienced what you are going through.
Everyone gets nervous and makes mistakes. I was a nurse and remember what it was like to be assessed all the time. It will make you a better teacher when the time comes. Relax and enjoy learning. Good luck your nerves