I’m in my first semester of nursing school. Today was my first day of clinicals and I feel like I don’t know anything compared to other students and I feel like I failed today.

My instructor basically did the vitals for me. I had hard time doing manual bp and I couldn’t hear the systolic and dyastolic so she did it. I emptied out the first urinal and recorded the number, but I forgot to do it for the second time he voided and my instructor had to remind me to do it.

I could barely hear lung sounds and heart sounds (I’m not sure if I’m using the stethoscope the right way). The plan was to change the bed sheets when the patient went to PT but I was on lunch when he went to PT so when I came back he was back in the bed and I never got a chance to change the sheets (he didn’t want to change in an occupied bed). My instructor was like why didn’t you change the sheets!?

Then I didn’t realize the SCDs were not on, and my instructor pointed out that I should put them on. I didn’t even know how to do it I asked the nurse to help me.

Little things like knowing which way to put on the stethoscope and how to put on an SCD wasn’t something that we were taught but i should have prepared better beforehand.

Passing is an 80 and I’m at a 79 and ive been focusing on trying to pass the exam I neglected clinicals and I feel like a lost puppy. Everyone else was able to do everything without the instructor’s help.

I feel like a failure and I feel like I won’t notice things like abnormal lung sounds bc I can’t even hear it normally or I won’t catch small details that are detrimental to a patient’s health. I just want to cry and I feel like I’ll never be a good nurse

UPDATE: YOU ALL ARE AMAZING! I have stopped crying and I’m reading every single message. I feel so much more supportive and this encouragement is helping me. I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one who has felt like this. I’m going to start making a to do list before and during clinicals, and I’m going to take my time to stop and think. I’m going to watch some more YouTube videos on skills I need to refine on and utilize open lab. Thank you ❤️