NP level clinical has been very interesting so far. I’m already learning
so much about primary care and about myself as a practitioner. Like all other
areas of my life, I see that I will be a detail oriented and picky
practitioner. This will likely be a good trait, once used correctly, but might
get in my way at the beginning. Sometimes my perfectionism is a curse but I
always figure out how to make it into a strength eventually.
Last week I was hesitant
to jump in to assess and educate the patients. After the clinical was finished
I got the impression that my clinical instructor didn’t see me as a person who
was ready to be in the NP portion of the program because I wasn’t taking
initiative (she didn’t say that, I just sensed it). Today I really took my
learning and clinical into my own hands and it went SO WELL! Once my instructor
saw that I was acting with confidence she gave me much more responsibility.
There were quite a few times that I used my background in nutrition and current
learning to speak up and educate patients. My clinical instructor voiced that
she agreed with what I was saying and even that she learned a little from me.
This made me feel great and gave me even more confidence.
The bummer of the
day was when I was about to give my very first flu vaccine. I had to tell my
instructor in front of the patient that I didn’t think it was a good idea
because I began feeling light-headed. I have lost consciousness two times
before in my life and I knew I was in the early stages. I had forgotten to eat
breakfast this morning and had hypoglycemia.
Don’t worry, I’m not
over analyzing it or beating myself up about it. I do think, however, that it
stole some of the respect I gained today. Next week I will just have to come
well nourished and succeed in administering an IM injection. Challenge
accepted!!
