How to Ask for Help (LPN)

00:01 When you're in clinical as a student, it can be really difficult to say, "I don't know how to do that. Or ask for help." when you're talking about clinical skills.

00:11 Here are a few examples of how to say these things.

00:14 Knowing how to ask for help in clinical will help keep you and your patients safe.

00:20 Maybe you're asked to do a skill that you can't remember how to do and it is okay to say that you don't know how.

00:27 And you can ask how.

00:29 Don't assume that you know how to do it, or try anyways, this is the biggest mistake you can make.

00:37 I've always said and many nurses say that if a new nurse asks a lot of questions, it makes us feel so much better that they are a safe nurse.

00:47 Those who don't ask questions, make more experienced nurse real nervous, and it kind of makes it hard for us to trust you.

00:56 When you are new, you should have questions.

00:59 Even experienced nurses have questions just probably not quite as often.

01:04 It is okay to ask, and it is your responsibility to ask questions when you need clarifications.

01:12 Questions demonstrate to others that you want to know how to do it right, and how to perform it safely.

01:18 After all, we're performing this treatment or this skill on a live patient.

01:25 Let's talk about four ways that you can ask for help when you need clarification.

01:31 Overall, honesty is the best policy.

01:34 But let's start with the first one such as, "Do you mind running or talking me through this? Before we do this skill, it's been a little bit since I've done this in clinical.

01:46 Or maybe number two. "I've only done this skill and lab.

01:50 Can you explain to me or just show me how to do this? Number three could be, "I would feel safest if you'd walk me through how to perform this skill safely.

02:01 Would that be okay? And number four. "Do you mind showing me how to do this? I've done it a few times, but I want to make sure I'm doing this right.

02:10 And yes, any of these options would be considered professional and clinical.

02:15 Remember, you should always have a licensed nurse or faculty with you when you're performing skills as you are still learning as a student.