Tips for Skills Check Off (RN)

00:01 So in the last section we went over how I would recommend studying to learn clinical skills and to get ready for skills check-off day, right? But what about tips for the actual skills check-off itself? Because holy cow, these are...

00:16 These skills check-off days are terrifying.

00:18 Why are they so terrifying? Probably because they scare you with the whole "If you fail this, the world will end.

00:23 You can't go to clinical, everything will fall apart" and, spoiler, it won't.

00:27 And then you also have them just, like, staring at you awkwardly while you try to do this skill that you just learned.

00:33 And it's one of the most intimidating things in the world, and you feel like you will melt . Spoiler: You also will not melt.

00:39 And I know you want me to be able to give you, like, this magic solution, right? So that you're never nervous again during skills check-off and everything is magical and wonderful.

00:47 But I can't.

00:49 You will have to do this kind of scared, but scared and prepared with a few tips in your pocket to help you face the fear bear here.

00:59 Let's learn a few. You know how you practice talking out loud the steps as you practice all of these skills? We did that for a reason, and I want you to use that.

01:06 Talk to the mannequin like you would talk to a patient.

01:11 Say the steps out loud while you're doing them.

01:13 You can even say it in an educational manner.

01:15 Now, I'm going to do this.

01:16 You studied them out loud, so say them out loud.

01:19 Replicate the environment of studying as much as you can.

01:22 Talking really helped me personally be less nervous because there wasn't just this awful silence of my teacher staring at me and judging my every move.

01:31 I really do think that it also showed the instructor that I was at least trying, you know, even if I messed up, I was trying that I had practiced this and that I was trying to work through my process.

01:41 Next, go slow.

01:45 Take a moment before you even start to just like stand there and regroup.

01:49 You can go through your little mantras, think through each step before you do it.

01:53 And usually these don't have a crazy time limit on them.

01:56 So take your time, talk out loud, and just be methodical.

02:01 And if you fail, let's hope you don't fail.

02:04 But if you do, let's hop to the next section to discuss what will actually happen if you do. And please remember, no matter what, you will be okay.