Building Confidence in Nursing Skills

Join us, Avni, Arvinder, and Manzil, as we share our journey through the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program at Stenberg College. As students still early in the program, every week brings new challenges, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to grow. Through this blog series, we hope to give readers a real look into student life in nursing school and what it feels like to slowly transition from classroom learning into clinical settings.

This month has been one of the most hands-on and exciting parts of the program so far. Most of our days have been spent in lab sessions and online learning, focusing on developing essential nursing skills like wound care, tube feeding, and injections. Every week feels like we are building on our knowledge and gaining more confidence in ourselves. Although learning these skills can feel overwhelming at times, it has also been rewarding to see how much progress we have already made.

A typical lab day usually starts with a review of the procedure we will be practicing, followed by demonstrations from our instructors. After that, we work in pairs or small groups to practice the skills ourselves. At first, remembering all the steps can feel stressful, especially while trying to focus on safety and communication at the same time. However, repetition really helps everything start to come together. Over time, we noticed ourselves becoming more comfortable and less nervous during labs.

One of the most meaningful skills we practiced this month was wound care. We learned how to properly clean and dress wounds while maintaining sterile technique and preventing infection. We also learned how to assess wounds by looking for signs such as drainage, redness, swelling, and healing progress. While the technical steps are important, what stood out to us the most was how much patient comfort and communication matter during the process.

“At first I was nervous about doing wound care because I didn’t want to make a mistake, but practicing in lab helped me realize how important confidence and communication are in nursing.” – Avni

We also spent time learning and practicing tube feeding, which involved caring for patients who are unable to eat by mouth. One of the biggest things we learned was how important positioning is, especially keeping the head of the bed elevated during and after feeding to help prevent aspiration. We also learned how to monitor for signs that a patient may not be tolerating the feeding well, such as nausea or discomfort. This skill reminded us that nursing is not only about completing tasks, but also about observation and patient safety.

“Learning tube feeding made me realize how closely nurses need to pay attention to patient safety and comfort at all times. Even small details can make a big difference.” – Manzil

Another major focus this month was practicing subcutaneous (SC) and intramuscular (IM) injections. These skills required a lot of concentration and repetition. We learned proper injection techniques, medication safety, correct site selection, and the importance of following the rights of medication administration every single time.

“Practicing injections felt intimidating in the beginning, but after a few labs I started feeling much more confident. It was rewarding to see improvement each time we practiced.” – Arvinder

Outside of technical skills, we also learned how important teamwork is in our learning environment. During labs and practice sessions, we often rely on each other for support by practicing together, double-checking steps, and giving feedback. Having supportive classmates makes the learning process feel less stressful and creates a safe space to learn and improve together.

One of the biggest lessons we learned this month is that confidence takes time. Nursing skills are not mastered overnight, and every practice session helps build confidence little by little. One piece of advice we would give future students is to not rush the learning process. Focus on

understanding the “why” behind each step rather than just memorizing procedures. Also, don’t

be afraid to ask questions because chances are other students are wondering the same thing too.

Overall, this month has been full of learning, growth, and valuable hands-on experience.

Although some skills were challenging at first, each lab helped us become more confident and comfortable in our abilities. We are excited to continue building our skills, gaining more experience, and sharing more of our journey throughout the program.