During a clinical shift in the Intensive Care Unit, a fourth-year-level nursing student was assigned to a patient who seemed stable at first. She carried out her tasks carefully and followed the care plan. However, about ten (10) minutes before the end of the shift, the patient exhibited signs of hypothermia. The student slightly panicked and felt overwhelmed, thinking if the change in the patient’s status could be her fault. I calmly approached the student and reassured her that sudden changes in patient conditions in an intensive care unit can occur even when proper care is given. I encouraged her to stay calm and I reminded her that feeling scared or overwhelmed is natural, but the important thing is how she responds appropriately. Instead of taking over, I asked her to walk me through what happened and the recent interventions she performed, helping her to reflect, to regain confidence in her clinical judgment, act within her scope and know when to collaborate.
I guided her to perform independent nursing actions such as providing warming measures, monitoring vital signs, then to communicate and to collaborate with the buddy staff nurse, and to review the chart. I encouraged the student to clearly report the situation to the resident doctor for timely intervention. The student followed this advice and informed the doctor, who then assessed the patient and ordered measures to stabilize the condition. Throughout the process, I stayed close to support her but allowed her to actively participate in the coordination of care. This helped her learn to manage stressful situations by relying on teamwork and communication rather than panicking or feeling isolated.
After the patient stabilized, we held a debriefing session where the student expressed her fears and doubts about her performance. I acknowledged her emotions, normalizing them as part of the learning process in critical care. We reflected on the importance of staying calm, performing nursing independent measures, collaborating with the healthcare team, and asking for help when unsure.
This unexpected challenging experience became a learning opportunity for the student who gained not only clinical skills but also developing confidence and adaptability. A moment to be strong, to grow and to improve. By guiding rather than intervening fully, I supported her autonomy while ensuring patient safety, learning with responsibility in the high-stakes ICU environment.