Starting my first clinical rotation soon

I’m about to start my first clinical rotation in phlebotomy next week, and I’m a mix of excitement and nerves. I’ve done some practice on fake arms, but it feels different knowing I’ll be working with real patients soon. Has anyone else had tips for staying calm and confident during those first few days?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌⁠‌​‍​​⁠‍​‌‌‍​‌‍⁠‌‌‍‍‍‌​‍⁠‌⁠‌​‌‌​​‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‍​‌​‌‍​⁠‍​‌⁠‍‌‌​‍‌‌‍‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally get the nerves! One thing that helped me was to focus on my breathing right before starting a procedure; it really calms the mind… Have you practiced your communication with patients too? It makes a big difference.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​‌​⁠‍‌​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌​​‍‌⁠‍​‌⁠‍‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠​‌​⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌⁠‌​⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​