Hey guys! I'm going to be going into 3rd semester in the spring and we were told we can request a clinical site. We may not get it but they will try. Anyways, it's for peds and that is what I want to do when I graduate. I have been hearing information on the different clinical instructors and am trying to decide which is more important, hospital or good clinical instructor. First choice is the hospital I want to work at when I graduate but the clinical instructor is no good and the second choice is a hospital I have no interest in but the clinical instructor is great. So which do you think is more important, hospital or good clinical instructor? I'm thinking the instructor because I want to learn about peds. It doesn't help if I'm at a certain hospital with a not so great instructor, right?

Well, my first semester I was at an awful hospital with a great clinical instructor...this semester I was at a great hospital with an okay clinical instructor. Really, it's hard to say. I'm tempted to say go with the clinical instructor, since it's important to have someone that you can ask questions of and learn from... even at a bad hospital you can get some good experiences and a meet a couple of good nurses.

Personally I would go with the good instructor. You will learn better from an instructor who likes to teach and likes students to learn. Anyway....the rotation at the bad hospital is for a short time.....so if you want to work at the good hospital get the good instructor who would probably give you a good recommendation if you do good in clinical.......good luck either way...

That is a difficult question to answer. I had a wonderful clinical instructor one of my semesters, but the nursing staff was less than desirable in working with students. They treated us as a nuisance, and didn't want to let us perform any of the nursing skills we needed. You don't need to choose the hospital based upon your decision to work for them. Just be sure that you can have a good clinical experience at the other one.

I will tell you there is a lot to be said for a wonderful clinical instructor. They will go out of their way to ensure you achieve your goals for the semester. If I had to choose, the instructor would probably carry the most weight. If you don't have someone who truly enjoys teaching, you will not make the most out of your time in clinicals. Trust me, when nursing school is over you will want to have had the best experiences possible.

I'd probably go with the good instructor. One time, though, I learned a lot from a really wonderful nurse that would come and grab us if there was any procedure needing done, or new things to see. (even though she wasn't necessarily precepting anyone that day) The instructor was spending her time with the students that really were in over their heads, so a couple of us had a great time going all over the floor doing foleys, wound care, watching a doctor do chemo...etc. So having a good hospital can be a good experience...or should I say, having good NURSES can make it a good experience.