[2bnurse_it]

any word of advice when picking patients for clinicals?

we get to pick our patients this week, and I just wanted to know how you guys pick your patients,if you do?

thanks!

[shock-me-sane]

I try to pick the sickest one.
Though I do like to give myself a break every now and then and look for someone who doesn't have 100 meds or at least someone that I already have most of the drug cards made for already.

[EricEnfermero]

Ask the charge nurse. Although they won't be familiar with your individual goals, they'll have a general idea of which patients would be good for a student.

[celery]

I would try to pick the one with the least interventions needed and the least meds. Lol, I always had an exam coming up that I needed to study for.

Ok...flame on!

[BoonersmomRN]

Originally Posted by 2bnurse_it

any word of advice when picking patients for clinicals?

we get to pick our patients this week, and I just wanted to know how you guys pick your patients,if you do?

thanks!

How many patients are you picking? If it's more than 1 I would pick someone with a high acuity and balance it out with someone of a lesser acuity. If it's just one...go for the higher acuity patient...you'll A) learn more and B) be busier so the day goes by faster and C) impress your instructor that you "went for it"

We never get to pick ours but it always seems that I wind up with 3 easy patients or 3 very high acuity patients...so I am either bored or on the brink of losing my mind

[2bnurse_it]

any specific diagnosis that you guys have had that was a great experience?

so far, all i've had are hip fractures.

[SMK1]

Originally Posted by 2bnurse_it

any word of advice when picking patients for clinicals?

we get to pick our patients this week, and I just wanted to know how you guys pick your patients,if you do?

thanks!

It depends on my goal. My general rule is if you have more than one patient try to take patients with one primary nurse so taht you aren't juggling 2 or 3 different nurses to check in with. This way they may also be in the same rooms or next door to each other. Next look at acuity and meds. Don't completely overwhelm yourself or you won't have a good learning experience, but don't take the easy road either. You are paying to learn as much as possible so make it worthwhile. Try to do new procedures/skills every week and if there is something that you are afraid of (like NG stuff for me) take those patients until you get over that fear. A good resource is to ask the charge nurse if she isn't too busy what might be an interesting patient to take. They usually have some insight on what cases are good for students, and who is still going to be there the next day.

[SMK1]

Originally Posted by celery

I would try to pick the one with the least interventions needed and the least meds. Lol, I always had an exam coming up that I needed to study for.

Ok...flame on!

No flames from me. It isn't how I do things (we would be burned at the stake if we were caught studying at clinical for one thing!) also I learn skills by hands on practice, so I made a conscious effort to tell myself that I LOVED clinical and the challenge, and it worked. I really enjoy it. I also think the day goes by MUCH faster if I am busy instead of searching for things to do.

[cardiacRN2006]

I would try to pick the sickest patient, with a diagnosis that I haven't had before, and with things that I haven't done before.

I tried to avoid that same-ol same-ol.

[maolin]

I always grabbed the ones I could learn the most from or not likely to see much of - trach pt, NGT, an dx I hadn't cared for yet. My most memorable pt that I picked was a 50ish Male POD1 s/p hysterectomy. He was in transition with his gender reassignment. I satisfactorily accomplished several learning objectives with that case - my first gyne case, lots of psychosocial, communication practice and my first discharge teaching - WOW! He later sent a glowing card to the unit praising the care I gave him - how I treated him with respect and maintained his dignity.

I also liked to seek out stuff parallel to what we were currently studying in theory & lab. If it was GI CA in class & ostomy care in lab, then I'd ask for a colon CA bowel resection w/ new ileostomy. Applied learning = better performance on exams.