Bored in clinical?

Nursing Students General Students

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Im finding myself with nothing to do for 8 hrs in clinical. Im on the OB rotation and we normally have 1 patient........needless to say I can only look through the charts for so long..... Me and my classmates literally stand around trying to look busy. There's just never anything happening. And dont get me started on the RN's we get assigned to who try their best to lose us every chance they get. Im so annoyed! Why does it bother someone that Im there to learn from them ?! I would be sooo flattered, I'd eat it up.

AND then they act like I sucked when their filling out my little daily evaluation form. And Im just thinkin you avoided me, gossiped with the other RN's the whole time, and didnt wanna let me do anything.

Its really quite degrading, because Im supposed to follow them around like a puupy dog and Im totally not wanted. And for what reason? Im the nicest person ever....they just dont wanna be bothered? Im sorry but for lack of a better word, thats ******.

I

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Can you bring you textbook or flashcards to study or read ahead. I have my memory pen stick with my medical surgical book installed and tons of nursing study guides. If I am not busy, I will start reading.

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Specializes in Dialysis (All Modalities) , Ex-CVICU RN.

Yeah what future nurse said. My OB rotation was one of the most boring clinicals. Bring some study materials (preferably for the next test) and start crackin.

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Specializes in ER.

All I can so is sympathize.

When I had clinicals in OB it was incredibly boring. We were allowed to do pretty much nothing...the floor we were on had nurses that tended to be less than willing to allow students to participate and our instructor was extremely nervous about us doing much of anything. We did a lot of standing around in the hall studying pharm flash cards.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Yep, I've got a double whammy being the male, who probably won't be allowed to do much of anything on an OB floor except maybe lift/position pts....and a student, low census..etc. However, we also get a 2 week peds rotation during OB one, so we just end up moving up to that unit and don't do much of anything....

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Specializes in med surg, school nursing.

You just described just about every clinical experience I have had. I will be graduating in May and I still feel like all I do at clinical is make beds, give bed baths and take vital signs. And stand around trying to look busy in front of my instructor while the RN's talk about us behind our back and don't let us do anything. I absolutely hate clinicals. Plus we are only given one patient and after we have done our assessment, given them their meds, bath, bed change, etc., there is nothing more to do - cause I know the patient doesn't want a student nurse in their room for 12 hours of the day! So in our "down" time we are supposed to be busy and there is nothing to do. Did I say how much I hate clinical?

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Oh man....that was my Med/Surg 1 clinical. They put my group on a low acuity floor and there was literally NOTHING to do other than assessments and vitals. And to make it worse they wouldn't allow any other books on the floor other than our drug guides. So, I spent 6 weeks reading my drug guide...which I guess kinda worked out..ha ha..because I sure know a lot of drugs now:) But, yeah, it was a LONG 6 weeks.

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I bring PDA with me and pluck away looking like I am pulling up med information!

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Specializes in ICU.

ahhh...i had that - and i was practically climbing the walls, so i started attaching study notes to my clipboard for when i was done. at one point, i just started asking the nurses if there was anything i could help them with

(after clearing it with my instructor, of course:saint:)

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I know I have been sneaking my lecture notes onto my clip board.....but I dont want my instructor to see me and think Im doing something other than clinical stuff. But I honestly dont knw how they expect us to entertain ourselves otherwise. I mean the RN's there that are working are just sitting around!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele.
You just described just about every clinical experience I have had. I will be graduating in May and I still feel like all I do at clinical is make beds, give bed baths and take vital signs. And stand around trying to look busy in front of my instructor while the RN's talk about us behind our back and don't let us do anything. I absolutely hate clinicals. Plus we are only given one patient and after we have done our assessment, given them their meds, bath, bed change, etc., there is nothing more to do - cause I know the patient doesn't want a student nurse in their room for 12 hours of the day! So in our "down" time we are supposed to be busy and there is nothing to do. Did I say how much I hate clinical?

YOu only get to take care of one pt. and you are graduating, wow? I just finished my first semester and already had to take 2 pt at the end of the semester. They will work us up to 4 by the end of the 4th semester. But I heard OB will be boring, this is were I will be this semester also....

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Specializes in Peds ER.

Ok y'all are scaring me... please someone tell me clinicals are an enjoyable, challenging experience where you get to learn a lot.

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