Mistakes to avoid in clinicals..

Nursing Students General Students

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Planning to enroll in a nursing program out here in California... Pretty simple question.. What mistakes do you notice by other student nurses when in clinicals, that I should avoid?

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Try to avoid property damage -- I was so entranced with the first electric bed I'd ever seen that I made it go up and down until the attached IV pole went right through the flourescent light fixture. My instructor was not amused!

Realize that you're a guest on the nursing unit and that you're not making anyone's job any easier, decreasing their workload or providing free labor. Many of us welcome students and love to teach, but teaching is additional work, not less work. So be grateful, and be sure to thank any nurse who helps you, offers you an opportunity or takes an interest in you.

Ask questions, listen to the answers and write them down so you don't have to ask the same question over and over. (I'll admit to learning that one the hard way.)

Never ever pretend to knowledge you don't have. Know where to look it up. As a student, your clinical instructor is a great resource, as a nurse your policy and procedure manuals (now conveniently located online in many hospitals) are your bibles. There is no shame in not knowing, but you'll never forgive yourself for screwing up because you were unwilling to admit you didn't know something.

Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone. You WILL make a mistake. Hopefully, you'll learn from it and not make the same mistake again. Patients are pretty durable and can survive a lot of mistakes -- as long as you immediately, as soon as you realize you've made a mistake, admit to it and set about to try to mitigate the damage to the patient.

Every body makes mistakes. Those nurses who you're mortified because they saw you make mistakes -- they've made them too. Ask them sometime. Some folks have hilarious stories about the mistakes they've made!

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

Don't lose patients dentures, or glasses, or the like.

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All of the above -- and I would add that the importance of professionalism can't be overstated. Be aware of how your behavior may be perceived. You may be discussing school-related things with you colleagues, but chances are, if a gaggle of students are together at the end of the hall, people aren't going to think, "There's a group of nursing students working hard!" Don't lean against the walls, speak or laugh loudly, or discuss your social lives, etc. You are a guest, and you are there to learn. You might want to work there one day -- or not -- but either way, act like someone they would want to hire. Do not forget that the staff, when asked how it was having students on their unit, are not going to say, "Well, Jenny was really hard-working, but Jackie seemed unprepared, and Julie was shy at first but then she really stepped up, [etc.]." They are going to talk about "those BCU students." You represent your school, and without clinical placements, there can be no school. Your uniform should be immaculate (it's called a lint roller, folks), and you should follow your school's dress code to the letter. Just keep the big picture in mind.

It can seem very intimidating reading all the advice for students on here, as it can look a little like this: ask questions/keep your mouth shut; be confident/don't be a know-it-all; don't be a wall flower/don't be in the way; research your patients' charts/don't hog the computers; etc. Just be prepared, professional, hard-working, rule/policy-abiding, and above all, safe. Oh, and wash your hands.

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Don't be a quiet mouse. Be out spoken in the appropriate places. Sometimes Doctors/Nurses can take you to places, or see things you wouldn't be privileged to normally.

Don't be afraid to choose difficult cases, e.g., a patient with multiple diseases or disabilities may help you in the future. Your instructor will also take note of that.

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Be careful how you behave outside of clinicals and university. Don't mention ANTHING about your course or wards on social networking sites - trust me it's for the best. Also, when you are wearing anything that identifies you as a student nurse, remember to set an example; you can easily be traced back and it could have serious consequences. For example, someone from my university was shouting at someone in the street while wearing their uniform. It was reported and she got into a lot of trouble for it. I would recommend covering your uniform under clothing until you get into the hospital. Hope this helps :)

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Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.

Don't take it personally if you end up with a nurse who treats you like dog poop. It happens. Seriously. Sometimes people have a bad day...or two...or three. Don't let it discourage you. There will be nurses who don't mind students and if you are helpful and attentive and have basic good manners, you can learn a lot from them.

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Specializes in CNA/Nursing school student.

I understand both sides of the game. Having been a student in the CNA program, and will be again in the nursing program, I was truly turned off by some of the nurses' behaviors. I did not get any help nor answers from some of them, and they were often rude, too what I thought.I then turned to the phones and social stuff.. But now as a nurse aide, I am realizing it is busy for us, so time is limited.

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
Oh and another one: do NOT post anything at all about clinicals on facebook! It's best to learn this lesson now. Don't post pictures, don't mention floors, don't say a darn word about anything on FB.

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This!! It's amazing how many people do this...

Anne, RNC

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- Ask if you can help. Ask anyone, ask everyone! If you are always helping out they will be more likely to bring you in on something interesting. That being said, also do not spend all your time helping people to the bathroom. Help out some, but keep an eye out for the nursing side of it - it can be easy to get caught up in tasks and miss out on a chance to help with something interesting.

- Ask your nurse if you can go with a patient to a test/procedure, if you can stay in the room while they place lines, if they know of any other interesting patients on the floor that you could peek in on with their nurse. One of our nurses is great at this - whenever she has something we don't see a lot she tries to pull me in so that I can see it.

- Never say no to an opportunity

- Answer call lights and let the appropriate people know what they need

- Do not stand in front of the med cabinet while your instructor asks you about the meds. Once you pull them out step to the side and let the staff nurses get their meds while you go through yours.

- Be friendly, but please don't chat my ear off while I'm passing meds/doing a treatment/etc

- Ask about things you don't understand

- Make sure you know about how to move my post-op patient before you get them up/turn them/etc.

And most of all, thank your nurses. I cannot express how much a little gratitude can go a long way. *disclaimer*I haven't had a student with me yet, but I have been around them while my coworkers have them and these are what I've observed/heard on my unit.

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I always found I saw/ was directed towards more by saying the following to the RNs during report: "I'm assigned to pts. x, y, z, but please let me know if I can help you with ANYTHING else today or if there's something you think I should see." I eventually learned to say this to charge nurses as well. They were usually most aware of unusual procedures/ cases. I know taking care of your own patients can be overwhelming at first but, as you gain knowledge/control, you will find there is plenty of time to contribute to, as much as you must take from, the clinical setting.

I hope your studies go well!

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
- Ask if you can help. Ask anyone, ask everyone! If you are always helping out they will be more likely to bring you in on something interesting. That being said, also do not spend all your time helping people to the bathroom. Help out some, but keep an eye out for the nursing side of it - it can be easy to get caught up in tasks and miss out on a chance to help with something interesting.

- Ask your nurse if you can go with a patient to a test/procedure, if you can stay in the room while they place lines, if they know of any other interesting patients on the floor that you could peek in on with their nurse. One of our nurses is great at this - whenever she has something we don't see a lot she tries to pull me in so that I can see it.

- Never say no to an opportunity

- Answer call lights and let the appropriate people know what they need

- Do not stand in front of the med cabinet while your instructor asks you about the meds. Once you pull them out step to the side and let the staff nurses get their meds while you go through yours.

- Be friendly, but please don't chat my ear off while I'm passing meds/doing a treatment/etc

- Ask about things you don't understand

- Make sure you know about how to move my post-op patient before you get them up/turn them/etc.

And most of all, thank your nurses. I cannot express how much a little gratitude can go a long way. *disclaimer*I haven't had a student with me yet, but I have been around them while my coworkers have them and these are what I've observed/heard on my unit.

Exactly!

Anne, RNC

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Be AWARE of your surroundings.

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