My very first clinical, HELP!!

shape0fmyheart · Feb 12, 2004

I hate to tell you, but I know that MY first semester was basically just giving baths/changing diapers like you said. We were on a TCC floor and in a nursing home, so there was really nothing to do at all, it was boring. By the end of the semester though we began to start giving meds so I did that once and also gave an insulin injection. But that was about the extent of my excitement for semester one. You can still learn though through observation. Try to see as much as you can. Last night was my first night of clinical for semester two and it's SO much better! We are able to do and see a lot more, we're on an oncology/med-surg floor. It'll get better though... and you'll become a pro at bathing!

NICUbabyRN · Feb 12, 2004

My first semester was like that too but we did get to give meds (PO, Hang IV's, SQ's, IM's) later in the semester. I am not sure if that is something many schools allow. We did have to be able to pass a math test with a 100% and we were supervised alot that semester. The instructor always went over it with us. You know checking the 5 rights and if it was anything but a PO med she went in with us. I guess the only route we did not do was IV push. That was saved for last semster.

KimRN03 · Feb 12, 2004

What you have done so far is what I got to do. We were all discouraged that we weren't given more difficult tasks. I think what you are doing now, will help you appreciate all the ancillary staff related to nurses. You will have a greater appreciation for those nursing assistants after this clinical experience. Hang in there, you will get to do some fun stuff in the coming semesters. Just consider this first semester as a right of passage!

Ruylupez · Feb 12, 2004

My first day all we did was go up and down the hall taking vitals and then went back and changed the beds. After that we got assigned one person and on that person we gave baths and took vitals and changed bed and helped to the commod ect. Later in the semester they added first PO meds then injections.

First semester they don't expect you to know much yet so you get a lot of practice at the few things you do know. As you progress in the program they will add more and more.

ItsyBitsySpider, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2004

Unfortunately, that is all the first clinical semester consists of. I do agree that you will appreciate the CNA's more than ever after this, but I really thought that it got ridiculous after a while. You really are not allowed to do anything that semester. The one thing that I recommend is if you hear about a patient or if your patient is having ANY procedure done, go watch. You do learn alot from observing all the different procedures I watched that first semester made it a little bit interesting. Hang in there it will be over before you know it... :)

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2004

Beds, baths, VS, learning how to read a chart, bedpans and learning how to chart is pretty much the norm for first semester. Ya gotta crawl before you walk. In our program, by the end of first semester we will also be able to pass PO meds, insert a foley and do IM and SQ injections, as well as hang an IV. When you think about it, that's really a far piece to travel in 16 weeks.

suzy253, RN · Feb 13, 2004

Yes my first semester in clinical was doing basic stuff like a.m. care, making beds, occupied and not but I had a very interesting experience my 1st semester in that the pt I was caring for was having surgery and I got to go with her in the OR and observe the whole procedure. The nurses and docs were truly amazing, explaining to me all along what was going on, etc. etc. Now in my second semester we're doing meds including injections and still the bed baths, etc. but little by little they are adding more and more responsibilities.