new semester, same question-how was your clinical this week?

Nursing Students General Students

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Specializes in LDRP.

I like hearing how other ppl enjoyed or didn't enjoy their clinicals, stories from the trenches, i guess you could say.

so share! how were clinicals? did you get to do anything new?

my new thing this week was flushing and heparinizing a PICC line. 4th semester and i hadn't done it yet.

also changed a dressing on a funky wound, and had a pt who was newly diagnosed diabetic, discovered while in hospital for other reasons-i did her accucheck, and got the highest blood sugar i've ever got sticking someone-420. i've heard of higher, but thats my personal highest stick.

all in all, it was fun :) as fun as it can be, at least

Semester 2, junior year, BSN program

Nothing this week so far! We have orientation Tuesday, but were shushed off the floor because JCAHO is there this week. Yesterday, we spent all day at school working on NCLEX practice exams, case studies, care planning, lab practice for trach checkoffs. Today, we toured and spoke to RNs at a nursing home, hospice, and center for disabilities. Very interesting stuff!

Tomorrow, we'll be back on the floor and I'm rotating to OR! I can't wait! :)

I'm in my last semester of an ADN program and my clinical for the next seven weeks is in outpatient oncology clinic (this is my community rotation). This being the first week, we had an orientation to community health one day and then I had one day on-site. Did lots of observing and running around after my RN mentor, took some vitals and also drew up some Heparin flushes. Can't give meds til after the pharm competency next week, anyway. But next week I will be doing patient assessments with an RN, and the week after that I will start accessing VADs for chemo.

Looooove the oncology clinic. Such lovely people working there, and some amazing patients I've met already!

Enjoy your clinicals, everyone!

Andrea

Specializes in L&D.
I'm in my last semester of an ADN program and my clinical for the next seven weeks is in outpatient oncology clinic (this is my community rotation). This being the first week, we had an orientation to community health one day and then I had one day on-site. Did lots of observing and running around after my RN mentor, took some vitals and also drew up some Heparin flushes. Can't give meds til after the pharm competency next week, anyway. But next week I will be doing patient assessments with an RN, and the week after that I will start accessing VADs for chemo.

Looooove the oncology clinic. Such lovely people working there, and some amazing patients I've met already!

Enjoy your clinicals, everyone!

Andrea

I was going to start a thread asking if ADN or diploma students had community nursing rotations. Now I know the answer. But isn't it rare for a non-BSN RN to work in the community or public as a nurse?

I'm glad you're enjoying your rotation. I'm also doing my community rotation right now, but mine is in a middle school. I'm enjoying it. I'm doing a lot more than I though I would, g-tube meds, cathing, educating. I like it. Also, you were saying you can't give meds until your pharm competency - is this just for this semester? You've given meds before, right?

Specializes in Tele, Home Health, MICU, CTICU, LTC.
I was going to start a thread asking if ADN or diploma students had community nursing rotations. Now I know the answer. But isn't it rare for a non-BSN RN to work in the community or public as a nurse?

I'm glad you're enjoying your rotation. I'm also doing my community rotation right now, but mine is in a middle school. I'm enjoying it. I'm doing a lot more than I though I would, g-tube meds, cathing, educating. I like it. Also, you were saying you can't give meds until your pharm competency - is this just for this semester? You've given meds before, right?

I think that more ADN programs are including community nursing and the associated clinicals. Especially since hospital stays are shortening and care is moving into the home and community. When I was in a traditional nursing program we had a class and clinicals called community based nursing. I did mine at a soup kitchen. Very interesting!!!!!!

Specializes in Med-Surg.
I think that more ADN programs are including community nursing and the associated clinicals. Especially since hospital stays are shortening and care is moving into the home and community. When I was in a traditional nursing program we had a class and clinicals called community based nursing. I did mine at a soup kitchen. Very interesting!!!!!!

Our ADN program also has community rotations, available sites are: schools, public health, home health, clinics, and a prison. Our program also strongly encourages all of us to go on for a higher education. If we find something we're interested in during community that will require a higher degree, it's just that much more incentive. I think their whole goal is to introduce us to a world of nursing that is not entirely confined to a hospital bedside.

Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

First day of my peds rotation. My patient was a chunky little 8 week old with RSV. That little guy stole my heart. Even through my duckbill mask (he was on contact precautions:o) I managed to get him interested in my face and voice. He smiled and cooed and I think I'm in love with peds. He had no map, was on 02 by NC, was stable and had one nosedrop med so there was nothing spectacular as far as procedures. He was a great first peds patient. The parents spoke no English but because there weren't enough patients, I had to double up with another student who spoke Spanish. Saved!!

In one word.....BORING. We had two 10 hour days. in that time I washed my patients hair and took her vitals 4 times in the 20 hours. Most meds on this floor are given IV. LPN students can't touch anything IV so no meds to pass. she needed a PICC flush, which i did last semester at the transitional care unit (considered nursing home so diff rules), but in the hospital only RNs can touch PICCs. so needless to say it sucked. thank god we get to got to surgery one day, to the cath lab one day, and with the wound care nurse one day. that will eat up some time. as much as i disliked working with the elderly last semester at least i got to do stuff.

kris

Rotated to the OR today. LOVED it and can't wait to go back.

That's been my most enjoyable clinical experience by far, without a doubt.. Very different there from what we've been doing on the floor!

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