Preparing for clinicals the night before

[dianacs]

What is involved? Doing a care plan? (I have only a vague idea what a care plan is, if you could explain that, I'd appreciate it also) Researching illnesses? Ironing your student uniform (lol)? Or do you just show up at the hospital on clinical days? I assume that some amount of preparation might be necessary, but I have no idea what. I'd like to hear about what the rest of you have to do. Thanks.

[babynursewannab]

From what I understand, some schools require a trip to the floor the night before clinicals. Other schools simply require you to show up at the scheduled time/day.

The best thing you could do is ask your advisor in the nursing program. I'm sure she/he would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about the program.

I will say that the only thing I have been disappointed about with getting into the nursing school is the lack of up-front information I've gotten (or not gotten as the case may be!).

I don't know how my program works with that either. Guess I'll have to ask. Are you starting clinicals this summer or fall? I start fall and am way, super excited and totally nervous. I've worked so hard to get to this point and now it's on my doorstep and I hope I still like it when I open the door! :)

Good luck.

-Alyssa

[dianacs]

I've had similar experiences trying to get information/details. The school isn't as forthcoming as I'd expected. I haven't been able to get a complete list for everything we need for clinicals, for example, and I've had to piece it together from this person and that person....it's frustrating because I'd like to have all my ducks in a row before class starts. I don't know any other students in the program, either, so until it begins I'm on my own as far as finding out stuff. Hopefully once school starts everything will fall into place.

[neuroRN, RN]

The way our school did it was for the students to go to the facility the night before for assignments, and then we were required to make med cards, diagnosis cards, lab cards and procedure cards and bring them to clinicals with us the next morning. Then after our two day clinicals, our care plans were due in 2-3 days with any additional cards we needed to make for new meds, etc...

[NurseDixie]

We had to go to the hospital for our patient information, diagnosis, all meds, labs,x-ray reports, copy all the information we needed and stop in and talk to the patient for a bit. Then, when we got home, we had to look up all the meds(dosages, side effects,etc.). We had to look up the diagnosis and do a pathophysiology report, usual treatments, surgeries,etc. for that particular disease. We also had to complete a nursing diagnosis sheet, care plans and they expect us to know all about the meds we are giving (without looking at our med sheets!). I was very lucky last semester, our instructor had our assignments done by 10:30 am and we had a lot of time to complete our paper work. I start 2nd year in Aug. and we will have 2 patients with all meds, etc, on them and we'll have clinicals 2 days instead of one, so that means double paper work. Whew!! Makes me tired thinking of it. I'm on summer break, am taking micro class, though. Good Luck to you. Hope this helped.