tips for clinicals

Nursing Students General Students

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i'm entering clinicals in the fall, and i've heard a lot about not being able to do everything they throw at you. i've heard there are crazy amounts of reading...what is the best to 'skip out on'? any tips would be great. :twocents:

I don't know if I can really say you should skip out on anything. For us, yes, there were crazy amounts of reading. It's hard, but in my opinion, it is important to do ALL that they throw at you because you'll understand that much more. If anything, I would ask your instructor for some suggestions on what you should so...if he/she has specific areas of the chapters you should cover. It's time-consuming, but if you don't read it, you really don't know what's being discussed, but it may/may not be covered in lecture.

I learned quite a bit at the lectures, but would understand it much more clearly if I had read the chapters prior to class. And we have EBO's (30 questions per module) and those were VERY important to complete (we split them up throughout our class).

You will have a better understanding of it all too after you start the class. Good luck!

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I think that in order to be successful, aka graduate, you will have to figure out a way to do everything they throw at you. One thing I did that I found helpful was to make my note cards as I read the chapters. That way I didn't have to be too worried about remembering much at the time because the important stuff I had on my cards. For the clinical part I would be familiar with your client's diagnosis, treatments and medications. It is a lot to do but it can be done. Good luck!

I think that in order to be successful, aka graduate, you will have to figure out a way to do everything they throw at you. One thing I did that I found helpful was to make my note cards as I read the chapters. That way I didn't have to be too worried about remembering much at the time because the important stuff I had on my cards. For the clinical part I would be familiar with your client's diagnosis, treatments and medications. It is a lot to do but it can be done. Good luck!

Yes, I made up note cards as well and those definitely helped me with the vocab...the amount of vocab you have to know is amazing, but it is doable! Quiz yourself with those and you will learn it...repetition is the key with that.

Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

You have to at least DO mostly everything they give you. One tip I have is that if absolutely CANNOT read everything before class....at least follow along in your book with the lectures. My instructors were generally pretty good about lecturing in the order the book went.

Also, clinical-wise...NEVER skip research. Many students got in trouble if they didn't show up to pick up their "reports" on their next day patients...cause then they didn't know anything about em!

Specializes in E.R..

I know it is hard, but if you can get in the habit of reading the assigned text before class, you will feel much more prepared. I also keep a little notebook with me during clinicals to write down things that I questions about or didn't know during that day's rotation. When I got home I would look up that information.

While your doing the clinicals, you may feel like everything is a whirlwind around you, but step back and take a deep breath to refocus:twocents:. If you have concerns make sure to talk with your instructor.

Specializes in Med Surg.

when i was in nursing school...i used this pocket guide called RNotes

i bought it at amazon.com

it helped me out a lot since it gave me lab values, info about certain diseases, how to do cpr, details about maslow, has a peds/geri/maternity section....pretty much everything in a guide

the thing i hated the most was the drugs...

most of the students in my class had a pda and were able to look it up but i was stuck with a clinical teacher who was so mean and yanked my notes from my hand and threatened to flunk me if i didnt know my drugs...

yet another clinical instructor was ALL for pda's because she is aware that there are always new drugs and nurses look up drugs everyday....

Specializes in Critcal Care.

Here are my tips...

1. know your drugs

2. know why your patient has been admitted

3. know your patients history

4. know and understand any procedures your patient has had or will have while admitted

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