Driving to clinicals

[mysnurse]

I have recently accepted a new position in a nursing program. For my first semester, my clinical site will be approx 70 miles away from my home. I will make this drive 2 times weekly. Wondering is this common for anyone else, as far as the distance to clinical site.

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

Our school had clinical sites up to 100 mile radius from the school. I never had to go that far but I was expected to if the site was selected.. I have drove 1hour and 20 minutes to a clinical site, not sure of the miles..

[mysnurse]

Wow, thanks for the reply, I guess its just a part of the position

[elkpark]

Depending on where the school is located, and availability of appropriate clinical sites, you may have quite a drive to clinical. It's considered part of the job. You may or may not be able to get compensation for your mileage.

[somenurse]

oh, i recall, as a student, some of our clinicals were over an hour drive away, and we had to be there at 6am or something, oh yes, i recall leaving my house at 4:30 or 5 am.

congrats on your new job!!

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Congratulations, mysnurse, on your new position! Welcome to the Nurse Educators Forum :)

I live 50 miles from my college of nursing and the main clinical site. It takes exactly one hour driving one way. I generally don't notice the drive in the wee hours of the early morning as I am driving to the clinical site and trying to wake fully up (j/k). On the way home, I pass the time listening to music and simply unwinding from my busy day.

[RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN]

All of our clinicals are within 15-20 minutes of our school campus. Most clinicals are at the 2 hospitals across the parking lot. I guess we're extremely lucky!

[mysnurse]

Thanks everyone so much at VickyRN, that it was my drive will be like daily and during clinicals. So, I may as well get adjusted to it, thanks so much

[lepew]

I had to drive an hour to clinicals to. But we got mileage so that helped

[lub dub]

I live 3 miles from where I do my clinicals. And I live about 20 minutes from where I lecture. Guess I'm fortunate...

[JBudd, MSN]

Our school uses sites in at least 4 towns; so some are 50 miles, others up to 70 miles away. Since some of our students commute from a large city 60 miles away, then have to go another 70 to the one site, they make arrangments to stay over quite a bit. Car pools! Although pooling with students might get to be a little odd?

[kahaus1]

It is unfortunate that your clinicals are so far away. You can make good use of this time by bringing along a tape recorded. Use this to record things to do, thoughts for your students etc. On the way home you can dictate your summary of the students clinical performance for the day as well as yours. I've also found on long drives that audio books make the time go faster.