Starting clinical, looking for advice and tips

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Oct 6, 2015

My first clinical was also at a long term care facility. Here's what I did to keep the clinicals as stress free as possible:

1. Keep my clinical tool (aka sign off book, sheets, etc.) in the car so they would not be forgotten at home.

2. If you have a spare uniform, set up a box in your trunk with the spare uniform

3. Set up a small box near where you get ready for school, work, clinicals that just contains what you will bring to clinicals (i.e. stethoscope, pen light, name badge(s), scissors, tape, pens, sharpies (at least one), etc.). That way, after you put on your scrubs, go to the box and load up; when you come up, go to the box and unload.

4. Set two alarms to get you up early enough.

5. Drink 8 ounces of water right after the alarm (hopefully the 1st one gets you up; and you can shut off the backup alarm -- DO NOT use snooze buttons).

6. Eat a good breakfast -- PROTEIN is your friend (for me this was three eggs), and have your liquid (coffee, tea, etc.)

7. Leave so that you are at least 30 minutes early (first day I was closer to 45 minutes early).

Also be sure to have your clinical instructor, site, etc. phone number and any other contact information handy. When you get there early, do some jumps for joy and other crazy things (that legal to do) to pump you up and get your excitement level high. Then enjoy the time.

krisiepoo · Oct 7, 2015

Make yourself invaluable to the nurses and nurses aides. Answer every call light, bust your butt, do your assignments away from the nurses station (ie, DO NOT sit at their computers). Don't hover, spend time with the patients as they can be lonely and will be happier to have someone to talk to. The more you show you're willing to do, the more the nurses will bring you in to show you. Also, the busier you are the less your instructor can see you to pick you out (I used that tactic for a particular instructor, worked like a charm, I was the only one she never berated because I was always in a room).

Also, show confidence even if you dno't have it right now. I was one of the only students in my cohort that was never fired from a patient because I exuded confidence but was never afraid to say "I don't know, but let me find out".

Also, enjoy this time...