HACC Nursing Clinical Input Please! - Page 2

Calm Down!!!! LOL

No, you are not expected to be at clinical 14 hours. They just want you to block out the entire day because not every clinical will be dayshift. For example, you may have dayshift in med-surg (7am - 2pm) the first third of the semester, your 2nd clinical rotation may be oncology (3pm - 9:30 pm), and the last third of the semester may be back to dayshift in psych. These are just examples, but you get the idea. Each clinical day is about 6.5 hours, including lunch & post-conference.

Your theory days are usually spent 2.5 hours in lecture.

In addition, especially 1st semester, you will have many skills to check off on in the lab. Plan to spend many hours practicing and be kind to your lab staff

Mondays are usually off. They can schedule tests at their discretion (and do so), so never plan to work a Monday. Plan this day for study/lab time.

Couple of tips:

1. The first few weeks are crazy. You will feel unorganized and overwhelmed. This too shall pass and you will find yourself in a "groove" soon enough. Take one day at a time and micro-manage yourself.

2. You don't need more than 2 uniforms. And the pants don't fit right. Most of us bought white scrub pants elsewhere.....just make sure the white matches and the material is close.

3. Talk to upper level students before purchasing books. You can buy second-hand at a cheaper cost and get the same info (except Davis's Drug Guide).

4. Get yourself organized. A calendar is a must as there will be plenty of due dates.

5. Invest in a decent stethoscope if you can. I bought a Littman for about $80. The clarity made it easier to hear sounds when I was first learning.

Hope this helps you. Good Luck!

Thanks for all of the tips! I did figure that the hours must have been just the hours we could possilby be required to work but I have to admit I was worried at first.

those hours mean that you could be there as early as the first time or as late as the last time...you are not there the whole time...I believe.

I just recently got accepted into part time nursing clinicals at the lancaster campus. I am really nervous as well, but at the same time am very excited to get started. I start January 2011. All of your advice has helped me out tremendously. I can buy white pants somewhere else???? Thanks.

I heard high NLEX pass rate of c.c.' ADNs can be influced by a very effective NCLEX review hired and conducted by some one who knows Nclex inside out.

What? I don’t understand this post at all.

program and it was brutal. That is the nature of the beast. You are taking care of lives so you need to learn your stuff.


In order to evaluate a nursing program looking at just how many complete the program is too narrow. You need to look at the nursing board pass rate of the graduates. I know my campus has had 100% as long as I've been teaching there.


I will admit to a little bias of being a clinical instructor at one of the campuses (no I will not say which), but I'm not selling the program. I have a job as long as there are students to teach.


As for the week long vacation, it depends on when you plan it. If you expect to be able to take a week off during the semester, no program would allow for that, not just HACC. There is a finite time to teach a lot of material. It's not like cutting a computer class. Again, it is the nature of the career path you are chosing. Nursing is not like what you see on Nurse Jackie or House.


But if it is during a break, yes you will be able go.


Good luck as you start your new semester. Think of it as a type of boot camp

Oops, I thought this was a new post. Sorry about that.

Hello.
I don't know if you got any answers to your questions yet but I am in N104 at HACC Lancaster full time...if you need questions answered....ask away!