Any RN student clinicals cancelled because of COVID-19?

[llg]

Have any nursing schools cancelled clinicals yet because of COVID-19? I hear about colleges moving classroom sessions online, but have yet to hear of clinical cancellations.

Are any of your schools requiring special screening for students prior to clinicals? What about travel restrictions? Some hospitals are not allowing staff to work if they have recently traveled to high risk areas. Are such rules being applied to students, too?

(I coordinate student experiences for a hospital and am trying to keep track of what's happening throughout the country in this regard.)

Thanks to all those who respond.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I feel horrible for all those that are missing out. I am fearful though about "simulated" clinical. Some schools don't have much hands-on hours as it is. They are going to have to lengthen orientation times.

I know that when I got my RN (ADN) I needed 650+ hours and I've heard some getting less than half that.

At my hospital, since they have school on hold, clinical is on hold for students. Not sure if they would let them in if school was in session.

[Devnation]

On 3/17/2020 at 10:32 PM, Devnation said:

I'm an ACNP student in Maryland and clinicals are still in session for both undergrad and grad students, so far. Classes have moved to online.

...And as of today, all clinicals are cancelled for every degree program on campus.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

There are several ADN programs and one BSN program here which is a border state area that includes parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. There are other allied health programs as well that require a large clinical and/or lab component. Not to mention several non-healthcare related programs that rely heavily on hands-on training.

Moving the lecture components of these courses online is a challenge but it's a relatively easy transition from on campus to online learning. I haven't heard any school addressing the problems of how to complete required clinical hours for the programs that require them or how they are going to accommodate lab classes.

No word yet from any area schools if the lack of clinical opportunities will affect this semester's graduation requirements or if it will push back graduation dates much less how it will affect any future semester's ability to graduate. Local campuses are on Spring Break anyway but everyone involved is hoping by the time classes are scheduled to resume online that there is some sort of plan for addressing course requirements for clinical and lab time.

[the VEGAN Professor]

1- absolutely NO PPE

2- NO instructions on how to protect oneself from SCHOOL or clinical site

3- NO patient testing in place

4- exposing oneself and family as a STUDENT with absolutely no advisement on COVID-19 from university OR clinical site

4- FINALLY school cancelled or clinicals

Thank God

[Amanda DeVoll]

I am in PA and our clinicals are cancelled, switching to everything online for the rest of the semester. Spring break has been pushed back until the 30th and we still dont know 100% whats going on.

[dorothykay]

I am an LPN student in NYS, about 30 minutes from the city. I attend a BOCES program which has been closed for two weeks starting 3/15. We have been doing distance learning and virtual clinical simulation, to count as hours for the board. All of us are worried about graduation, which is in June, as well as preparing for the NCLEX. Is anyone else in the same boat? Unsure what the plan is but hoping for the best? I hope that at least in NYS they count all of our course work to qualify hours for the exam.

I honestly believe that after a few weeks, they should allow nursing students to volunteer hours in hospitals and clinics which could count towards clinical time. Not only would it be beneficial in terms of hands-on learning but also help nurses and other health care members who are exhausted.

Our program director and instructors are providing as much information as they can. None of us can predict the future but it would be interesting to get other nursing student's or professional's opinions in this regard.

[MadiC]

Our clinical At ULLAFAYETTE has been canceled as of now. We are doing clinicals online using simulations, case studies, etc interacting with our instructors via zoom. They are doing their absolute best at assuring we receive the critical thinking experience and practice as we would in a hospital. Our hospitals will not allow us. They have restricted all visitors as well starting tomorrow.

[Sour Lemon]

I'm an RN in a Southern California community hospital. Student nurses have been disallowed indefinitely. We've had one confirmed case of COVID-19, and a few others in the process of being ruled out (hopefully).

[darcsyde, BSN, MSN, RN]

I'm in my first year of nursing school in the San Francisco Bay Area. My clinical rotations were cancelled last week, and I'm pretty sure all clinicals in the area have been suspended until further notice. Lectures have been moved online, and our school is setting up virtual sims for some clinical instruction. Biggest issue is with the BRN and loosening up their clinical requirements.

We have students in their last semester who don't know if they can graduate because of their disrupted clinicals. It looks like NCLEX dates have been postponed as well. So, things are pretty uncertain now especially for those who were close to graduating.

[Psychnursehopeful, ASN, RN]

45 cases confirm in San Antonio Tx. All colleges cancelled clinicals and class. Staff is short on PPE with the exception of joint base San Antonio.

[catfrase]

On 3/21/2020 at 2:06 AM, MadiC said:

Our clinical At ULLAFAYETTE has been canceled as of now. We are doing clinicals online using simulations, case studies, etc interacting with our instructors via zoom. They are doing their absolute best at assuring we receive the critical thinking experience and practice as we would in a hospital. Our hospitals will not allow us. They have restricted all visitors as well starting tomorrow.

I'm in the FNP program there and clinicals are not cancelled. It's been so frustrating because we really haven't been given much guidance other than continue as usual and hopefully it all works out...

[DesertSky, BSN]

All of my AGACNP clinicals are cancelled for the rest of the semester and as of right now there is a possible my Summer semester clinicals may be on hold. All of my in-person NP classes have switched to online for the rest of the semester which is disappointing as I went to a brick and mortar program for a reason.

Though these are bumps in the road, it's important to focus on the larger, more important picture that we need to be diligent in managing and preventing further spread of this pandemic. As a working critical care nurse, my area of the country is just starting to get our first COVID-19 patients as of a few days ago. Keeping my fingers crossed we will have enough PPE and ventilators....