what can I expect my first day of clinicals?

[avidhunter3]

ok! I go to clinicals in 3 weeks starting with the nursing home rotation ( I am in the LVN program). Please please tell me what to expect. We have checked off on everything in the lab from A to Z, some things were difficult, some not. But I KNOW that is nothing like the real setting! I work in the hospital, but I work as a PBX operator, not actually touching patients. I just don't know what to expect. I want to be a good nurse, but I get SO nervous when I do my skills in the lab (the instructors make me SO nervous), and I just hope that works out okay in real life. please share your stories with me of your first clinical days@

[jrsmrs]

Clinical at the nursing home was very basic IMO and nothing to worry about. Although I suppose it depends on the organization of your program. Ours was only a morning shift so we were there for about 3 hrs-ish? It was really just a 'get your feet wet' kind of scenario, getting comfy with the basic care.

First day we did an orientation to the setting, and I believe that was it. Second day we paired up with one of the RPNs and followed her around, just watching what she did and helping where possible (lifts, turns, getting supplies, etc). After that we took on our own resident, read their charts, and did morning care (we paired up so each pair did 2 residents), got them up to breakfast etc. By the end of that clinical block, we had two patients each, and did them independently. We never did meds at that point, as our program is not set up that way and we learned meds later in the year.

Again, it really depends on how your instructors have it set up, but I'd say there's really nothing to get anxious about. Nursing home residents in general tend to need only fairly basic care and it's pretty much just an intro to nursing. Even if you get thrown into the whole shamozzle, it's pretty much just getting people cleaned up like you do with yourself, getting their meds if you guys are doing that, and getting them to meals, programs, etc.

The residents typically adore any visitors, including students, so take your time, have some conversations with these people, give a little extra love and you can leave knowing you've made someone's day better.

[avidhunter3]

I am excited to get to see the patients, I guess I just worry because we have checked off on all these skills in the lab, and by the time we get to use the skills I will have forgotten half the steps! Our instructor has informed us that we will give meds/shots the very first day.

[jrsmrs]

Bring some cheat sheets with you. Most nursing home residents with be on PO meds, so know your rites and do your checks. Do you do drug studies? If so, have them with you and know what you're giving and why. Otherwise, use a drug book. If you have to do injections, it will probably be something simple like s/c insulin. Make yourself a little card to keep in your pocket outlining the steps for doing an injection. Don't be afraid to walk through it with your instructor even before you get to the room. Say "Ok, so I'm going to do X-Y-Z, is that correct?"

[avidhunter3]

our main instructor is one of that that answers a question with a question! If I were to say " I do this, this, and this, is that correct?" she would look right at me and say "I don't know, you tell me"

We do have to make drug cards the night before each clinical day along with a care plan, but I guess I just don't know how its all going to work out. I mean, what if the first rattle out of the bag, I get a patient that needs an NG tube? I have recently checked off on it in the lab, but I would be terrified to do it right away! Oh well, I guess I will learn as I go, I just don't want to mess up, I want to HELP my patients, not HURT them.