can you tell me about your clinical?

[anangelsmommy, ADN, BSN, RN]

I am going to start my LPN clinical in September and i have a lot of questions. First, I am recovering from a bone infection and have pain upon standing for long periods of time. I have steadily improved over the last year on antibiotics. I am looking for information what your clinical training was like? I know every school is different. But i am really wondering 1. if you had to stand the whole time? were you active and then periods of sitting down? 2. Did they ask about medications you were on etc- would it matter just for clinical? I am weaning off pain meds but not sure if i will be totally off by then or if i will need them if i am standing a lot. 3. Did you get homework on top of class? if so, is it related like charting etc or more complicated? I have two little ones and already putting one in full time school / daycare so i am hoping to not have to do gobs of homework. 4. What did you love about it / hate about it? I really want to hear all about it!

JP

[Logos]

Yes I am on my feet most of the time- we get a lunch break- and we do sit in post clinical- but for the most part sitting is discouraged- we were told to stand outside our patients room and do our charting there. -

No they did not ask what med's I was on. (I'm not on any, anyway.) But we did have to have a physical prior to start- with proof of vaccine's.

There is "gobs" of homework. Care plans, patho physiology, doing drug cards. - I too have three young children and work full time outside of going to school. It's quite a bit of work, but doable if you don't mind a messy house and limited sleep.

[vashtee, RN]

I'm in an RN program, but clinicals are probably pretty similar. Yes, I am on my feet all day. The nurses at 3 of the 4 hospitals I worked in don't like us to sit at the nurses station to chart, and that's the only place there are chairs. Also, yes, there is TONS of homework. In addition to the studying we do for the lecture portion of the class, we also have to prepare for clinicals. For us, that takes anywhere from 3 to 7 hours, depending on acuity and how many medications our patients are on.