Clinical Lab Instructors

[knittwhit]

I am making the leap from adjunct clinical instructor to full time clinical lab instructor. The position became available unexpectedly and I will be jumping in without the benefit of the former instructor being available as a resource. I am looking for any/all advice on resources to help me make the transition. I do have a colleague at another facility who can help mentor me. I know there is one other nurse in the department who runs the simulations. I will be assisting her with those, but as for the skills labs, they are mine. I will also be responsible for conducting open lab and some remedial work.

I am confident in my skills and am good at time management and self direction so I'm not so worried about those aspects. It just feels a bit like I am jumping in feet first without dipping my toe in a bit more. I will be meeting one more time with the dean before I formally accept the position. Thoughts on questions I should be asking?

[AOx1]

I would ask for a copy of the skills book and syllabus for the main course that this lab is a portion of. In this way, you could help ensure that skills are being taught consistently with what is presented in lecture. Also, find out if your predecessor left any rubrics or skills check off sheets for you to use. Rubrics are very helpful to students. They help ensure that grading is more consistent and that students know exactly what is expected of them. I would also ask the advice of clinical faculty- are there any skills with which the students have been strugggling? How can this be improved?

If rubrics and check off lists don't exist, and you will be doing both the practice and the check-offs, I would begin to develop detailed rubrics. This takes time to refine and improve them.

Also, I would find out if your school uses a learning platform or website for the skills lab. For example, is there a place that lists online hours the lab is open? Can you post learning materials on a site like Blackboard or Desire to Learn? This will tell you how you are supposed to communicate with students (for example, what should they bring? What materials should they review prior to class, if any?)

Are you expected to have a separate syllabus with objectives, or is the skills lab part of another course? Will students check off on skills with you or with another instructor? Who is meant to reorder supplies when they run low?

There are so many questions! I would also spend a lot of time with the other instructor and find out what has worked well in the past, and ask him/her what you can do to prep for the simulations.