Clinical Rotation In COVID Unit

[Elice]

I am wondering if any other nursing students are being assigned clinical rotations on a COVID floor, with out being fit tested for N95s?  

[Guest219794]

Are you making contact with known Covid without a fit tested N-95?  If so, something is wrong.  Somebody screwed up.  A policy is being bypassed.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Our nursing student rotations are on COVID floors, but they are not directly assigned COVID patients, so they are not fit tested with N95 masks. 

[Elice]

2 hours ago, hherrn said:

Are you making contact with known Covid without a fit tested N-95?  If so, something is wrong.  Somebody screwed up.  A policy is being bypassed.

I was just curious what schools are doing. Had a scare, but turned out students will not be allowed on the Covid floor without a fit test. Seemed unfair to not be given a choice (besides the choice of either go or forfeit clinical hours). Thanks for your input everyone ?

[Cowgirl007, ASN, RN]

I've been provided with a single hospital issued n95 for each of the past 3 semesters, but never fit tested. My school does not allow us to be assigned to covid positive patients. The hospital I am assigned to for this upcoming semester is requiring all students to be fit tested. I'm looking forward to the fit test. ?

[Skinurse]

Anyone’s school say getting Covid is no excuse for missing clinical?  The schools policy is that the students should not put patients in harms way. Punishing symptomatic Covid positive nursing students for missing clinical sounds like it would be in conflict with that since it would lead to students going to clinical symptomatic and positive.  

[Lynker, LPN]

My school had us fit for N95s just in case, but they won't and will not allow us to be assigned to COVID-19 patients.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

9 hours ago, Skinurse said:

Anyone’s school say getting Covid is no excuse for missing clinical?  The schools policy is that the students should not put patients in harms way. Punishing symptomatic Covid positive nursing students for missing clinical sounds like it would be in conflict with that since it would lead to students going to clinical symptomatic and positive.  

The state Board of Nursing has clinical requirements by specialty that students must complete. Most likely the school is saying that the hours can’t just be missed but will need to be completed, whether through make up clinicals or another way. 

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Traditional nursing students don't do clinical on our covid wards. But some, like those assigned to a primary preceptor in accelerated BSN programs, take whatever patient their preceptor takes. They get fit tested by the hospital and N95 mask are (now) available. 

[MoonRose]

I start next week and we all are fiitted with N95 masks which we have to wear at all times with goggles. We will not be assigned COVID patients (those which are confirmed positive). That being said you could be in contact with a patient who is positive without knowing it I suppose. This is how my school does it but not all are the same it's crazy to see how different they all really are.

 

[londonflo]

On 1/30/2022 at 8:04 AM, Rose_Queen said:

The state Board of Nursing has clinical requirements by specialty that students must complete.

It varies  by the state. Two states that I have taught in did not have strict hours per specialty

[Skinurse]

On 2/12/2022 at 2:52 PM, MoonRose said:

I start next week and we all are fiitted with N95 masks which we have to wear at all times with goggles. We will not be assigned COVID patients (those which are confirmed positive). That being said you could be in contact with a patient who is positive without knowing it I suppose. This is how my school does it but not all are the same it's crazy to see how different they all really are.

 

No.  I’m saying that if we have Covid or are Covid positive we are still expected to attend clinicals in the Hospital. No excuses.  Missing clinicals if you have Covid will be treated like any other absence and will be punished like any other clinical absence.