Clinicals - Can you be specific?

[atlnurse2b]

For those of you who are SRNAs, I am curious as to what specifically challenges you in clinicals and class. Aside from hazing (such as physical or mental abuse which some posters have mentioned), what are the other difficult aspects of going through the program? For example, someone recently posted the following: "They come at you constantly in the form of oral boards, simulation scenarios where you must perform (well) infront of your profs/classmates, and of course the constant "pimping" from preceptors in clinicals." Could some people give me specific insight as to what these pimping and simulation scenarios consists of? Are the preceptors asking you tons of questions about a drug and it's effects on the body and you are supposed to answer accurately on the spot in front of everyone? This is what I imagine, but would just like to hear specifics about the grueling days of clinical that I keep hearing about on these boards.

[COtraumarn]

I am currently a student in my second semester and have been in clinical for 3 mos now. It is not that bad. They ask you questions about stuff- like drug metabolism, vent settings, effects here and there and if you don't know you don't know. Tell them you don't know and they'll have you look it up on your break or look it up for next time. I go to PItt and most of my preceptors also went to Pitt so they know what we know and they know where we're at in the program so they ask appropriate questions for our knowledge level. I have never been embarrased in front of a group of people (okay maybe once by an MD) but I've always been treated with respect unless I did something stupid.

The number one thing is to keep your pt safe. Knowing some obscure fact of Hoffman elimination doesn't really matter if your patient is tanking.

As far as doing things in front of people. Everybody waits on Anesthesia so yes- the circulator, scrub, MD, Anesthesiologist, CRNA and who ever else is in there are all looking at YOU waiting for you to intubate and get stuff going.

Your preceptor/ CRNA should know that you don't know everything and it is an ongoing learning process. Don't sweat it and learn what they have to teach you.

Good luck

[COtraumarn]

As far as simulations go those aren't bad either. We are all a little nervous. Some people have cried- other have struggled. We all support one another. I know we have scenarios where we are supposed to "think on our feet" and distract the person who is inducing etc.. If we saw a person struggling- we just stopped talking and let them concentrate to do their thing. We never laughed about anyone and to my knowledge have never put anyone down or talked about a person after the fact. The simulations are supposed to be learning experiences without the high stress of actually having a difficult airway in front of you or w/e the scenario is.

[atlnurse2b]

Thank you so much for the insight and detail! That isn't bad at all like I imagined clinicals to be.