Clinicals at hospital you also work at?

Davey Do · Jan 22, 2021

7 minutes ago, slip_into_colors said:

it might be odd to practice catheter insertion on a pt and then be back to draw their blood in different colored scrubs the next day

As care providers, we do an array of duties which includes wiping their butts and serving them their food trays.

However, we do adhere to universal precautions in between such duties.

JKL33 · Jan 22, 2021

4 minutes ago, slip_into_colors said:

The other side of my brain says it might be odd to practice catheter insertion on a pt and then be back to draw their blood in different colored scrubs the next day.

Understandable that you would wonder about that but in reality it doesn't appear to be an awkward thing. You will be introducing yourself clearly as a student nurse to patients when you are in the student role. If a patient remembers the next day that you, the phlebotomist, are the same one who was the student the day before, there's nothing wrong with acknowledging it. It's okay, it's fine.

If you have a good relationship with your employer/workplace then...I don't know...I say don't make things hard on yourself. Get your clinicals there if you can! Especially if you know you want to remain employed there in the future as an RN.

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Jan 22, 2021

Back when I taught Med-Surg clinicals for an ADN program, one of my students was a CNA in the same hospital and she didn't seem to have a problem with the transition. Students were assigned one patient each and I told her it's important to tell her one patient that she is a student that day and not the CNA in case they recognize her. They had many other future clinical rotations somewhere else so having exposure to other hospitals was guaranteed anyway.

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Jan 22, 2021

I picked my ADN program precisely because they did a lot of the clinicals at the hospital I was working at. I had to work full-time, so it saved time to wrap up clinical then change to work the 3-11 shift...

Sour Lemon · Jan 22, 2021

1 hour ago, slip_into_colors said:

Hello all! I'm in my first semester of nursing school, and I also work as a phlebotomist at a hospital that my school uses for clinicals. Does anyone have strong thoughts about whether I should try to do my clinicals at that site or not?

My thoughts are: could be great to do it in a setting I'm already comfortable in and where I'm friendly with some of the nursing staff. The other side of my brain says it might be odd to practice catheter insertion on a pt and then be back to draw their blood in different colored scrubs the next day. Also might be nice to see other hospitals. Just curious if anyone had thoughts about this. Thank you for your time!

I don't see any negatives. As an insider, you might even have a better and more productive experience.

TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN · Jan 23, 2021

In my ADN program I did some of my clinicals not only at the same hospital I worked at, but also the same unit! I admit that I did it that way simply because I knew it would be a piece of cake even though I knew I wouldn't be getting necessarily a learning experience. The nice thing was that I was able to help out some of the other students, and my clinical instructor allowed me to float more to other units and departments since I worked on the unit, that was a nice experience. Another positive is that it will allow you to further impress your colleagues and increase your likely hood of getting a position when you graduate, good luck!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Jan 23, 2021

My nursing school didn’t allow students to do their clinicals at the same hospital where they worked. I think they may have thought students might be tempted to go beyond their CNA scope of practice while working their regular jobs. (And it must’ve happened in the past or they wouldn’t have made that stupid rule.) So I had to drive 30-40 minutes depending on weather/traffic to get to the clinical site instead of going to my own hospital 10 minutes away. But like everything else in nursing school, I just learned to live with it and keep working hard.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Jan 23, 2021

Back in the Dark Ages- I was an LPN attending an RN program. My job was 3-11 charge nurse on a Psych unit.

So during my school Psych rotation- from 7-3 I was a nursing student in my little uniform and cap, couldn't give meds/ unlock doors/ accompany patients off-unit. Then at 3p I changed into street clothes, was the charge nurse ON THE SAME UNIT and could do all of the above and more. The patients were sooooo confused and I don't blame them!