Clinicals Start this week!

twarlik · Jun 30, 2003

Sounds exciting! Good luck!

happystudent, RN · Jun 30, 2003

Is this for Cna training?

Funny story... I remember my first dayof clinicals for my cna training...... It was in a nursing home.... Was the first time I ever touched a living person in a clinical setting.... well I will never forget my pt. She was an adorable 80yr old lady. She had alzh. dis. but she was sweet anyway...........except that she was lactose intolerant! The cna that worked there insisted on giving her an ensure drink.... 10 mins later.....she had the CHA CHAS...... my first time cleaning someone.....had to put her on a commode........the one with wheels.........pulled her from the stall to clean her peri area........and her butt cheeks hund sooo low thru the opening of the commode that it looked liked two flaps of steak! The weirdest thing.....that allways stuck with me......why ? who knows... just thought I would share.....

Good luck you will do fine:roll

francine79 · Jun 30, 2003

I just finished my clinicals on friday. I did mine with 2 different instructors rather than the one who lectured. I found it to be very beneficial because I got to go to 2 different floors. Where are you doing your clinicals at? I did mine in a hospital. The first week I didn't think I would ever make it, I was on a med/surg floor with mostly post gastric-bypass patients. So it was extremely difficult with the transferring. However, my second week I was on an oncology floor which was much more basic stuff like bathing, changing linens, ambulating, etc.

My advice is to not worry so much about how many skills you get to do, rather worry about the skills that you feel you need a lot of practice with. Transferring patients is different for each person. Bathing is different for each person. It all depends on how strong and mobile they are. It's not hard to calculate I & O or remove sutures or staples. These are things I didn't try to focus on. You know what you aren't comfortable doing, and try to focus on that. Your instructors and CNA's will be more than willing to work with you and help you out. It's a learning experience and they understand that some things take a lot of practice.

Most importantly, NEVER do anything you don't feel comfortable with. You have the right to refuse. I was put in a really bad situation with a patient and the CNA refused to help and because of this my patients safety was jeopardized. I didn't think about refusing, I was thinking about the need to help the patient.

Good luck with your clinicals! Relax, you'll do fine.

Rapheal · Jun 30, 2003

Good luck. Here is something I wish someone had told me. Remember to look on the ground for tubing that is hanging low. Easy to get your feet caught in them until your used to looking for them. (Still sometimes get caught in them -oh well). I hope everything goes great and that you walk out of there with a great experience.

FutureNurse2005 · Jul 2, 2003

how's it going?? Are you enjoying it so far?

Update us when you can!

Catherine's mom · Jul 3, 2003

You will do just fine. After you get your feet wet so to speak it will all get easier.

I had clinicals in May in a nursing home, it was a very interesting experience. I found my instructor to be extremely helpful, she very calmly coached me and that gave me confidence! When I look back I think testing out on the skills in lab was almost more stressful than doing it on real patients.

PowerPuffGirl · Jul 3, 2003

Hi y'all, thanks for the votes of confidence!

Here's an update:

Yesterday, we had a tour of the facility, watched another video on HIPPA, and went on a scavenger hunt to learn where all the supplies were kept.

Today, we were each assigned to a different aide, and we shadowed & assited them. Tomorrow, we will start being assigned our own patients.

So far, I've helped give 2 showers, given quite a bit of peri care, done some backrubs, helped with feeding, I&Os, and I got to watch a midline insertion.

Someone asked earlier in this thread what sort of clinicals these are. I'm in an LPN program, and this is our first set of clinicals.