Clinicals?

[kk83]

I know every program is different - but I'm a little confused about clinicals. Our orientation isn't until 4 days before our classes start, so I have all these unanswered questions . Do clinicals typically replace skills lab days at some point or are clinicals in addition to those days or on weekends? Also, how far into the program do you typically start working "in the field"?

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

Typically they have skills lab first before they send you to the hospital or nursing home for clinicals. The lab is for skills your instructors want you to become proficient in before they have you take care of patients.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

We had skills and clinicals every week. Clinicals started the 2nd week of the first semester.

Same with my school.

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

We had a skills lab and clinical every week. Generally it is the student's responsibility to go to the lab on their own time if they need extra help - you want to come to clinical prepared! Of course there will be things that aren't covered in class/lab that will show up in clinical that you will have the opportunity doing and in that case your instructor or nurse will walk you through the steps, but always come prepared and know the basics.

During my first semester, the start of our 1st clinical was 4 weeks after the start of the semester. On our "clinical" day, we had extra lectures from 7a-12p on therapeutic communication as well as drug calculations.

[Cherish]

Yup at my BSN program skills and clinicals are every week. 9 hours sophomore semester clinicals all day on Tuesday and Skill lab was for 4 hours during that week but each group had different days mine was on Thursday. 16 week semester the first week was orientation and intro to sim lab, weeks 2-16 were clinicals and sim lab each week.

[CBsMommy]

We had clinicals on Monday, lecture all day Tuesday, lab on Wednesday and Thursday and clinical again on Friday, not to mention lab check-offs as scheduled throughout the entire semester. It was pretty crammed! But we didn't replace skills lab from clinicals, we just added clinicals about 6 weeks into the program through the end of the semester. Of course, it will change again this semester and every semester until the end of school. Just be flexible...you will be fine!