Clinicals where you work?

PrettyPlease88 · Aug 26, 2014

Nights) and i received an email today stating that my clinical site is the hospital i work at! Since i'll be taking med surg this semester, im afraid we are going to end up on the same floor that i work on. Has anyone ever had to do clinicials where they worked? If so, how was the experience?

Sorry for two messages my phone is on the fritz!

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Aug 26, 2014

Nights) and i received an email today stating that my clinical site is the hospital i work at! Since i'll be taking med surg this semester, im afraid we are going to end up on the same floor that i work on. Has anyone ever had to do clinicials where they worked? If so, how was the experience?
Sorry for two messages my phone is on the fritz!

Since I attended a hospital based diploma program and worked at the same hospital as a tech, most of my clinicals were at the hospital I worked at. It wasn't hard to keep the two roles separate, and if anything it made me more comfortable with finding my way around and knowing how the facility does things

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Aug 26, 2014

This situation is very manageable if you set proper boundaries between you and the staff. The most important thing is that you make sure the staff know what role you are in each day. Your nursing school uniform should be enough to differentiate your clinical days from your work days as a PCT, but don't be afraid to be clear (but polite) about what you are and are not there to do.

This goes both ways:

When you are at clinical and a nurse or another PCT asks you to do or help with something like getting equipment off the unit or caring for a patient you are not assigned, politely say, "I'm sorry, I'm here for nursing clinicals today. I'm not allowed to leave the floor to get that equipment." Or "I'm not assigned that patient, but let me check with my nursing instructor and see if I can help you with that after I do my morning assessment."

In reverse, you may find that there are some nurses who ask you to perform nursing tasks when you are working as a PCT. Some nurses might ask you to change a bag or IV fluids, give a patient tylenol, assess lung sounds, start a g-tube feed, etc. because they know you are in nursing school and have done the skill. It's extremely important that you remember your scope of practice in these situations, as performing these skills while working as an unlicensed personnel could cost you your job AND your future nursing license. Don't worry about upsetting the nurse or looking like you're unwilling to help. Just kindly say, "I appreciate the opportunity, but I'm here as a PCT today, not a nursing student, and it's not within my scope of practice to do that."

#NurseRiley2016 · Aug 26, 2014

I dealt with the same situation my first semester of nursing school. It was a big advantage to me because I knew the staff, where things were and how the units operated. Believe me use it to your advantage it will help you in clinical to perform at a more faster pace than your classmates!

Sbrewster · Aug 26, 2014

I worked as a CNA in a LTC facility while I was in school and my clinical group had clinicals at the facility where I worked! I was actually excited because I knew all the residents and staff, knew where all the supplies were, knew the routine of the day. And it wasn't weird at all. All my co workers gave me hugs and congratulations when they saw me in my school uniform and helped me in any ways that thy could. One of my favorite clinicals! :)

NuGuyNurse2b · Aug 26, 2014

Take it as an opportunity rather than a situation - you already know your way around, be the "go to" person for where things are, how things are done, etc. In my school, we do EVERYTHING - if a patient is unhappy with the meal, we do not go out and tell the secretary, we call down to the kitchen ourselves and handle it. Take this opportunity to tell someone like me the phone extension for the kitchen if you see me fumbling through the phone list. We had plenty of people in our program who already worked at the facility we did our clinical at, and there were students who wanted a foot in the door and over the summer, applied to work at the clinical site as patient techs. So no, it's not unusual or out of the ordinary, and you shouldn't feel like there would be any awkward situations.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Aug 26, 2014

Sounds like fun. Just be sure to communicate your boundaries - are you there as a student or PCT - so that there's no confusion.

It happens a lot in my organization because we have a lot of "grow our own" nursing programs. The biggest headache? Trying to work with IT to get a separate "student" sign on to the EHR..... if you already have one as an employee - argh. What a pain.

Whether you realize it or not, you will be a role model to other employees who may want to pursue their educations but are afraid to or don't know how to go about it. You go girl! It's your time to shine.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Aug 26, 2014

Back in the dark ages, when Elvis was still alive, I was an LPN on a locked psych unit. I was the 3-11 charge nurse.

My RN program psych clinicals were on this same unit during day shift. So from 7-3, I wore a uniform and cap, could not let anyone in or out the locked door and could not give meds. at 3pm- I changed into street clothes, and was in charge. The poor patients were quite confused.

PrettyPlease88 · Aug 27, 2014

Thank you to everyone who has responded so far. I feel much more comfortable going into the semester now :) im more excited than worried because of your responses. Thanks again!

Sdt222 · Oct 31, 2014

I'm currently in my first clinical rotation. I work as a transporter at a hospital I know has students from my school. My clinical is not there. I was so glad it wasn't however now I kind of wish it were. I have been at my job for a long time and know and am on good terms with everyone. I see that now as a huge advantage and hope I can get a rotation there before I graduate