Fundamentals of Nursing Clinicals

[Samm06, BSN, RN]

Good morning everyone,

I was just curious as to what you guys did during your Fundamentals of Nursing clinical rotation. I'll be starting that class on August 24th and I am really nervous to actually be going into hospitals for clinical. Any advice or tips?

Thank You.

[virgo7598]

We did the first half of our clinicals at an independent living facility. Then after spring break, our second half was spent at a TCU. Next semester we're going to long term care/rehab/hospice.

[loriangel14, RN]

We got to practice the skills we had learned in class so far. We did bed baths, fed patients, transferred people and took vital signs.

[missycrowell]

My class was at a health and rehab where we gave baths, fed patients, made beds... Then we went to our local hospital and we could do any skills we already learned in skills lab like foleys, wound care... we rotated on orthopedic, pulmonary and the general medical unit. Fun stuff :)

[missycrowell]

Oh yeah, and vital signs...... So. Many. Vital signs. 😑

[AnchoredRN]

I just got my clinical assignment and in doing my first 3 weeks ( after the SIM lab) at a LTC and my last 6 weeks on the Peds floor at the hospital

[mnw9412]

I loved my fundamentals clinical. It's really what verified that I wanted to be a nurse. We gave bed baths, changed briefs, helped the residents change themselves if needed, fed them, pass out meds, gave injections of insulin or heparin, provided wound care, and inserted Foleys. It's a lot but it's such great experience. You might luck up with an NG tube, too. But the people above me are spot-on... lots of vitals. :)

[nlitened]

For Fundamentals we went to a LTC/Rehab facility. Not my cup of tea, but got some good experience with Alzheimer's patients.

[cocoa_puff]

Our fundamentals clinical was at a short term rehab facility. We basically did assessments, bed baths, toileting, helped the residents, took vitals, gave meds, worked on care plans, helped the CNAs....it was really nice!!

[NuGuyNurse2b]

Fundamentals was fun. You kinda just observe everything. Some people will tell you they are bored, but it's what you make of it. You're new, you don't know anything, so you do what works for you; observe, ask questions. I always prefaced by saying I'm first semester, so the nurses will answer your question but not judge you on what you might not know.

[PaulBaxter]

We had our clinicals on an orthopedic unit. I thought it was a great place. Mostly we just helped the nurses and CNAs with anything they needed, asked questions, researched patients, talked to patients, practiced our assessment skills, and talked to our patients.

I think some good goals for fundamentals would be:

--find ways to practice any assessments you've been learning

--practice safe transfers

--practice communicating with patients

--ask the staff lots of basic questions about how things work (how do the bed controls work, how does this IV machine work, how does this O2 thing work, what procedure do you use for getting supplies)

[Samm06, BSN, RN]

thanks everyone for your feedback. My clinical rotation is 6 hours long for one day, was your clinical time this long for fundamentals?