Are clinicals flexible?

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CacaoHeart

32 Posts

With my program the clinical site changes once or twice per semester. We have no say in what clinical site we get, and can't trade with classmates. This semester I lucked out and got a spot 3 miles from my house that I can bike to. Other semesters it may be a 40 minute drive, with expected arrival time being between 6 and 6:45am depending on instructor. If you're more than 15 minutes late to clinical, you're sent home. If you miss more than 2 days of clinical in a semester (for any reason), you're done with the program but can reapply for admission next year.

Look at public transportation, reliable carpools, or biking if it's within 10 miles. You could ask the program director what clinical sites the program uses and get an idea of what kind of commute you might be looking at. One classmate upon realizing how much of a drive she'd have decided to stay at a friend's house near the hospital the night before each week so it'd be a less insane commute. This semester we have to go to the hospital the day before clinical to get data on our patient, so our "day off" with no classes scheduled is actually our busiest day of the week. That said, I'm really enjoying my time on the floor.

MusicalCoffee

34 Posts

At my school, our clinical coordinator explained that the way we are placed was through a computer system. Our addresses are used and that is one way they try and place us. It also depends on where they have contracts and the opening/availability in the specific area (pediatrics, psych, etc) because we share hospitals with other schools. Some of our sites will be up to 2 hours away. They wont work around our schedule, if we have another job or whatnot, because as previous posters have said, you have a set clinical site and time to be there and there isn't any wiggle room. We were told, however, that they will work with us if we have transportation issues or babysitting issues for those with children, which I thought was very nice. If we tell them ahead of time, they'll work with us to try and come up with a solution. In that sense, I really love my school because the professors and faculty really seem to care and want to help you succeed.

I would definitely look into possibly carpooling. Another perk going that route: those first day jitters might not be as bad if you have a few classmates to go with, rather than getting there by yourself.

Sadala, ADN, RN

356 Posts

Specializes in Med Surg.

Wow. It just depends. Are clinicals flexible? lololololol

Absolutely NOTHING is flexible about our program. Don't

know about other programs.

I do know that some students carpool and I think that at

least a couple who don't have cars are still able to carpool

with someone and they help pay for gas in return. So... I

wouldn't count on the program to be flexible with you, but

maybe some of your fellow students will be. Or maybe you

live in a metropolitan area where they have more clinicals

the same general area and you can bike ride or take pub-

lic transport. Good luck!

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