Starting my first Clincal rotation next week

stressgal, RN · Dec 11, 2005

I'm in an ADN program and our first quarter of clinicals were also in a LTC facility. It is a great place to begin as the patients are stable and can educate you many times on their conditions. We focused on Physical Assessments, data bases and our first basic care plans. I was lucky in the fact that our clinical instructor made it very clear we were not there as aides, but as student nurses. Therefore we were to perform the duties of a nurse. Good learning experience.

Good luck.

daisy9980 · Dec 11, 2005

Thank you very much for the post. Most of us in our group (ten of us) are not CNA's. So we are really green . I am very excited. Have a nice weekend. Take care, Tracy

kjwalley · Dec 11, 2005

i am getting ready for my 3rd semester of adn program(given i passmy finals) our first clinical rotation was also in a ltc and it was very helpful. there are several who are green in my class nad have excelled in the clinical aspect of it. you will do great and dont stress over the care plans .once you do one or two it comes easily...good luck

MMARN, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2005

daisy9980,

thank you for posting this thread. I am in almost the exact the same spot as you. I have no idea what to expect and what will happen and what I will learn. It's nice to know that I'm not alone on this. COOL BEANS!!!!! :specs: :roll

daisy9980 · Dec 12, 2005

Cool. Ill make sure to let you know how it goes, and you do the same. Good luck. Tracy

daisy9980 · Dec 18, 2005

Hi again.

I am just re-reading some assessment chapters. I took a drive out there with my friend yesterday and it took about 40 min to get there. I am still nervous, but my other classmates are too. Thanks for listening. Tracy

Catys_With_Me · Dec 18, 2005

I remember that day very well. There were 9 of us and we all had that deer-in-the-headlight look about us. The instructor thought it was so funny she went and called a friend of hers from her nursing school days to reminisce about how they had felt their first day of clinical! The most important thing to remember is that EVERYONE there is nervous and a little unsure of what to do whether you can see it in them or not. And know that every day gets better. You're gonna do great, you're reading up on assessment, you've driven out to find the place, you're nervous... all those things show that you have a real interest in doing well. So guess what? You will.

daisy9980 · Dec 18, 2005

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. :)

Tracy

vegnurse21 · Dec 18, 2005

I was SO nervous my first few clinical days. I can look back and laugh at myself now lol. I think all of us had that whole deer-in-the-headlights look going about us. We kind of just wandered around and had no idea what to do. There was one LPN in our group that kind of guided us on what to do since our instructor was kind of kooky ha!

But don't worry about it, it'll be fine! The little old people in the nursing homes love when you come and really you just change beds, help them with baths/bathroom things, and help them to eat. We didn't do any assessments there, so I don't know if you will be. But that's no biggie either.

Care plans are no fun though. I suggest buying a book. Some instructors consider it cheating but I don't. Yeah it gives you the interventions but it also tells you WHY you do certain things and a lot more information. My instructors have always commented that my care plans are excellent and I have my lovely book to thank...I've really learned a lot from it. Make sure it gives you rationales though or else you won't really get much out of it.

Good luck and have fun!