What clinical rotations have you done?

rn999 · Jan 3, 2007

HI everyone, since this thread about rotation, is medical/surgical rotation same as clinicals? I am looking forward to get a student shift job at a hospital and one of the requirements is completion of medical/surgical rotation. I am starting my first clinical this January. Any difference in these 2? Thanks and Happy New Year to all.

S.T.A.C.E.Y, LPN · Jan 3, 2007

ya, same thing....just a different word.

SoulShine75 · Jan 3, 2007

1st semester: LTC and Rehab at hospital & 1 wound care center rotation.

2nd semester: Women's Unit (med-surg I)& 1 OR rotation

3rd semester (next) we'll be doing Renal, Neuro and Psych rotations (med-surg II).

moongirl · Jan 3, 2007

I have done Long term care, Ortho, Medical, Surgical, OR, Outpatient, Peds, OB and PCU

Next semester will do ER, Psych and Community and precepting (graduation in May)

In OB, it was very hands on. I did IV starts, mom and baby assessments, new baby baths, eye drops shots. assisted the mom with positioning and pushing, watching the monitors

OR was watching only.

In outpatient I started tons of IV's and watched several procedures

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Jan 3, 2007

Med/Surg. 8 weeks. We did total patient care (but no IVs/blood draws until second semester). It was interesting and I learned a lot. I got to see my first code. I got to work one day in the ER (LOVED IT!!) and one day in the OR (hated it).

Psych. I enjoyed my psych clinicals. I was at a great hospital with fantastic RNs. We hung out with the patients and learned from them--fantastic learning experience for me. Our patients were schizophrenics, etc. 8 weeks.

That was my first semester, now for second semester we will be doing OB and Peds clinicals (8 weeks each). So we will see how that goes, I can't say I am really thrilled about either though, just not my thing but I also look for learning opportunities and skills practice no matter where I am. Everyone has told me I will get to do a lot of caths for OB so that is good.

What I can tell you from my experience is to take advantage of every opportunity you are given--because you might not see it again. And that includes the basic things like injections, Foleys, NG tubes, cleaning poop, changing linens, etc.

NurseKatie08, MSN · Aug 4, 2008

I think every school does it a bit different, but this is how my BSN program was structured. Clinical rotations start your fourth semester into the program (2nd semester, soph year), nursing courses start third semester.

Fundamentals (2nd Semester, Soph): Half the semester was spent going to the nursing lab brushing up on assessment skills & learning basic hands on care (bed baths, bed making, use of PPE, etc.) Second half of the semester, we went to a nursing home and did basic hands on care. Passed PO meds, gave insulin injections. (Holy crap, I remember drawing up my first insulin and being terrified--now I'm a new grad, and the terror is setting in again!! :no: )

Med/Surg (1st semester, Junior): I was on an ortho unit at a community hospital. Did med passes, dressings, PCA sheets, observed in the OR/PACU. This course was a full semester in the hospital 2 days/week.

After this point, we move on to Quarter classes, so half of us take one thing, half the other & then switch for the 2nd half of the semester. (I'm writing the order I took things in.)

Pediatrics (3rd quarter, Junior): I was on a school age & adolescent floor at a major teaching hospital in Boston--loved it! Similarly to med/surg, took care of our kiddos, but being at a teaching hospital I got exposure to some really sick kids (10 year old with spastic CP & developmental hip dysplasia, in a spica cast, a septic 17 y/o, infant waiting for pyloric stenosis surgery, etc.) Also did an observation day in the NICU, Pediatric ER (I ended up seeing an adult burn victim & chest tube being put in d/t Peds being slow that day they sent me to trauma) & went with one of my patients when she got a barium swallow.

Maternity (4th quarter, Junior): Took care of mom & baby on a post-partum unit. One day rotated to L&D, saw a c-section, but no vag birth :down: another day rotated to Special Care Nursery. Did good a ole IM Demerol, which was probably the most exciting thing in the whole rotation. (I'm not much of an OB person.) Also spent a day following a CNM at a Birth Center.

Psych (1st quarter, Senior): Was at a dual-diagnosis facility (ie people admitted for substance abuse & another psychiatric dx.) Ran a group, did process recordings, etc. No meds in this clinical.

Critical Care (2nd quarter, Senior): Mostly in an ICU at a community hospital, with some rotation to Cardiac Surgery, ER & did a Paramedic run. Was in on a code in the ER, followed to Interventional Radiology and saw a massive PE. Did IV push, g-tube meds, etc. One of my fave clinicals.

Rehab (3rd quarter, Senior): I was on a Peds Rehab unit at a major teaching hospital. Absolutely loved it. We kept the same patients until they went home, so had a 5 month old twin ex-preemie with Bronchopulmonary dysplasia most of the time. She was totally off her O2 and POing well when she went home--and was basically the cutest thing ever! :heartbeat

After she went home, I picked up a teenager who had a stroke...nicest kid ever. From what I've heard he's home now & doing well. Did meds, and got to drop an NG in a 3 week old.

Community Health (4th quarter, Senior): One day/week with a VNA, did visits with the nurses (sometimes w/reg home health, sometimes with hospice) 2nd day/week shadowed a FNP at a Community Health Center, which I also loved. Also wrote a mother of a community assessment paper (Appendices and all, it was about 80 pages--in addition to my completely separate honors thesis--yeah I'm a nerd-- :specs: )

Sometimes I wish we'd had the opportunity for a preceptorship, but all and all I loved my BSN program & can't believe it's over now!! :nurse:

ray_GN · Aug 4, 2008

i have done school health and communitry health, OB, Postpartu/Nursery, Psych, Medicine, Pedia