What you did at clinical you will not do again

Nursing Students General Students

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Hey all,

Clinicals are stressful but they are a learning process. Since they can be so tense I thought it might be nice to see what others have learned regarding clinicals.

Lesson 1

When placing a foley catheter in a patient, you miss (as students will do) and you have to replace the foley with a new sterile one............ when you remove the bag from the old foley......

Remember to replace it on the new STERILE ONE!!!! or you will be changing sheets for the next 15 minutes!

Lesson learned

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1st semester: you do not inject air into morphine vials

2nd semester: do not stare too long at a schizophrenic patient

3rd semester: nothing really

4th semester: assume that you are not allowed to assist a surgeon perform a lady partsl hysterectomy on one patient and correct lady partsl stenosis on another. professors may get a little upset at that b/c its going beyond what they thought your OR rotation should be like

5th semester: nothing so far

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Specializes in hospice.

Almost toss a Carpuject into a sharps container. :nono: :lol2:

I forgot that they are like gold. But at least the RN was kind about it!

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Lesson 1: Never, never assume it is just a fart when diapering a pt. you are most likely to be surprised to find out that it was really massive amounts of diarrhea.

Lesson 2: Always make sure the IV tubing is hooked to the patient before starting the IV pump...if not it makes a nice puddle.

Lesson 3: Never underestimate the strength of a little old lady when she really doesn't want that NG tube shoved up her nose, she will pull it right back out.

Those are just the ones that really stick out in my mind.

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When burping Colostomy bags, Vick's Vapor rub is your friend.

Learn to touch people

Never turn your back on any patient (learned that one the hard way-Elderly man attacked me, Alzheimers)

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in L&D I accidentally threw away the Hep B vaccine bottle, trying to clear up the table. Didn't know the nurse hadn't yet recorded the Lot#. So I ALMOST went back into the sharps container to get it out.

I will NEVER almost do that again. Staff nurse was a little annoyed I almost did that...phew...

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Specializes in CVICU, ER.

double posted...oops

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Specializes in CVICU, ER.

GI bleed really IS as bad as they say!!! Learned this after throwing up in my mouth WITH a mask on. :barf01: Not fun. Smearing mint toothpaste in a mask is supposed to help. Haven't tried it yet, but I carry a small travel size with me to clinical. Lesson learned!

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Well...let's see.

Semester 1: Do NOT pull a pt away from breakfast to assess him...especially if he's diabetic, the instructors says to assess right away, etc....don't do it! Also, don't give ANY med without the instructor's say so.

Semester 2: Do not comment on the pt abd "Oh, we have lots of subq tissue here!" They MAY get offended.

Also, make sure you stick a finger with the right end of a lancet.

Semester 3: If you do NOT have ovaries or a uterus...just muddle though the OB dept with your head down....and do not make any comments!

Semester 4: Make sure you sign all that you've done during a LTC shift. And tell the staff nurse what the next group needs to do.

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LTC, make sure to not struggle with your two assist client for so long trying to get his pajama sleeve off of his arm, that he ends up being an hour late to breakfast and messes up your whole day. Ask a cna for help alot sooner.:mad:

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