I start clinicals on Oct. 6th and I'm excited. Right now, in the lab, it seems like a lot of girls in my class are "goofy" during labs because we're working on the mannequins or each other. Today we did complete bed baths (not peri care, obviously...we wore tank tops and shorts and washed only the exposed areas) and oral care on each other and there was a lot of giggling, etc. going on.
I'm really looking forward to clinicals so that the goofiness will go away. We are doing ours at the hospital connected to the nursing college I'm attending. Each of us are going to be paired up with a current CNA on the floor we are working on. We are going to be doing clinicals in cardiac, oncology, orthopedics, med/surg, and rehab. (I wish we were doing postpartum...that's were I hope to work someday. I can see why they don't have students on that floor, though. I'm very familiar with that floor. I had all six of my kids at that hospital.):)
So, what was your clinical experience like? Do you feel that you learned a lot and that it helped you feel more comfortable with your first CNA job?
ETA: Sorry for my horrible grammar in the title line...wish I could edit it! How were clinicals for you? :)
I start my clinicals on jan 5th and i am so excited i can hardly wait. I'm in a 5 month cna class in the bronx and although I'm excited about clinicals i really don't feel prepared for it. We spent about 3 months on thoery and about a month and a half on skills. I do practice a lot outside of the class it's just that i feel as if i'm not ready. Maybe it's just my nerves acting up or just nervous about practicing what iv'e learned in class on the residents in the nursing home. I have two weeks of clinical so i guess that i will have a lot of time to practice what i've learned in the classroom. I'm really worried about the state boards exams not the written exam but the skills. we will see what happens and when it's time for me to take the skills exam i will be back to let everyone know how it went and the clinicals too.
Totally normal! You'll learn a lot, make friends with the residents, and come away with a new career! Good luck!
Thanks sonomala. I know that once i do start everything will just fall in place. It's just the waiting and the thoughts that come into my head about all of it. I just can't wait until that day comes.
And, your first few days of clinicals, you'll probably be even MORE nervous. You'll be slow and uncomfortable and probably overly cautious because you'll be so afraid of doing things incorrectly. But as the days pass, you'll start finding yourself feeling more and more comfortable, and before you know it, most of the skills and tasks will feel like second nature to you.
One thing that I've found helped me in clinicals was to ACT confident. Even if you are freaking out on the inside, make the resident think you know exactly what you're doing. If the resident feels at ease, the job will be much easier and it makes for less stress for everyone.
Of course, the most alert and oriented residents will know that you're new, and they will be used to having newbies around and they will actually go out of their way to help you learn!
And, just remember that you're still a student, so it's okay to feel uncertain. If you don't feel comfortable doing a particular skill by yourself yet, DON'T DO IT. Have an aide or your instructor demonstrate the skill for you again until you feel comfortable trying it on your own.
And, my last bit of advice to you? Don't let the first couple of weeks get to you. They can be TOUGH, and a couple of people in my class got overwhelmed in the first week and quit. Trust me when I say that once you get your own routine down and you get to know your residents, everything becomes much, much easier.
The fact that you're nervous and excited already tells us that you're probably going to do great. Good luck, and once you get started, keep us posted on your progress. :)
I just completed clinicals last Tues. we had 4 days at a nh....I really enjoyed it! wasnt really nervous (a lil nervous) but it turned out just fine! of course we had wonderful CNA'S that we shadowed. but now I'm about to have a nervous breakdown ,because my state exam is tomorrow,I have severe performance anxiety!
Thanks so much guys. You all make me feel so much better and with all of your advice and encouragements I know that I will be able to do this. I will let everyone know how it went because as soon as I get home on the fisrt day of clinicals I will be letting you all know how it went.
CNA2B good luck on your state exam and remember to breath.
Hopeful76...I think that each CNA course differs based on the school, state and instructor. In the program I'm in we do a lot of practicing on each other. My program is Monday through Thursday 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM for three weeks, then three days of clinicals (all day), one day taking the written exam and skills testing with the state. So, 16 full days total.
Another thing that may make the program I'm in different is that it is at one of the top nursing/medical colleges in my city. The college is part of a hospital system here, so we do our clinicals at the attached hospital. I specifically chose this program because I hope to work at that hospital and get my "foot in the door" with the system. (They help the graduates of their CNA program with job placement within their system.) They are building a women's hospital less than a mile from my house that is opening in 2010. I'm hoping to get a job there when it opens (my goal is to become a L&D RN). I also want to take advantage of their school program. After I have worked there for a year as a CNA they will pay for 100% of my nursing school tuition, if I contract to work for them for three years after graduation. I intend to work them anyway, so it's a great deal for me!
As far as practicing oral care on each other it really wasn't that bad. We pretended to be responsive patients (using a toothbrush/toothpaste & emesis bowl). We practiced oral care of unresponsive patients on a manniquin (using sponge swabs, peroxide cleanser, oral moisturizer and emesis bowl).
This sounds like a great program..Where is this at ? ( if I may ask?)
dmskoka...I'm in midwest. As far as the tuition program, I think that a lot of hospital systems throughout the country offer something. You can call some hospitals in your area and ask about it.
I had my clinical a few months ago. It was a great experience! I got my top choice...I was on the oncology/surgery floor. I was able to do so much! The CNAs that I shadowed were great and let me do a lot of stuff myself. By the end of clinical I was helping the RNs bring in patients from post-op and doing their initial vitals by myself (with supervision, of course). I did bladder scans, ostomy care, GI tube care, lots of vitals and ambulating. Also did peri-care, bed baths, changing occupied beds, etc. The "biggest" thing I did was to "assist" (mildly assist) the CNA I was shadowing and a RN in unpacking an open hip-to-hip incision on a bariatric patient and then I showered the patient. I knew at that moment I would be OK because I had an open abdominal incision right at my eye level and it didn't bother me one bit.
sonomala
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Totally normal! You'll learn a lot, make friends with the residents, and come away with a new career! Good luck!