How early do you need to come to the clinicals?

[mmr2]

For those who have started clinicals already, how early do you have to come to the site? Say your clinical starts at 7, do you need just to come a couple of minutes early? or do you need to come, like one hour early to set up?

Is it OK to be late sometime? From my experience of taking pre-reqs at a local community college, there are always students who are late, and there seems to be no problem at all. Not sure about the actual nursing school.

I'm asking since I'm starting nursing school next fall. Already got accepted :biggringi! It's an evening program, clinical starts 4pm. I'm wondering whether it is OK to leave work at 3:30.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

We were to be there a half hour early, so that we could get our assignments, and get to the floor at clinical time.

[BeccaznRN, RN]

Don't forget parking! Usually, the students have to park in BFE...

Oh, no kidding. I did clinicals in a large teaching hospital - we had to park in a lot that was about a mile away from the hospital, then catch the shuttle. It took an extra 15 minutes just to get from my car to the floor!

[dawn1971]

Yep, sorry. I was in preconference 1 minute late one time, and was told that one more day and I'd get an unsatisfactory (two satisfactories and you're out). Also, they don't care about weather, traffic, ect. Nursing is HARDCORE!!!

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

Mine don't start until 10-13, at 7AM. The catch is that we get our assignments 2-3 days ahead of time, and have to go in to research about our patients. I'm planning to be there by 6:40AM, and it's nice because the site is 5 mins from my apartment!! LOL. Luck of the draw this semester, i guess. The car won't even be warm by the time I get there!

I went down to wal-mart and got one of those hollow clipboards with a calc on it. Put some pens, sharpie, clinical paperwork book, checkoff card, and a buck in quarters in it so far. Am taking my steth, RNotes plastic assessment guide, drug book, penlight so far. Am not sure what else we need as the orientation will be on the 13th. Looking forward to it and getting it out of the way LTC wise. Looking forward more to the med/surg, ped, L&D parts vs. LTC. I worked in the field but don't know if I'd really want to be in the nursing part of it.

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

I also stick a lip gloss/chapstick & small hand lotion in because my hands and lips tend to be dry...some cash, too, as we do pre- and post-meetings in the cafeteria and are allowed to eat....

[firstyearstudent]

It really depends on your school and your CI and your hospital. I've had CIs who insisted on punctuality. Other times, the offfical start was way before shift change and then the CI would turn a blind eye to latecomers. Now and then I come in early to write down information for care plans or, if the instructor lets us pick our own RNs, to snag one with a reputation for being good with students. Or even to just relax and collect my thoughts.

[firstyearstudent]

I also stick a lip gloss/chapstick & small hand lotion in because my hands and lips tend to be dry...some cash, too, as we do pre- and post-meetings in the cafeteria and are allowed to eat....

You might want to make sure your hand lotions are compatible with the gloves you use. (Oil based lotions can make latex gloves degenerate).

[smk1, LPN]

We have to be in preconference at 6:00 am, and have to park kind of out in the boondocks, so I try to make sure I am out of my car 15 minutes early to get in and get down to the conference room.

[SillyLilly]

In my clinicals, it varied. For the most part, we got there just a few minutes before because we didnt have much else to do any earlier.

But, we had one instructor for whom it was necessary to get to the site at least 45 minutes before hand to do med sheets and have a report ready at 7am. It took me a half an hour to get to the site. (The instructor got there at 4:45 to get everything ready!!!) That was a crazy rotation but we learned alot.

[DawnFL]

Including everything so far mentioned in the clipboard compartment....I have a Tide pen, just in case the spaghetti sauce I had for lunch got lost on the way to my mouth. At my nursing school our uniforms are WHITE....all WHITE. I need my Tide pen. :wink2: Oh yeah and some gum to hide the garlic.

Dawn

[MySimplePlan]

Hi Holly,

Your clinical bag sounds very efficient and I am taking note. Big question, though: where in the world do you store it as you're working?? How much of these things do you keep in your pockets? (Those 'pocket' sized books are still pretty big for my lab coat pocket.)

[IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

I will depend on your program. I know where I'm going there was somebody about 3 minutes late for clinicals and she was talked to. As far as I'm concerned...if you can get to clinicals on a Saturday ontime (the first one too) then you have problems and if they kick you out so be it. I understand things happen but this girl comes late for classes and leaves early. I doubt something happened on this Saturday with lovely weather. I know I may be late someday in the future because of an issue but I don't think you can plan to be late on a regular basis.