How to be excused from clinicals

[CheesePotato, BSN, RN]

Sick of clinicals? Traveling all over from hospital to hospital in hopes of gleaning knowledge from experienced nurses got you down? Are you tired of all the observing of boring surgeries, pointless procedures, and assessment after assessment?

Well, in three simple steps you too can be dismissed from this hassle forever.

Step one: Be in a room full of people and ignore the fact that each and every one are trained in medicine in some form--especially pay no attention to the gentleman maintaining the airway or the second gent at the microscope working away in someone's spine.

Step two: Pretend to faint. Be sure to gently lower yourself to the ground (wouldn't want to get hurt now, would we?) and a small dramatic limb flap is encouraged. When the nurse performs a quick assessment including holding your "limp" arm over your face and letting go, whatever you do, don't let it hit you in forehead. Only truly unconscious people are that boneless.

Be sure not to move even after anesthesia taps you on forehead and tells you to get up.

Step three: Cry and lie about it. Repeatedly. Make multiple and various excuses for disturbing surgery and taking eyes and ears, no matter how momentarily, from the patient. When that fails, by all means, resort to anger and indignation. Be sure to really lean into the swears when you utter them.

Success! You have been dismissed from the OR observation and clinicals in general!

As an aside, I guess this individual was a multi-offender when it came to various antics in the clinical setting. It's a real shame. Personally, I was bewildered by the whole situation. This was hands down one of the strangest and most ridiculous things I have heard of.

Students, make wise choices when you are in clinicals in regards to professionalism, behavior, etc. Think of each clinical as your standing resume as the nurses you encounter may be the same nurses on an interview panel when you come back looking for a job.

And yes, fainting in the OR does happen on occasion and for various reasons. Should you be observing and feel ill or faint, follow three little cardinal rules to keep everyone, mostly yourself, safe:

1) Step away from the sterile field or down from the lift/step you are on. If you need help, say so. No one will ignore you. (At least not the folks I work with).

2) Tell someone you don't feel well so we can help you.

3) Sit down right where you are if you cannot reach a chair. It's okay. I would rather have a student sitting in my path rather than cracking their skull on the floor.

And as Forrest Gump said: That's all I have to say about that.

~~CP~~

P.S.

For those of you who chimed in on my most recent thread the top vote was for Snickers Pie--a fine and delicious choice. Join me in celebrating the wonderful world of YUM by finding the recipe here.

[IrishErin]

Lol! I am very intrigued to know more about the circumstances leading to this most amusing post :)

[Krzysztof]

Good advice, CheesePotato. But I find it most effective to first remark on an increasing room temperature while fanning myself and breathlessly exclaiming that I've got "the vapors."

Then go down.

[NurseNightOwl, BSN, RN]

Wowww. My school had ZERO tolerance for this type of bs. I had classmates literally failed in clinical classes because they were legitimately sick (doctor's excuse and everything) but didn't have the curteousy to get sick at least 2 hours prior to the start of clinical and contact the unit secretary of our scheduled floor for that day no later than that 2 hours before clinical start time.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Good advice, CheesePotato. But I find it most effective to first remark on an increasing room temperature while fanning myself and breathlessly exclaiming that I've got "the vapors."

Then go down.

Eh, but the sudden fall makes it even MORE effective-and dramatic.

[Caribbean Character]

Good advice, CheesePotato. But I find it most effective to first remark on an increasing room temperature while fanning myself and breathlessly exclaiming that I've got "the vapors."

Then go down.

But first you have to say "Oh my!"

[CheesePotato, BSN, RN]

I do declare ya'll are killing me! I just legit laughed out loud and seal clapped flour all over my keyboard!

Let's just say the fainting style of the individual in question was a mix of:

and

Seriously.

~~CP~~

[OCNRN63, RN]

Sick of clinicals? Traveling all over from hospital to hospital in hopes of gleaning knowledge from experienced nurses got you down? Are you tired of all the observing of boring surgeries, pointless procedures, and assessment after assessment?

Well, in three simple steps you too can be dismissed from this hassle forever.

Step one: Be in a room full of people and ignore the fact that each and every one are trained in medicine in some form--especially pay no attention to the gentleman maintaining the airway or the second gent at the microscope working away in someone's spine.

Step two: Pretend to faint. Be sure to gently lower yourself to the ground (wouldn't want to get hurt now, would we?) and a small dramatic limb flap is encouraged. When the nurse performs a quick assessment including holding your "limp" arm over your face and letting go, whatever you do, don't let it hit you in forehead. Only truly unconscious people are that boneless.

Be sure not to move even after anesthesia taps you on forehead and tells you to get up.

Step three: Cry and lie about it. Repeatedly. Make multiple and various excuses for disturbing surgery and taking eyes and ears, no matter how momentarily, from the patient. When that fails, by all means, resort to anger and indignation. Be sure to really lean into the swears when you utter them.

Success! You have been dismissed from the OR observation and clinicals in general!

As an aside, I guess this individual was a multi-offender when it came to various antics in the clinical setting. It's a real shame. Personally, I was bewildered by the whole situation. This was hands down one of the strangest and most ridiculous things I have heard of.

Students, make wise choices when you are in clinicals in regards to professionalism, behavior, etc. Think of each clinical as your standing resume as the nurses you encounter may be the same nurses on an interview panel when you come back looking for a job.

And yes, fainting in the OR does happen on occasion and for various reasons. Should you be observing and feel ill or faint, follow three little cardinal rules to keep everyone, mostly yourself, safe:

1) Step away from the sterile field or down from the lift/step you are on. If you need help, say so. No one will ignore you. (At least not the folks I work with).

2) Tell someone you don't feel well so we can help you.

3) Sit down right where you are if you cannot reach a chair. It's okay. I would rather have a student sitting in my path rather than cracking their skull on the floor.

And as Forrest Gump said: That's all I have to say about that.

~~CP~~

P.S.

For those of you who chimed in on my most recent thread the top vote was for Snickers Pie--a fine and delicious choice. Join me in celebrating the wonderful world of YUM by finding the recipe here.

I remember the first surgery I scrubbed in on when I was a student. It was a bladder susp. (Marshall-Marchetti). I was nervous. I remember standing in my appointed spot, and then everything got kind of fuzzy. "Look at those sparks!" I thought, seeing stars.

Fortunately, I backed up, took some deep breaths and felt better. The surgeon, who was notorious for his temper, looked over at me and said, "Come here, I want you to see this!" I took some tentative steps back toward the table, and was fine for the rest of the surgery.

The next surgery I scrubbed in on was a removal of a hip prosthesis. Again, the surgeon wanted to show me something. As I moved over to look, someone yanked me from behind and pulled me away from the table.

"Hey!," I said. "Why did you do that?" The nurse who pulled me back said, "We heard you were a fainter, and I thought you were going to pass out." So, after scrubbing back in, I got to finish watching; even was allowed to bovie a few little bleeders.

​Still, I really don't care too much for the OR. My hat is off to those who work there.

[Exhaustipated, ADN, BSN]

I only liked the post because of the Snickers Pie recipe. That is the low-cal version, right?

All joking aside, I'm a nursing student right now, and clinicals are the highlight of my week. Why one earth would I want to get out of them? Should the need arise though, I'll keep your tips in mind.

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

I still remember getting the "don't lock your knees!" talk before OR observation. It was eerily similar to advice given by the choir director before a concert.

Seriously, what do some people think?

Besides, "look at me!"

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

I had a classmate that went to the gym, donated blood, and didn't eat or drink anything before clinicals. He legit syncoped right on top of his (thankfully not opened surgically) patient. He was disciplined for being an idiot even though by the point he passed out it was beyond his control.

[IrishErin]

I most definitely passed out in school while watching a c section. Some fluids and a bit of placenta were splashed a Ross my shirt when the surgeon asked me to come I'm for a closer loom as he was cleaning up/closing up.

I remember trying to pull the mask to the side a bit so I could breathe better and then saying "I think I need to sit" and down I went!

I have never been so embarrassed! But I got a popsicle out of the deal hahah