How to get clinical/skills experience withouth working

[jchene]

Hello! I am making a career change into nursing. I did my pre-reqs quickly, and am now in the midst of an accelerated BSN program. Because of this, I didn't have time to get my CNA license, and I don't have time to work while in school. My greatest insecurity is my lack of health-care experience. I'm so afraid that when I begin work I'll be miles behind where I should be because of a lack of familiarity with the hospital in general.

I am working hard in clinicals to practice all the skills I can. I also volunteer in a local ED, and spent a shift shadowing a nurse which was awesome. But I still feel really anxious to practice skills - everything from making beds to NG tubes.

Does anyone have advice about ways to practice skills, outside of volunteering/clinicals/work? Thank you!! :)

- J

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

You get your skills in clinical. You don't need health care experience. I don't. I'm doing fine in clinicals. I think you are worrying about nothing. There are 10 of us in my clinical group. Three are CNAs. We all do the same stuff. Assessments, taking care of patients. They may know how to change a brief faster than me or give a shower faster, but honestly, does it really matter? No. As long as we all can do it. I don't get this mentality of people who are CNAs have an advantage over me. They honestly don't because a CNA is not a nurse. They are not going to be doing the stuff you are. They are a very important part of the health care team, but different jobs. If they did, they would be nurses and paid much more. The girls in my group who are CNAs have been great with helping me understand some things when it comes to catheters and sterile field, but I have helped them too in certain areas. Don't be intimidated, I promise you will be fine.

[loriangel14, RN]

You won't expected to be experienced as a new grad. the experience will come once you start working. Don't a fraid to ask for help if you are unsure about something and never attempt to do something that you have been taught to do. Many skills aren't actually learned until you are on the job.

[dorkypanda]

Are there any nursing units that don't require prior healthcare experience when looking for employment ?

[RunBabyRN]

I can tell you from first-hand experience that even prior healthcare experience doesn't always help much with the job search. Don't stress about it. And, as stated before, after the first semester, you're generally on-par with the CNAs in your class. Skills are not what make a nurse, and no manager will expect you as a new grad to be an expert, or even to do them on your own.

Take a deep breath, cut yourself a break, and look for opportunities as they arise.

[OneHappyRN]

I wouldn't worry about it. I didn't have any experience except my clinicals. I learned a LOT during my preceptorship in my last semester of nursing school. It really started to come together - then when I got a job on the med-surg floor it just came together even more. It will start to make sense when you start working and you will see that you know much more than you even realized.

I didn't work during school at all b/c I focused on my grades. Everyone is different, but it's worked out just fine for me and I don't feel like I'm lacking any knowledge b/c I wasn't a NA. I learned that stuff in school and was pretty comfortable w/ it. I was also one of those students who got involved and wasn't afraid to work. I knew that I wasn't going to be a NA or PCA so I had to get all the experience I could in clinicals.

[rubato, ASN, RN]

As far as skills, you'll be fine. You'll get them in clinicals. However, you may have a tougher time finding a job at the end of school. My cohorts that didn't work struggled a little more to find that "in". Many of them searched longer, or took jobs that weren't their first choice, second choice, but only choice.

[ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN]

I agree with the above posters. If you would like to “practice” clinical skills, maybe you can practice them in your school’s lab during open hours. You will become acclimated to hospital operations during your clinical. Much of your learning will come from your first nursing job- both during floor orientation and the experience you will accumulate while working as a floor nurse. No one has the expectation that you will hit the floor running when you graduate. Hence, the six to twelve weeks of orientation (depending upon facility) you will receive with your employer.

Take it easy and enjoy the experience.

[anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP]

As others have said try skills lab and make yourself available in clinicals.

I mostly came to say FYI: you may not get to do everything in your clinicals but don't worry. I have been a nurse 4.5 years and have only placed 1 NG tube. When I did that (when I was actually an RN) I just asked one of the experienced nurses to go with me to watch and help if needed. No problems

[jchene]

Thank you so much for the kind advice! I feel really encouraged. I'm just going to keep working as hard as I can in clinicals. Thanks again!!!