How long are your clinicals?

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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I attend clinicals eow 645-1500. I personally think that for basic nursing 8 hrs is too long. I have 1 pt to care for so I have a lot of down time. I think for basic nursing 4-6 hours is enough.

Seeing as I put in my time in the military and I know how to tell time in my sleep, perhaps I wasn't talking to you? Perhaps all the previous posters who did 8 hours days is what I was referring to?

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

You don't have to be rude. That's why you quote people. I won't be so nice next time.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

All of my clinical rotations consisted of 8-hour shifts, three days per week in the LVN program I attended. Sometimes they were from 6:45am to 3:15pm and at other times they ran from 3:00pm to 11:30pm.

I attended school in California, which requires 954 clinical hours to be completed before students are permitted to graduate from LVN programs. Therefore, the 8-hour clinical shifts were necessary to meet this requirement.

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All my clinicals have been different times, usually starting sometime around 0530 or 0600. The morning staff meetings have a lot to do with this. Today's clinical was 0600-1600 for an example. I have been under the impression that the instructors get to pick their times, but as by state BON, we have to have at least a certain number of clinical hours total before graduation. You should have clinical hour requirements in your state too.

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Just because you only have one patient doesn't mean you have to sit around doing nothing. You can help the nurses and CNAs, answer bells, spend a little time chatting with your patient and reading their chart. You can also find work to do like stocking carts etc.Ask the staff what you can do to help. An extra set of hands always comes in handy on any floor.

On a floor with 15-20pt, 3 rn's, 2 lpn's, 1 pct and 8 spn's there is only so much you can do. We do vs and accu chek for the floor, answer the call lights and help when ever we can.

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On a floor with 15-20pt, 3 rn's, 2 lpn's, 1 pct and 8 spn's there is only so much you can do. We do vs and accu chek for the floor, answer the call lights and help when ever we can.

Make sure you also look at other charts (if you can) if a patient has an odd or unusual diagnosis, check it out---maybe you can't care for the patient but read history, meds and figure out the why of it all. What's an SPN??

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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You don't have to be rude. That's why you quote people. I won't be so nice next time.

I wasn't being rude, but I'm also not going to quote several posters behind you.

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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What's an SPN??

student practical nurse

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Specializes in LTC.

Usually 6-8 hours though there was one instructor who had us stay just 4.5 hours from 7am - 11:30am

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7-2 with a 30 min break....

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0630-1500 Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and holy moly am I tired! I'm so not a morning person and wish they could start a little later or end sooner!

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Specializes in ICU.

It totally depends on where you are in the program. I started around one eight hour day a week, and then my final rotation was 3 12 hour shifts, so 36 hours a week. You gradually get more hours as you go. :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Alzheimer's & Dementia.

My first quarter clinicals were 12 hours :-/ I feel your pain.

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