How much clinical time to you get?

[sunny59]

Not so much hours in a day - although I am interested in that, but how many days per semester? all at once or spread out?

We started the 3rd week of class (2nd year - 1 semester - supposed to grad in May with ADN), we go once a week for 7 clinicals out of a 15 week semester. I don't think it enough. According to my instructor " I am just not where I need to be", I think it is lack of experience and it is taking me longer to get there (wasn't a CNA first - change of career from education).

So I was just curious if this is about the same amount of time everyone gets or what?

Sunny

[Lynnsey017]

I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling that we do not get enough clinical practice. I'm 4th of five semesters and we go to Med-Surg 7-3 once a week, one day rotation in Hospice, and three days in the Behavioral Medicine Unit.

[eandgsma]

I'm in my second semester of a 4 semester ADN program. First semester we started clinicals 4 weeks in so that left us with 12 weeks of clinical. We went Tues 1:30-3:30 (search) Wednesday 7am to 11am, Thursday 7am to 11am. This semester we started clinical in the 3rd week with Med/Surg for 5 weeks, twice a week 6am to 12pm. Peds for 5 weeks, 1:30pm to 7:30pm and OB for 3 weeks 6am to 12pm. I can't remember what 3rd and 4th semester requires off the top of my head. Each semester we start in clinicals earlier.

I like the two days of care because it provides continuity of care and a better learning experience.

- N

[slou!]

sorry, I posted but I posted the wrong thing, so I am re-looking it up

[Achoo!, LPN]

2nd semester

2 5 week stints twice a week for 7 hours each day. Plus a 2 hour " clinical conference" once a week.

[Chrissypa]

Hello, I am in a 12 month LPN program and we had class for the first 6 weeks, then we started clinicals 2 days a week 6:30-2:30 and then after Christmas we have clincals 3 days a week 6:30-2:30. Been in the hospital for 3 weeks now and just love it! It's a long day but we have learned a tremendous amount of information. I only have 7 1/2 months to go! Our teachers are wonderful! I just passed on the med cart at the school and in the next couple of weeks I will pass to a whole wing of Pt's at the nursing home. Time is flying by! Good Luck!! Hugs, Chrissy

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

A month after we start school (LPN) we start clinicals. We do two days a week from 6:45a-2p. Then 3-4mths into the program we start clinicals 3 days a week.

In 15 months worth of schooling we wll get 806 +/- hours clinical time.

[Achoo!, LPN]

2 days a week typically, unless there is a prep day. It is in 5-6 wek stints for me.

[jjjoy, LPN]

We generally had 2 eight-hour days per week for 5 weeks in each area of study. So 5 weeks intro (basic basics in patient care), 5 weeks med-surg, 5 weeks ortho, 5 weeks geriatrics, 5 weeks ped, 5 weeks maternity, 5 weeks psych... Just barely an introduction in my book, especially since we were sharing our instructor with 6-7 other students. Plus, we'd often have a day or two off the floor each rotation observing OR or an outpatient clinic or the like. The total comes out to about 700 hours of "acute care clinical" but probably more like 600 hours of possible opportunity for direct patient care.

[norcalRNstudent]

I'm in a 2 year ADN program. We get 10 weeks of med/surg each semester, 2 days a week, and work a full shift. 1st and 2nd semester days were a bit shorter, but not much, so, all in all, about 160 hours of med/surg a semester. We do 5 weeks OB, 5 weeks geri, 5 weeks pedi, and 5 weeks psych, all 2x a week, full shifts, so 80 hours per specialty. All in total, close to 1000 hours of clinical time. I think it's a pretty good amount.

[momx4]

Hospital Diploma program-Pittsburgh

Freshman year:

Intro- 6wks x 2xweek = 12

A&G-10wks x 2/wk = 20

MedSurg-16 wks x 2/wk=32 minus 2 day OR, 1 day PACU, 1 day recovery room, 1 day wound care clinic

=28

Senior Year

Critical care 8wks x 2/wk =16

Mental health 8wks x 2/wk= 16

OB/Peds 8 wks x 2/wk=16

Community 8wks x 2/wk= 16

Leadership 8 wks x 5/wk =40(shadow a nurse with full patient load)

Of course minus holidays and breaks, but dont feel like subtracting,lol sorry

[nurseofalltrades]

We began clinicals the second month of classes. I am a part time program. The first year and a half we had clinicals every thursday and one weekend a month- all LTC and med surg. The last six months we have clinicals every other tues, every thursday and one weekend a month- ob/peds. We rotate a day in ER here and a day in OR there whenever time allows or we are lacking pts.

[Halinja, BSN, RN]

We're on the quarter system.

First quarter sophomore year....all clinicals were in our skills lab, once a week, i forget how many hours.

Then second quarter, 10 weeks (one week orientation, 9 weeks on the floor) 7 - 4... 81 hours on the floor.

Third quarter, did 7-4 for 4 weeks (36), 7-7 for 5 weeks (60) on the floor for a total of 96 hours on the floor (we did conference while we ate lunch)

Junior year... first quarter 9 weeks on the floor 7-7. 108 floor hours (all of the above was med surg)

2nd quarter was psych...10:00 - 6:30 for 9 weeks = 76.5 hours

3rd quarter L&D, 7-5:30 for 9 weeks = 94.5 hrs

Senior year 1st quarter was Peds, 7-5:30 = 94.5

2nd quarter, community, one day 8-5, one day 8-12:30 for 9 weeks, 121.5

3rd quarter is going to be practicum. I think we have to get in 120 hours on that one.

So....792 hrs, plus one day per quarter of orientation, usually about 12 hours, another 96 hours. 888 hours. Doesn't feel like enough.

wow....long post

(edited because I screwed up the community hours the first time through)