How much extra time do you spend in the Nursing Lab?

[edatri]

We don't really have a lot of time to practice during our scheduled nursing lab class, so I feel like I'm living in the nursing lab. I'm going in for three hours this afternoon - just to practice passing meds. I'm already in there 3 - 6 extra hours a week. And we haven't really done anything complicated like NG tubes and Foley catheters yet! (we don't get to touch needles until next semester) I guess it's paying off since I haven't had to retake a skills check.

How much extra time do you (or did you) spend in the nursing lab?

[rubato, ASN, RN]

We are mandated to spend 4 hours every 2 weeks and must sign in and out. That's about how much I spend. I was up to 5 hours this period for injections, but usually, just the 4.

[dhoff]

I'm only in my first semester of classes so I don't spend too much extra time in open lab because the things we are doing is just foundation stuff (CNA). But I was in there before my foundation skill check and I talked to a few girls I know in the semester ahead of me and they say they spend an extra 4 hours at least in open lab to make sure they know exactly what to do for check-off. Honestly, I respect that. It shows how much they truly care about nursing.

[Julesmama28]

None, outside of lab hours. I was a cna before though, so nothing aside of med admin. Is really new or scary. Like a previous poster, I walk through it at home with my kids as patients if I'm nervous. They think its great! It helps too, I've aced all check offs.

[OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN]

ZERO!!!! LOL jk I have been in the nursing lab since last fall but I never spent extra time there. I probably would if I lived closer to my school but I don't and time is money for me there so I never spent any extra time there. You can practice some stuff at home :) Obviously not everything but some things. Do you guys have videos or anything that you could watch at home.

[chrisrn24]

When we learned med pass and our caths/wounds, I spent quite a bit of time in the lab. It did help that I had a good friend that would stay with me and we'd practice stuff on each other. That year, I never retook a test except for my med pass (I misread a drug calculation, passed on the second try). When we did IVs, I didn't spend as much time as I should have (and regret it) because I was so burnt out from med-surg and peds, and had to retake my IV test (passed on the second try). My third year, I wasn't in there very much (but we only had a skill or two to learn, and they were easy). We did simulations in class, and I would read up on the subject before class.

[CASM]

I'm in my 1st semester and during the first 8 weeks I spent an extra 3 hours a week when we had a skill check off (NG tube, foley cath). Now that we're in our second 8 weeks and are beginning clinicals we don't get the "extra" time in lab every week anymore. We'll just have the time we're in the lab for class which is 3 hours. I really utilize the video's and the book, very helpful!