How Much Study & Prep Time to Allow for 1st Year Clinicals?

SeattleJess · Aug 29, 2014

It truly depends on your program and the careplan/documentation requirements for clinicals.
My 1st semester, it took 6 hours to complete the required documentation in order to be able to turn it in the next day. On weeks where clinical documentation was due the same day as an exam, I was stressed to the max.
You really won't be able to know the work load unless you speak to students in your program.
Our documentation has gotten more complex each semester and it takes even longer until you get used to the new formats.
So, keep in mind that you may have to factor in lots of extra time!

Wow, this is actually about what I was suspecting I'd need, based on previewing the text on "nursing diagnosis." (What a confusing topic.) Though you're correct, no point in panicking until I get to the actual class. Thanks for the data, SopranoKris!

Stephalump · Aug 29, 2014

It really, really depends. I never once did prep work for clinical, because I never once went and picked a patient the night before. Some students in my cohort did, but it just happened that my 1st year instructor didn't want us to, and by 2nd year we were expected to develop our time management by looking things up day of (since as nurses we don't go the night before to get our patient list ?).

We did do clinical logs during/after clinical during the first year, and it maybe took me 4 or 5 hours? And then second year there were concept maps. Oh, the concept maps. It would take me anywhere between 12-20 hours to do one of those monsters. And then I still wouldn't get a good grade ?. But they weren't due until the next clinical day a week later.

Point being...it all varies!!!

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 30, 2014

It really, really depends. I never once did prep work for clinical, because I never once went and picked a patient the night before.

We were never allowed to pick patients the night before. We got our assignments the day of clinical (we have clinicals 2 days in a row), did our shift and tried to get as much paperwork done as we could during the shift so we had less to do at night. The whole documentation packet was due by the start of clinical shift the next day. The second day, we had the same patient (if they were still on the floor) and just did assessments, vitals, hourly rounding and med passes for our assigned pt. We were also expected to help answer call lights & do Accuchecks for the entire unit, so it was a very busy 2 days. It really got us to focus on time management skills. In 2nd level, we had to add in documenting on the EMR and doing our clinical paperwork. Very busy!!!

It amazes me when I hear of programs that allow the students to get a "head start" with their patient the day before!!! Then again, I'm glad we didn't have that. I completely agree with you, it forces you to be organized and prioritize from the get go.

SeattleJess · Aug 30, 2014

It really, really depends. I never once did prep work for clinical, because I never once went and picked a patient the night before. Some students in my cohort did, but it just happened that my 1st year instructor didn't want us to, and by 2nd year we were expected to develop our time management by looking things up day of (since as nurses we don't go the night before to get our patient list ?).
We did do clinical logs during/after clinical during the first year, and it maybe took me 4 or 5 hours? And then second year there were concept maps. Oh, the concept maps. It would take me anywhere between 12-20 hours to do one of those monsters. And then I still wouldn't get a good grade . But they weren't due until the next clinical day a week later.
Point being...it all varies!!!

Twelve to twenty hours... HOLEY MOLEY! I should probably just quit my job now....

SeattleJess · Aug 30, 2014

We were never allowed to pick patients the night before. We got our assignments the day of clinical (we have clinicals 2 days in a row), did our shift and tried to get as much paperwork done as we could during the shift so we had less to do at night. The whole documentation packet was due by the start of clinical shift the next day. The second day, we had the same patient (if they were still on the floor) and just did assessments, vitals, hourly rounding and med passes for our assigned pt. We were also expected to help answer call lights & do Accuchecks for the entire unit, so it was a very busy 2 days. It really got us to focus on time management skills. In 2nd level, we had to add in documenting on the EMR and doing our clinical paperwork. Very busy!!!
It amazes me when I hear of programs that allow the students to get a "head start" with their patient the day before!!! Then again, I'm glad we didn't have that. I completely agree with you, it forces you to be organized and prioritize from the get go.

That's a wonderful idea to try to get the paperwork done during the shift. I didn't expect I'd be allowed to pick patients and I'm surprised that any program lets you do that. I was thinking that prep would be reading assignments. Four and twenty blackbirds baked in to an ADPIE kinda stuff....

afterseason, ASN, RN · Aug 30, 2014

That's a wonderful idea to try to get the paperwork done during the shift. I didn't expect I'd be allowed to pick patients and I'm surprised that any program lets you do that.

My program did not let us do the paperwork during the shift. They wanted clinical to be spent focusing on getting hands-on experience.

We were allowed to pick our patients to an extent, especially toward the end of school. Our instructor would give us a list of patients they felt would offer good experience, and then allow us to discuss amongst ourselves who wanted which patient. This was so that students who still hadn't had the chance to work with a certain types of patients or get to perform certain procedures could speak up and have the opportunity.