How to stay focus during clinical?

[Hellostudentnurssee]

This is my first time in clinical as a student nurse in a....hospital! :) I've been volunteering at a hospital since I was 16, was able to job shadow nurses but throughout nursing school, we've been limited to just nursing homes. As you can tell, I'm thrilled and would like to absorb and take as much as I can in this experience. My teacher is a known b*tch and is strict and follows the books closely. I prepped the week before asking nurses I knew how to do assessments in a timely manner, prioritizing, proper supplies needed, and just those extra details the books don't teach you.

Before my shift, I made a plan to go over the patient's chart (go over the important stuff, which I also asked advice from),check in with the nurse, listen to the nurse, do vitals, head to toe, and document on the computer right away (we use electronic charting). Charting takes a long time and if there was time to add even one piece of information, I'd do it. Many of classmates have been giving me a hard time, giving me guilt trip to get off the computer so they could use it. It really upsets me because within the 8 hour shift, I was able to do vitals, my head to toe, meds, helped with 1-1 feeding with a patient i wasn't assigned to (had help out throughout the unit), help with some of my classmates patients WHILE getting my charting done/obtaining information for my care plan. I was rarely on the computer and when I was it was for documenting, gaining more information for my care plan, or researching the topic for my patient teaching. I hate it because they hold so much against me: "English is your first language, I need more time on the computer... I haven't been on the computer all day.... i have a new patient today." What's with the guilt trip? I'm not on the computer to "relax or avoid tasks". I'm on it because I need to and I don't understand why they do this to me. I had someone also say she had to "chart her vitals" but she stayed longer than 15 minutes and was checking other information." Most of my classmates are from other counties and somehow expect me think like their culture - whoever is the oldest, you give whatever they want... that's respect to them. When one tried to guilt trip me into giving up a computer, I told him "sorry, I'm busy and still using it." and he got offended...

How do I deal with this? I don't want to complain to my instructor because she'll think I'm just whining. What can I do or say to get them off me?

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Do and say nothing to them. It sounds like you are doing a great job planning ahead, completing your work and charting. As long as you are mindful of how long you are using the computer (as you seem to be) and make sure you aren't on it for too long at one time (you seem good at this too) then it doesn't matter if your classmates are jealous of you or get mad you are on the computer. Just say 'I've got about five (or ten, whatever it is) minutes more of work to do and then it's all yours. No need to explain.

Continue prepping for clinical the way you are now. You're off to a great start!!

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Yeah- you need to take your cues from your instructor. Not all nurses are thrilled with students if they didn't sign up to take them, but got them anyway.

What type of program are you in? Be SURE to not be in the way of the charts early in the morning; that's when the docs are there. If your instructor is not there, you really should ask her if you are allowed to go early to check charts. I had some cheeky student show up when I was charging on nights, and she decides to roam through the chart- and THEN to go wake up the patient (who had JUST fallen to sleep after a long, crazy night- with no supervision; that was NOT my job). I love students- when it's appropriate...... don't set yourself up to get chewed a new one by being more eager than the instructor will allow. Great way to get the boot.

You can prepare by reading your text, doing labs, etc. :) But it's good you're enthused

[SnMrsSmiley]

keep doing what your doing. you sound like your doing a good job! you need the computer as much as they do and in my opinion whoever gets there first gets there first end of story. Chart what you can chart them hand it over when YOU are done :)