Last-minute clinical instructor: Is this usual??

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Aug 30, 2007

oh yeah - you have to be VERY flexible. I have worked as clinical instructor and now coordinate rotations for the hospital as well as serve as adjunct faculty. Our facility has an average census of 80. But there are 6 local nursing programs (2 are LVN). Also have surgery tech, radiology, lab and respiratory students. All want the same units on the same days and times. We meet and let all the instructors fight it out. I printed my final schedule 2 days ago so the unit managers and charge nurses would know who to expect and when. Then yesterday I got another request from one of the ADN programs for 10 more students. There are just not enough spaces for all the requests and the schools are limited in the number of instructors who meet state qualifications. A real pain sometimes.

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 30, 2007

Hi, classicdame. I coordinate the nursing students at my facility and have the same problems where I work. It can be a nightmare sometimes!

I just wanted to let you know -- you are not alone.

imafostermom · Jul 29, 2008

I agree, it is always last minute and then when we do go to clinicals, they often act like they did not know that we were coming. We get by though. Flexibility and nursing go hand in hand. Use it as a teaching experience. Remind students that healthcare facility census' are unpredictable and we have to go with the flow.

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Jul 30, 2008

No, not unusual, but very stressful/frusterating!

There may be computer training and/or general hospital orientation and/or training modules and/or background checks that the facility might require; if so, could you at least get your sessions scheduled as students probably won't be allowed to provide care without jumping through a few of the facility's hoops and the hoops may take some time.

All this talk has me shifting gears into "fall semester"! I had better begin work on my packet!

KatrinaRN · Aug 1, 2008

Hi Kacy,

When I started as a clincial instructor, I was hired 3 weeks AFTER the semester started and was given 1 week to prepare. I remember the program chair met me at the hospital where I was to do clinicals for about 2 hours. She gave me a whirl wind tour of the floor and handed me 2 folders full of papers. She offered about a 1-minute explanation of the paperwork and she was gone.

I had not idea what I was doing and definitely didn't have time to prepare. I was called in for an interview on a Thursday and asked to start the same Saturday. I told them I was taking at least a week to look through everything, and the next Saturday I was there. It ended up that I had little time to look over the paperwork anyway, because of the computer training and special glucometer class I had to squeeze in that week.

Now to the positive:) I have been there for 2 years and I now coordinate the program. I love what I do and feel that I am much more supportive of my adjunct clinical staff. I've been in their shoes and I always give them time to prepare and spend as much time helping them as I can.

I know you will do well and if you can get through this first semester, the second one will be easier and you'll find your comfort zone;)

Best of luck to you!

Katrina

KacyLynnRN · Aug 5, 2008

Hi all! I just wanted to 'update' from my original post. I too, have found out that clinical instructors must be very flexible and easy going to make it in teaching! I have been doing med/surg clinicals for a year now and absolutely love it! So much so that I will be starting back for my MSN in nursing education in January! I have been lucky enough to be at the same clinical site (hospital) for all of my clinicals, and I do try to take new clinical instructors under my wing because I remember how terrified I was when I started. I had zero instruction or assistance, but somehow I made it! I guess that is the best thing that nursing has given to me.. the ability to figure out what I'm doing even when I initially have no clue! LOL!!

One of my very first students contacted me the other day to tell me that she had passed the NCLEX-PN and now had her LPN license. It made my day! Really showed me that it is worthwhile to work on passing the torch to others! I love teaching! :wink2:

- Kacy

EvelynRN-BSN · Aug 16, 2008

Hi all!
I am a soon-to-be brand new med/surg clinical instructor. To those of you clinical instructors with experience under your belt, I am wondering if what is happening to me is the usual occurence. I accepted a job as an LPN instructor about a month ago. Clinicals start 9/18. I have been in touch frequently with my new boss, and would like to go ahead and get things set up at the hospital we are going to be at, as far as orientation and outside experiences. I have heard from some of the other instructors that this is generally the instructor's job. No problem. Well, I have been put off for awhile, and I keep asking about details so I can get started setting some things up for my students. I was finally told last week that the school is having some trouble securing the actual hospital for a clinical site, and that things are up in the air right now as to if my students and I will even be there or not? I have no idea if this is because of the particular school being fairly new (only in 2nd year) or because these are LPN students, not RN students. I was told that on Sept. 11th I would be told for sure where we were going. That only gives me a few days to set any orientation and outside experiences up!!!
Is this a usual occurence, that I should just get used to as a clinical instructor?? It is very dissapointing!
Thanks all who reply,
- Kacy, RN, BSN

I was just hired too as a last minute Clinical Instructor teaching Med/Surg. This will also be my first time. I fill out the paperwork next week and clinical starts on 9/15. I go to a faculty meeting next week, then the following week is orientation week for the students at the various hospitals and the college. Hopefully, they will go over stuff with me. I was told they have a CD ROM for first time Clinical Instructors that I will get to see. We will see. :saint:

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Aug 18, 2008

Another problem I have encountered is that schools do not make final faculty arrangements till the last minute. I was interviewed in March several years ago for a faculty position that would begin in August. I was told they would not make a decision till the summer was over (about 1-2 weeks before classes begin!). This was a budget reason. Later I learned this is routine, at least for that school.

iteachob, MSN, RN · Aug 20, 2008

Another thing that sometimes happens (at least to us)....we will have clinical instructors all lined up and then (it's always 1 or 2 weeks before the semester starts) they will bail on us! So, it can be very frustrating on both sides of the fence (long time faculty trying to get thier clinicals covered and new clinical instructors). :twocents:

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Aug 21, 2008

It is not uncommon for me to get paid after the semester is completed! I looked around for another program but they all seem disorganized as the next. The good news is I love doing clinicals.