LTC vs Hospital for first-semester clinical

Published

I’m starting my nursing program in the Fall so I started to pick my classes and wanted to get some feedback on the pros and cons of a major hospital or a long term care/rehab facility. Not sure if a 500+ bed hospital would give me more experience or would it just be chaotic and mostly observing? I ultimately want to go where I can get the most hands on experience during the first semester.

Any input would be great!

Everyone in my school needs to go to LTC as the first semester. I preferred that to hone in and practice my vital skills, bed baths, etc. The basic skills needed. There will be plenty of time for hospital clinicals once you have your basic skills down. My opinion anyway. Good luck.

17 minutes ago, rnhopeful82 said:

Everyone in my school needs to go to LTC as the first semester. I preferred that to hone in and practice my vital skills, bed baths, etc. The basic skills needed. There will be plenty of time for hospital clinicals once you have your basic skills down. My opinion anyway. Good luck.

Thanks for the input! I’m on Long Island so maybe it’s because there is a large concentration of schools and students to place so we use LTC as well as hospitals even for first semester.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

I had my first clinical experience in LTC. It's pretty basic stuff, and most of the patients are thrilled to be assigned to a student -- someone to talk to -- as opposed to a hospital where folks are upset because they're sick/had surgery/are in the hospital. I learned how to give a bed bath from a really sweet older gentleman who had obviously taught students before, and I really appreciated it. The pace was slower which gave me more time to focus as opposed to in a hospital, where you have to get done now so the patient can go to surgery/radiology/transfer out.

Specializes in Psychiatric nursing.

I second or third what others said above. In my school we all started out in LTC. It was helpful to begin in a place where there was less rush to get things done and where we could work on the skills fundamental to nursing: assessment, moving patients safely, and, very basically, just walking into a room with confidence. (I loved my elderly people and think of them still.)

Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

LTC is a great place to get down the basics like talking to patients, head-to-toe assessments, ADLs, keeping track of supplies, time management etc with less acuity and less pressure than in the hospital.

Specializes in Mental Health.

Do most schools have to do a CNA course and clinical prior to beginning nursing courses? That's how it is at my school, so everyone is expected to know how to do the basics pretty well before we got to that point.

17 hours ago, Ruby Vee said:

I had my first clinical experience in LTC. It's pretty basic stuff, and most of the patients are thrilled to be assigned to a student -- someone to talk to -- as opposed to a hospital where folks are upset because they're sick/had surgery/are in the hospital. I learned how to give a bed bath from a really sweet older gentleman who had obviously taught students before, and I really appreciated it. The pace was slower which gave me more time to focus as opposed to in a hospital, where you have to get done now so the patient can go to surgery/radiology/transfer out.

That’s a really good point I didn’t even think of that, the rush of the hospital setting and most likely cranky patients.

36 minutes ago, Rionoir said:

Do most schools have to do a CNA course and clinical prior to beginning nursing courses? That's how it is at my school, so everyone is expected to know how to do the basics pretty well before we got to that point.

When I was looking at schools I did see some with that requirement but most of them were not in my state (NY).

Specializes in Mental Health.
26 minutes ago, MJ Reid said:

When I was looking at schools I did see some with that requirement but most of them were not in my state (NY).

I was wondering about that. We didn't have to actually get certified as long as we took the course through our school, so most of us just did it that way alongside of our prereqs.

Anyway - IMO even on a med-surg floor you're going to get plenty of experience with daily cares on your patients, and I would recommend doing whatever interests you more. It's not like you'll be able to do much of anything else anyway. Your first clinical is going to be some daily cares and the other 5 hours you'll spend doing an assessment and figuring out how to chart it. ? God bless level 1 clinical instructors!

22 hours ago, Ruby Vee said:

I had my first clinical experience in LTC. It's pretty basic stuff, and most of the patients are thrilled to be assigned to a student -- someone to talk to -- as opposed to a hospital where folks are upset because they're sick/had surgery/are in the hospital. I learned how to give a bed bath from a really sweet older gentleman who had obviously taught students before, and I really appreciated it. The pace was slower which gave me more time to focus as opposed to in a hospital, where you have to get done now so the patient can go to surgery/radiology/transfer out.

I didn't even think of that! So much more difficult to learn when you have an upset/impatient person or even family to deal with vs LTC patients that know they are in it for the long haul. My father was the WORST hospital patient, I always apologized to nurses, doctors, etc because I felt badly.

I have asked around and it seems like the floor I'd be on is very small and not too fast paced. Basically doing only ADLs 1st semester anyway I'm being told.

On 5/11/2019 at 10:52 AM, Rionoir said:

I was wondering about that. We didn't have to actually get certified as long as we took the course through our school, so most of us just did it that way alongside of our prereqs.

Anyway - IMO even on a med-surg floor you're going to get plenty of experience with daily cares on your patients, and I would recommend doing whatever interests you more. It's not like you'll be able to do much of anything else anyway. Your first clinical is going to be some daily cares and the other 5 hours you'll spend doing an assessment and figuring out how to chart it. ? God bless level 1 clinical instructors!

Ehhh depending on what time you actually get on the floor will depend on most of the AM care you'll do. Some of my classmates didn't get on the floor till 9 at some of the hospitals in NYC so all the AM was often done already. LTC is better for your first semester as folks are often happy to have you around.

+ Join the Discussion