MCCCD Students. How many patients in each Block?

[moog]

I was wondering how the different colleges and clinical instructors differ in requirements for clinical. Is there a standard for each block district wide? How many patients do/did you take and in which block?

I am in Block 2 and so far we have only had to pick one patient to do a careplan and pass meds on. Our instructor has said that some of us will be taking 2 before the end of the block, which sounds like not all of us will. But depending on the student and the nurse of the patient they picked, we can do much more. I have found that many of the nurses will let me take on a lot of the responsibilities of their other patients which is a great learning opportunity. Of course, since only one is required, there are some who just pick their one patient and then sit around talking about how long the day is or how slow it is.

What is it like in your program?

[mattsmom64]

I was wondering how the different colleges and clinical instructors differ in requirements for clinical. Is there a standard for each block district wide? How many patients do/did you take and in which block?

I am in Block 2 and so far we have only had to pick one patient to do a careplan and pass meds on. Our instructor has said that some of us will be taking 2 before the end of the block, which sounds like not all of us will. But depending on the student and the nurse of the patient they picked, we can do much more. I have found that many of the nurses will let me take on a lot of the responsibilities of their other patients which is a great learning opportunity. Of course, since only one is required, there are some who just pick their one patient and then sit around talking about how long the day is or how slow it is.

What is it like in your program?[/quote

I think that each school is different. I'm at MCC. In block 1 we startedwith one patient for the first week then moved up to two patients the second week (or when our instructor felt we were ready.) Block 2 we started with two patients and worked up to three or four patients depending on our ability. The only drawback to picking more patients in Block 1 and 2 was that it meant that we had more careplans to write . In Block 3 we didn't have to go to the hospital the day before and pick out patients. We were assigned to a nurse and had her patient load which could be 4 or 5 patients. I think that worked out best because sometimes in Block 2 it would get frustrating because you had 4 patients and three different nurses.....

The one thing I learned early on about clinicals is that you only get out of it what you put into it. You need to be assertive and put yourself out there. If you have only one or two patients that are pretty low maintenace put your feelers out with the nurses on the floor. Let them know that you are there to help. Let them know what you can do (dressing changes, bed baths, accuchecks, foleys etc.) If they see you are eager to learn and help you will find that they seek you out more for skills. If they see you just hanging around with your hands in your pockets then they'll just ignore you and go about their daily business.....Another thing, if you here that someone on the floor is having a procedure done, ask if you can go along. It really helps to see the actual procedures done (picc line placement, colonoscopy ect)...you'll be much more comfortable when you do your patient teaching and have an easier time in process class.......

[CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP]

Great post, Mattsmom.

I just finished Block I. We only took one patient, and towards the end, could take two (if we wanted too). We did a minature version of the careplan for the second patient.

I think it all depends upon your clinical instructor. I took me so long to do one great careplan; there is no way that I could have done two and still turned in what my instructor wanted. It just all depends on your teacher.

CrazyPremed