New Clinical Instructor / advice

[Mmincey]

Greetings,

I am a relatively new nurse - just under 3 years of experience, who graduated from an ADN program then worked through an online ADN-MSN education program ( stopping for a break when I achieved my BSN) while working full-time. My long term goal has been to transition to teaching, as that is my passion.

I was recently offered positions at my alma mater (community college) to teach clinicals as well as a local California university (via networking and good fortune). I've decided to pursue the university option for numerous reasons.

I'm admittedly nervous about this new role (particularly since my path to get here was not at the university level) and am looking for advice from clinical instructors on resources they have utilized, best practices and lessons they've learned the hard way. I'd especially like to hear from those that may have followed a similar path (community college followed by online learning and taking it tot he university level). Im passionate about teaching and creating a meaningful experience for my students.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Not sure what books you were assigned as an MSN student, but I really like another book by the authors of this one about clinical teaching strategies. Haven't actually bought and read it yet, but it's on the list for the future.

This one we were assigned and I like bits and pieces of it.

Another resource that I would recommend is finding an experienced educator to work as your mentor. One of the schools I applied to (ended up not being able to take the position due to shared hiring with my current full time clinical job) actually has a program where new hires are paired up with another instructor who acts as a mentor and resource. Great program, and a way to facilitate the success of novice educators.

[amandaeganp]

Wow - this sounds very much like the situation I am in right now. I graduated with an ADN, worked in med surg for a little while. I've recently bridged into an MSN/DNP program. I'm almost a year into the MSN and have just accepted a job as a clinical instructor adjunct. Any advice?? I'm so worried I'm going to be figured out as an impostor. I start in a few weeks and am both excited and very scared!

[NurseLizabeeRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

On 5/22/2015 at 8:27 PM, Rose_Queen said:

Not sure what books you were assigned as an MSN student, but I really like another book by the authors of this one about clinical teaching strategies. Haven't actually bought and read it yet, but it's on the list for the future.

This one we were assigned and I like bits and pieces of it.

Thanks so much for these resources!! Novice educator here finding her way.

[organichombre, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

First and foremost, trust your instincts. As a relatively new RN you have the most up to date evidence based practice guidelines, so giving your students that information is where you should start. Focus on the basics, most students have had hit or miss clinical experiences and need that foundation. Dialogue with your students, see what THEY need and make pre and post conferences meaningful. Be firm and fair, you are the professional to guide them. Good luck!

[Coopster1]

While I was a BSN trained RN (when I started), my experience had all been ER. Of course I found myself teaching a sophomore M/S clinical. I had excellent support from my Faculty of Record. But the night before I found myself pouring through my old Med-surg book, stressing about what I didn’t think I knew about floor nursing. The first morning with my students, I walked in and saw that most of them were wide-eyed, one was bouncing her knee so nervously, she almost left the chair. In that instant, I remembered something fundamental, stand-by wisdom in 3...2...1: No matter what you think you know about clinical instruction, you always know more about being a nurse than they do at this point. Have confidence in your knowledge and experiences. When they run up and ask you questions (looking for the quick answer), pose their question right back at them - make them look it up, that’s how they’ll learn it. And finally, I always took a few minutes in post-conference to teach on a relative topic. This was to enhance what they were learning from lecture.

Make it a fun, but not a lose learning environment. You’ll be great.

[SilverBells, BSN]

No advice, but following as I am interested in teaching as well

[Heylove, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Will you be clinical instructing at the facility that you work? In my opinion, it is much easier that way so you know the staff and know your way around. When we are visitors at a different facility than where we work, it is challenging, but not impossible as we have to get to know the staff and remember where supplies are kept.

Your role is to make sure students are where they should be, complete their work, know the rights of medications, are able to preform and articulate a patient assessment. Three years experience is great, I think! I had two years of nursing experience before I became a clinical instructor.

Good luck. I have an awesome experience with students. They have usually regenerated my soul.

[LilyRN99]

I’m a clinical instructor and we go to a long term care facility (we did before the pandemic ) and that is the setting where in worked the longest. Not having a hospital background, I also felt like an imposter. But like someone said earlier, we know way more than the students. Even the CNAs, who act like they know a lot don’t know how to think like a nurse. I’ve learned that they aren’t as good at independent learning as I would like. They need to be told what to do. I always tell them to check their patient when they arrive and I still need to remind them many times before it becomes automatic for them. I ask them a lot of questions. That way I can find out what they don’t understand. I ask them to show me how they check a pulse or how they check cap refill. They think they know how until you ask them to demonstrate. I ask them about their patient and what complications might arise and ask what they would do about it. We have them write detailed narrative notes. Can they identify what data they need to do a cardiac assessment and are they able to write a note keeping that data together? Are they doing follow ups on their patient. After the patient gets a pain med, is the student going back to reassess the patient? I’ve been a nurse for 20 years so it’s hard for me to image what it’s like to have no medical knowledge. They are overwhelmed. You have to repeat things often. I probably should be stricter but I think nursing school is already so stressful. I had a student feeding a patient and when I checked on her she was blowing on the patients food. Seems like an obvious thing to do if it is your food or your child’s food but not a patient’s. I try to be encouraging and say things like this is a difficult concept for most people, look how much you have learned, you can do this etc. I ask them for their feedback. They complain about their clinical experience because they don’t really know what to expect. Most of my students are young and I try to treat them like adults but I still find them watching you tube on their phone in the middle of the day room on the unit. We have a policy about no phones on the unit. You can do this. Good luck.