Not too thrilled with my Capstone/Preceptorship Hospital Placement

Kuriin, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2016

People are typically placed based off of grades and where they want to be placed (what specialty). I'm sure they take into account of distance, but, a hospital can only hold so many students. I feel like there are so many other things to complain about and this certainly isn't one of them. Just sayin'...

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Feb 6, 2016

Why are you complaining? You do don't get at a posh hospital? You need to look at this as a huge opportunity your peers don't have. I'd be super excited if I were you.

futurenurse16 · Feb 6, 2016

I understand that it is difficult to place students in hospitals. And I'm sorry if my post seems like I'm complaining. I'm very happy to be in my final semester of nursing school after this long and treacherous journey. I'm just frustrated that my school promised each us that we would be placed to hospitals close to where we live. It seems that everyone I've spoken to in my class today were place in hospitals right near their homes, but for me, that was not the case. I really don't know what happened there.

I know it can not be changed, and I made this original post in the midst of my hysteria. Maybe I should have thought it through a little more and I apologize. In any case, I will make the best of it. I don't know who my preceptor is yet or even what unit I will be on, but it may be the best clinical experience I've had yet and that's what I have to keep thinking about. :yes:

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2016

How to handle it is to complete the internship and learn as much as you can or quit nursing school and do something else. Pretty simple really.

Be appreciative of the hospitals that allow you to do clinicals..they do not have to.

heb06004 · Feb 6, 2016

Be thankful it's not a longer drive than that! Most of my clinical sites were an hour away from my house with the closest hospital placement being 45 minutes away! Just keep an open mind and realize it's only one semester. If you hate the drive you now know that's not a drive you'd be willing to do as a working nurse. Best of luck with your capstone!

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2016

Keep in mind general safety practices: be aware of your surroundings, don't be distracted (don't look at your phone while walking to your car), walk with your head up and a strong stride. Another thing I do is get my keys out of my purse BEFORE leaving the building so I'm not rummaging around in the unsafe area at midnight. Then I lock my doors the second I get into my car.

Also, the hospital probably has a good security staff, being in an unsafe area. (The guards where I work even carry tasers; and then we have sherriff's deputies who of course are armed.) If you truly don't feel safe, ask one of them for an escort. Not everyone takes advantage of it (myself included), but everywhere I've worked has had this in security staff's job description.

BeachsideRN, ASN · Feb 6, 2016

Well, our program completely got rid of preceptorship and replaced it with another structured clinical. So BR grateful you have a preceptorship.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2016

First, a 40 minute commute isn't ideal for anyone. I often dread my 45-60 minute drive from where I work. I would love to work in a place a few minutes from my home. Unfortunately it's not always realistic as a student or a professional. If you're wise, you can use this time to benefit your studying/education. Record your lectures and listen to them during the drive. Or listen to audio books about nursing or NCLEX prep. You may also find that using the drive to simply think about your work day- what you will/did see, how you will/did respond, what you would do in an emergency, etc. will help you be more focused and efficient at clinical.

Since you call this a "horrible place" I'm assuming you mean it's a critical access hospital in a poor neighborhood. I hope you realize what an opportunity for learning this can be. Patients that come to these hospitals do so because they have to. If they don't have money or insurance they are going to delay going to the doctor until they are really sick. That means the patients you see will likely be more acutely ill with more comorbities than patients at hospitals with a more affluent clientele. It also means that the hospital may work with less ancillary staff and resourcing, which means as a nursing student you will have endless chances to observe, be helpful and practice your skills.

Yes, I agree with you that the location is not ideal. However, the other opportunities this clinical presents may end up far outweighing that inconvenience.

cupcakeluver · Feb 6, 2016

Sorry your placement didn't work out better for you. I can understand how it could be upsetting. It's your last semester. Just make it through. I didn't get the placement I was hoping for either. I am staying positive though. I'm just glad to have the opportunity and I'm gonna learn as much as I can on that ortho unit.

Good luck with your capstone.

direw0lf, BSN · Feb 6, 2016

I know it's a matter of perspective. (Getting out my little violin...) I need to drive 1 hour to school every time, I live in an area that's bad enough that I drive at least 30 mins just to walk my dogs, and my peds hospital will be over an hour away next semester. I count down the days until graduation, and I'm going to move where I want to within walking or biking distance to where I work (Well.. that's the dream). So that's what makes it all very bearable to me! You have some advantages to long car rides though! 1. The time to center yourself. Pay attention to everything around you but it's a good time to reflect too! 2. Audio learning...record yourself reading your notes or anything, or the teacher, and play back. Good luck with your last semester!

P.S. I carry pepper spray (I also have bear spray, which is stronger) with me when I'm out. You might want to leave a can in a spot in your car where it's easy to grab maybe or have a buddy system where you don't walk in or out of the hospital alone?

LV3677 · Feb 6, 2016

My practicum was an hour and a half away from where I was living at the time. I ended up moving to the city for the weeks I was doing my practicum. Most of my class commuted about 30-60 minutes for clinical. 40 minutes is not ideal, but it's not bad. Use the driving time as some time to decompress, reflect on your day, and think about how you can improve.

Remember to go in with a positive attitude- treat every day as if it were a job interview. And before you stick up your nose at the thought of working at this hospital, remember that you will soon be new grad and that you're going to need a job, and/or a recommendation from your preceptor.