Help!! I am drowning!!

[nursebrandie28, BSN, RN]

Hey guys, I need some advice/support/shoulder to cry on!!

Okay, up until this semester, I was working part-time at two community colleges, both LPN and both clinical and theory. Well, that was fine because I did not overload myself, worked at both hospitals PRN where I did clinicals, so I new everybody and the procedures...well first week of August, both colleges begged me to pick up an extra clinical. I eventually want full time at one of the colleges, so I would like to help out as musch as I can to get my name out. And I thought sure why not? We could use the extra money!!

Well, both clinicals were at unfamilar hospitals in the area, so that first week I called both places, trying to get everything in order and ducks in a row. Well, yesteday at one of the hospitals I had THE WORST DAY of my teaching career. I have 10 students, so for this cardio/resp clinical I like to feed them out to ER, Cath Lab, Stress lab, etc. I talked to the education lady (who has been very nice) about sending the students out. At my two other hospitals, this was how they did it- talk to 1 education lady who knows who to contact, give her the schedule and that takes care of it. Well, yesterday I called the places, talked to the charge nurse on each department and sent 2 students down. By lunch time, the ER director called me and YELLED because she did not know about the students!! I asked apologized and asked politely, "How did the students inconvenence you?" She never answered me and walked off. She then sent my students back up to the floor and will not take students "until we get this straightened out"

I have learned to set this kind of work up with hospitals by phone and email. I have been burned by this in the past. In my defense, this clinical was assigned to my 2 weeks before and 1 of those weeks I had my honeymoon. So I had NO prep time. I have since apologized my butt off in person, by phone and email and now have it straightened out.

Okay here are my questions:

How do you stay organized?

How much time to spend each clinical day with prep work?

What are your clinical hours??

My current schedule:

Monday

mental health 9-1100

dosage calc 1130-130

structure and function 2-5

Tuesday

off

Wednesday

3rd Semester RN students

7a-7p

Thursday

6a-130p RN students

2-4 Lifespan theory

Friday

6a-130P RN students

2-8P Psych clinical

I can't wait until Dec 5th!!! :0)

Brandie

[iteachob, MSN, RN]

Oh my goodness, what a schedule! It's no wonder you're having trouble keeping organized. I honestly don't believe I could do even as well as it seems you have.

I don't have to set up clinicals, it is done for me (division chair does it!). I have a LONG (> 10 year) relationship with my main clinical site and have actually had many of the nurses as previous students. So (very fortunately for me), this has not been a problem.

My schedule is as follows.....by the way, I teach in a 2 year (ADN/RN) program at a 4 year college.

Monday:

8 - 9:50 Clinical pharmacology lecture (3rd semester students)

10 - 2 pm Office hours

Tuesday:

Off

Wednesday:

8 - 11:30am OB Clinical

1 - 3:45pm OB lecture (2nd semester students)

Thursday

12-1 Office hour

1-3 Nursing faculty or Nursing curriculum meeting

(Thursdays are also for other college committee obligations; various times)

Friday:

8 - 11:30 am OB clinical

Probably about 10-12 hours / week on prep and grading (on my own time)

That's it! I'm full-time faculty with this schedule. I really feel for your situation and can certainly understand why you would be looking VERY forward to December.