Nursing program wants students to schedule own clinical day because they messed up

[Desertrainfury]

Hello,

Today our instructor just informed us that on October 10 or 11th that we have to find our own clinical site to make up 8 clinical hours. This is because the Nurse manager failed to correctly map out required time for clinical. October 10th/11th are days students have off. Our teacher originally had us staying later at the hospitals to make up this time. However, they refuse to pay over time.

Most places have contracts with nursing schools for clinicals . Most places also require a background check in healthcare to even volunteer. There are liability and privacy issues. I might not even be able to make up this time if a place wont accept a nursing student.

I feel that if the school messed up than they should find a way to incorporate this time back into our schedule or find a clinical site for us.

[elkpark]

I don't see how a school can ask (tell) students to find their own clinical site for a day -- as you note, schools have to have existing agreements, arranged clinical schedules, and instructors provided by the school in order for students to be on units for clinical experiences.

[LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN]

Oh wow........ That's a big fat bummer. Has that happened in your program in previous cohorts? If you know any previous grads from your school, ask them about it. Or maybe you can call the nurse managers at the facilities you did your clinicals in.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

moved to gen nursing student for best response.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

That seems to me like the school's problem, not yours. However, your BEST bet may be your own family doctor's office or a free clinic-type of place.

[Desertrainfury]

This isn't the first time this program has done something like this. Majority of the students attending the program are disappointed of how unstructured it is. I have called my GP and other facilities they all state that the school has to have a contract with them for clinicals. The nurse manager is the one supporting this. I hope this resolves and I'm counting down the days until I graduate. In the meanwhile I will be contacting the board of nursing to find other solutions.

[FerRN]

Another option for a clinical site may be a daycare for special needs children. I spent a day with babies with peg tubes and other issues that required specialized daycare. It was by far the best day I had during nursing school. I rocked a baby with downs all day. If you call the local medicaid or wic office they may be able to give suggestions.

[Oraelo]

If your school has any simulation capacity can it be a "sim" day that counts as clinical time?

We usually have one sim day a year where they do their best to throw all kinds of horrible events and circumstances at us to see how we cope/handle them.

[Anbo3882]

I know in the city I go to school in all clinical hours and placements are handled by a Nursing consortium. So it would be impossible for a student to make up any clinical day on their own in the hospital. If we miss they simply have us attend a sim Lab or write a paper. Also, my school over schedules clinical hours. Usually at least 50 hours over the minimum in the case that something were to happen. Your school should find a way for you guys to make that time up. It is their job to provide you enough clinical hours to meet the standard of your local Board of nursing. You could report them to the board of nursing if there is no resolution of the situation.

[OCNRN63, RN]

If you guys are doing these clinical days here, there and everywhere, who is going to be supervising you? Who will be responsible for evaluating you? The staff won't know you from Adam. This is a bad idea on many levels.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

OK - if the OP's information is accurate, that school is in violation of accreditation 'rules'. While the national/regional accreditation agencies are more concerned with general rules & operations, the state BON is the one that sets up the specific requirements, including how much clinical time is needed, how many hours can be done via simulation, etc. in order for it to be "approved".

The OP needs to file a complaint with that school (they must have a formal process for this) and if that does not suffice, a complaint can be filed with that state's BON (that approved the program).

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

Yep, you can't just schedule your own make up clinical.. the school needs to figure that out- they need to do a simulation, or other assignment that qualifies for clinical hours.