Nursing Shortage

[ok2bout]

With such a nursing shortage, why dont colleges offer the clinical part of the course at night.

Lancaster General will be offering a part time evening clinicals, Tues and Thurs evenings and every other weekend during the daytime.

I think more colleges need to consider doing this.

I will be entering my clinicals next fall, without a evening option it would be quite difficult for me without having to quit my job and work nights.

Many adults returning to school for nursing have enough responsiblities to attend to in the day time hours that evening courses will allow these people to return to school.

Dan

[catlady, BSN, RN]

I don't know, but I would guess that you can't consistently get the same clinical experience on evening shift that you can on days. Not that some clinical time on evenings isn't beneficial, but not too many patients want to have some student doing a head-to-toe assessment and health history when they're getting ready for bed.

[ok2bout]

I agree to some extent. This is one of the reasons they require day time hours every other weekend.

I think that evening hours are benificial in that it gives students some hands on skills with getting their patients ready for bed.

Students who attend only day clinicals do not get to do this very often.

Besides, most nursing positions start off with the grave or evening shift anyways.

It might not be the perfect answer to the shortage, but anything will help at this point.

Dan

[Y2KRN]

Hello,

I think that evening clinicals are a good idea, nursing students would still get a good experience. In my experience evening shifts can be just as hetic as days, you still give many medications, have a meal, and tests, also many many admissions. I am all for making nursing school schedules more convenient for the students!!!! I think we will see more and more of this in the future, as nursing schools will be looking for more ways to recruit all those students with wonderful potential in nursing, and providing with assests to the profession!!!!!!!!!

Y2KRN

[ShannonB25]

The nursing school I just graduated from had something like 55 qualified people apply for 30 slots in their program. To help accomodate this without compromising the quality of clinical experiences, they petitioned for additional faculty and were granted this. Additionally, I was told that they were able to handle the larger group number by offering clinicals on the weekend. I think this is a great idea personally.