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Discussion

nursing student question

Hello, im a nursing student at a state university and i have a question. this past week i had cut my hand up kinda bad and i have some moderatley deep cuts on my knuckles that look pretty nasty. i was just wondering as to whether or not i should go into my clinical day at the hospital tommorrow regardless of this or call in ?

-thanks,

J. Gullo;

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TOS says no medical advice to be given here, you should see your own health care provider to have that determined.

Ask your clinical instructor. That's what I'd do.

  • Experts

Hi, gullo45!

If your injury is as bad as you are implying then you should have been seen by a physician for treatment. At the time of treatment you could have told the physician you were a student nurse and needed to know if you could work with this injury without any restrictions. Your doctor is the only one who can give you a legitimate medical excuse. However, if you still miss clinicals with a physician's excuse, you still miss clinical days. Depending on your program you may or may not be able to make them up. Most nursing programs have strict requirements that students must fulfill a certain number of clinical hours. This is something that is mandated by each state board of nursing. A physician's excuse won't get you out of that requirement. Only the generosity and flexibility of each school in allowing students to make up clinical time missed is what saves people in these kinds of situations. Refer to your student manual for the nursing program. I would recommend that you show up for clinicals and let your instructor make the decision about what you can do in clinicals. Maybe your instructor will have some ideas. You might be able to protect your hands by wearing gloves; maybe you can be assigned to do some observation where you won't be involved in direct patient care.

Welcome to allnurses! :welcome:

  • Author

k thank you i appreciate it

  • Author

theyre not reallllyy that bad, theyre just kind of scrapes/abrasions. i guess i should go in, maybe wrap my with a lil bit of gauze, i can still help people..

TOS says no medical advice to be given here, you should see your own health care provider to have that determined.
I don't think she's looking for medical advice, I think she's more looking to see if her condition would affect her performance in clinicals at the hospital.

Always go to clinicals. If the instructor has issues with it, he'll send you home. Better to show up and let the instructor make the decision.

I think I would go in as well and show the instructor. That way, the instructor knows that I made an effort to come in, but that I am still concerned about the cuts on my hands.

Agree that if they are pretty bad that you should seek out a physician asap.

But sometimes, I get minor cuts...we are talking paper cuts here...and I get all worried that I am going to get something funky in them with all these MDR bacteria crawling around everywhere. Usually, I wrap my fingers up in a clear tegaderm.

Hey,

I too am a nursing student. I agree with the others about showing up to clinical and speaking with your instructor.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

I would go to clinical. Bandage it up real good and wear gloves. I wouldn't miss clinicals unless it was an absolute emergency. You never know when you might really need a day off and can't take it because you used it up.

I have strep throat...still went to clinical today knowing full well I was going to be sent home (we have a preconference so no patient contact)and let the instructor send me home....better to make the effort and be sent home than call in I think...

theyre not reallllyy that bad, theyre just kind of scrapes/abrasions. i guess i should go in, maybe wrap my with a lil bit of gauze, i can still help people..

Hello,

I would forget the gauze, you will be washing all day! I'd even go so far as asking your clinical instructor or your nurse if you should use some adhesive coverint, (a derm covering) and then make sure to glove up all day when giving any patient care.

Good luck,

Gen

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