Nursing student starts tomorrow

[lau928]

Hi everyone!

I am looking for your thoghts about what you think are the most important things for a nursing student (last semester before the boards) to get out of a preceptorship/clinical.

I have a nursing student starting with me tomorrow for the semester and although I have had students before, I wanted some input from all of you smart cookies about what should be the priorities to focus on.

Obviously, I do alot about med safety, etc. and focus a lot on managing more than 1 patient. I dont know about any of you, but most students I have had have little to no experience juggling 4-5 patients on a busy hospital floor and if that is their goal, I think they need to learn!!!

Thanks in advice for your help!

[Sillynicunurse]

As a student that graduates in less than a month I will share with you experience that I would have enjoyed. A 4-5 patient load, common medications for that specific area, as many procedures as possible, a preceptor that is willing to sit back and let me struggle a bit before coming to my rescue (as long as the patient's safety wasn't in question) as that forces me to think. Just in general make their experience as much like the real world of nursing as possible.

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

i try to explain the rationale behind everything i do, and encourage questions.[don't always answer them-sometimes they need to review and/or learn how to look up things using resources (ie, pdr)]

try not to use shortcuts unless they are "legit".

after awhile, start asking questions..."which room do we start with?" "what clincal concerns do you have about mr. x's labs?" and then ask him/her for their rationale. as you can see, i'm big into evidence based practice!

hope this helps!

ps-lots of encouragement for them, too:yelclap:

[elprup, BSN, RN]

I start my preceptorship next week and hope and pray I get a preceptor who is as thoughtful as you and actually cares that I learn anything will be a welcome start!

Skills is something I would like more practice in, as our BSN program does not provide much of....until we are thrown into clinicals. But, like I said, an encouraging teacher, asking questions, providing guidance and making me think and work harder is all I ask for! I definitely want to be the best nurse I can.

good luck to you, wish you were closer to CA!

Miss