Peds/OB rotation concern

BarbPick · Feb 3, 2004

Originally posted by PSUNURS05
I have a minor concern...I am currently doing my peds/OB rotation..(BSN program) at a teaching hospital and I have a slight problem...ok here's the deal.....the way "they" do the clinical schedule is as follows: we have peds one week and then ob the following week. the student either has 2 half days (6:30am-11am and then 11-12 in postconference) or one full day (6:30am-3pm and then 3-5 postconference) I have peds/OB mondays only from 630am-300pm (on floor)...Yesterday I had OB and then next monday I will have Peds...I am on the floor ONE DAY A WEEK....I had a slight panic attack yesterday because I am the kind of student who needs to practice and don't know how one day a week is going to get me anywhere.....does this seem safe?? I do not intend on pursuing a career in either discipline, but still would like to do well in clinical.....

In my baccalaureate program, I had a total of 2 days in Peds. All I did was rock a baby who would could not be comforted. Clinical is just exposure to the area and give you an idea how things work. Yes it is safe. The true education starts once an ADN and a BSN passes their boards.

I say this over and over, how come nursing students who are attached to big medical centers exposed to all kinds of rare grandiose cases, and nursing students from west cup cake Iowa, their clinicals are in such a small hospital that the nurses have to multi task in their 4 bed ICU, One floor 40 beds hospital and that also includes birthin' babies all pass their boards on their first shot?

The are in the good care of their instructors whoguide them for what they need. You have to have faith.

anc33 · Feb 4, 2004

Wow, and I thought that I wasn't getting enough clinical experience! Our program consists of 16 hours of clinicals per week. We had 7 week rotations in OB and Peds respectively. Despite the extra hours, I don't feel very competent skill wise. However, every nurse has reassured me that I will learn/perfect my skills during my first few months on the job. In the meantime I suggest that while you are in clinical ask your instructor if you can take care of patients that require certain cares. Let them know what you want to practice, be proactive. Good luck!

rpbear · Feb 4, 2004

You will be graduating as a nurse generalist, not any specialty. You only get a look at what there is out there and enough information to pass your boards, thats it. Like others have said you will learn the majority of nursing in the first three months on the job. I think what you are getting is enough for a nurse generalist program. I got twice a week clinicals for 6 weeks in peds and I still don't feel like I know anything! I also got 4 weeks once a week OB clinicals and I know that is the job that I want to do. They want you to experience it so you know that this is something that I want to do, or this is something that I never want to see again.

Good luck and try to soak up as much as you can while you are there!

Altra, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2004

Originally posted by BarbPick
In my baccalaureate program, I had a total of 2 days in Peds. All I did was rock a baby who would could not be comforted. Clinical is just exposure to the area and give you an idea how things work. Yes it is safe. The true education starts once an ADN and a BSN passes their boards.
I say this over and over, how come nursing students who are attached to big medical centers exposed to all kinds of rare grandiose cases, and nursing students from west cup cake Iowa, their clinicals are in such a small hospital that the nurses have to multi task in their 4 bed ICU, One floor 40 beds hospital and that also includes birthin' babies all pass their boards on their first shot?
The are in the good care of their instructors whoguide them for what they need. You have to have faith.

Thanks Barbara. I think I needed to hear exactly that this morning. Being in an urban area, but at a smaller community hospital, it's easy for this kind of panic to set in sometimes, like ... am I good enough/know enough to play with the "big boys?"

PSUNURS05, maybe we both need to take a deep breath! :cool:

PSUNURS05 · Feb 4, 2004

MLOS - you are right.....I get my knickers in a twist regularly....

thanks BarbPick.....