Question about weird clinical hours

tokyoROSE, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2012

Some instructors at my school did require students do that, but it was up to them. Let's see, my instructor made my group do that for one week. Everyone complained and had great arguments against the practice so my instructor dropped it immediately. First, nurses do not get a night to prepare for their patients. When I went in, I picked two or three patients that looked "interesting". Did the research, looked up meds, etc etc. The next day, we figured out this was not a good idea. I ended up following two nurses because my patients had different nurses. Not a good situation for a student. If it helps you, great, but if not, tell your instructors. They are willing to hear you out.

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2012

For my hospital clinically we would be assigned our 2 pts and would have to do per clinical paperwork. What kinda write up are u doing? I've never been to a SNF in a nursing capacity so idk how it would be as a clinical experience

gc1010 · Mar 12, 2012

we have to fill out a patient map that has CC, Hx, Meds, pretty much all the subjective and objective data collected. Then we go back and actually do our assessment the following day. then we do a nursing care plan. I think that we should come earlier in the shift and not need to come the day before.

bsyrn, ASN, RN · Mar 12, 2012

Yes, when I was in school we had to go the night before and get all the info on our 2-3 patients. We also had to look up all the meds/labs and do nursing care plans prior to clinical. They called it pre-planning. I would not just go in early, you need to follow your schools policies.

Clovery · Mar 12, 2012

We have to go to the hospital on Tuesdays to get info from the charts of our patients for clinical on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Our instructor isn't there and there are only certain hours the hospital allows us access to a computer room (e-charts). I think that's pretty typical for nursing programs, especially once you get into the upper level courses. Try carpooling with some people from your class - you guys can quiz each other on the way

noahsmama · Mar 12, 2012

Can you call the SNF and ask them when it's ok to come by?

When I worked in a hospital, many of the nursing schools that did clinical rotations at our site had nursing students come the day before to look at patients' charts. Some students assumed this meant that they could come by any time of day or night, since the hospital was open 24/7. However, security was tighter outside of visiting hours (8am-8p) and some of them had trouble getting in if they tried to come by during non-visiting hours. So, the SNF may have a preference too.

When I was in nursing school, we were encouraged to go the day before, but allowed to come early the day of clinical, which is what I chose to do.

symphie · Mar 12, 2012

When I was in first semester (Fundamentals for us) we did it that way. We had clinical on Wednesdays and Thursdays every other week. On Tuesday afternoons we were required to go in, get our patient assignment, look through their charts, etc. That way we could look up their diagnosis, meds, labs, etc. before coming to clinical. It was helpful for me since in Fundamentals I wasn't familiar with most of the meds and diagnoses and things yet, so it took me alot longer to get a handle on what I'd be dealing with. After first semester, we weren't required to do that anymore.

sandyfeet · Mar 12, 2012

We always did this in my school, and then on the day of care the student was often more knowledgable about the patient than the nurse! The student was able to take the time to read the H&P, Social Worker notes, and all of the other little things that an RN would not have time to read before that first physical assessment. It actually makes my school well-regarded in hospitals because we come so well-prepared.

The only downfall was that you might pick out a patient, write up their meds, patho, NANDA and interventions, and then go in the next day to find out that they had been discharged. So you picked up another patient, starting from scratch, and all of your work was for nothing. The way to get around that, and to answer your question, was to wait until after the Dr had done rounds and made decisions about how long the patient was staying/what care the patient was to receive, and then talk to the charge nurse about it. For us it ended up that 1300 was about the earliest you could go in.

mangopeach · Mar 13, 2012

We did that first and 2nd semester. I think it was a good idea, gave us time to research our patient so we would have an idea of what to expect and how to plan our care. Although- its not set in stone, things change. I don't think its a bad idea for 1st semester students.

SunshineDaisy, ASN, RN · Mar 13, 2012

So far in first and second semester we have had to do the same!

grownuprosie · Mar 13, 2012

I think this is just a typo. it should say, "Pre" clinical paperwork. This is what my school calls it too. Am i right? I dont want to put words in your mouth, Pneumothorax.