senior practicum - not what I expected

[dayandnight]

Hello.

I am in my last year of my nursing program.

This year my school has decided to do a random select system to choose students into their senior practicum.

I was not able to get employed at a hospital anywhere as a nurse tech or cna's (I am working at a Long Term Care facility right now) so I was really wanting to get into med surg for my senior practicum. Then I would have been able to be in the ICU, ED, OR, or anywhere I wanted.

But I got COMMUNITY HEALTH.. as broad as that sounds, I am really afraid it is going to set me back as a New Grad and it's going to make me look bad than other new grads who had senior practicum experience at med surg or other inpatient settings.

I sent out emails to switch but so far no one is responding. I only have until Monday to request the switch and I am so devastated and stressed out.

Most people who have gotten into med-surg for their senior practicum are already working as techs or cnas at other hospitals, some are in the same place for the senior practicum as where they are currently working!

Is there any advice from people here that did not get what they expected out of Nursing school?

Is there any way I can turn my community health senior practicum into an inpatient experience, as impossible as that sounds?

Thank you

[noahsmama]

You say this is the first year they've assigned senior practicums randomly. I think you should make it a goal to make sure this is also the last year they do this -- it may be easier for them, but it's not good for their students!

I would find out how many of your classmates are also unhappy with their assignments, and then all of you should go to whoever's in charge and complain. It's ridiculous to assign senior practicums that way -- I understand that they might not be able to accomodate everyone's first choice, but they should still take your preferences into account. At my nursing school, we gave them a list of our top three choices of nursing field (e.g. med/surg, peds, etc.), our preferred shift, and preferred hospitals, if any. They did a pretty good job -- most people got their first choice and most of the rest got their second choice.

Here's another idea -- is there anyone in your class who actually wants to do community health, and if so, would the school allow you to switch with them? Although, even though I work in public health now I still think it's a bad choice for senior practicum (at my school, it wasn't even an option) -- most community health jobs want you to have some inpatient experience first, and you're right that doing your senior practicum in a hospital will improve your odds of getting an inpatient job.

So definitely go and complain. Explain that it's inconsistent with your career goals and that you want to be switched to something that will help you actually get a job after you graduate!

Good luck!

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

People who hire know you do not have much say over these things and will not hold it against you. That said, after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we were one of the Texas towns chosen to house hundreds of storm victims. Our local nursing school's community health class saved us so much time and headache! They got the facility organized, assessed for chronic and acute conditions, triaged, assisted Red Cross and in general did a great job. You might be surprised by what you learn. I still remember my project and still use some of the concepts.

[dayandnight]

"Here's another idea -- is there anyone in your class who actually wants to do community health, and if so, would the school allow you to switch with them?"

not really.. right now all the students are trying to ask to be switched out of community health. we were recommended to just figure it out amongst ourselves instead of getting anyone else involved.

I don't get this whole placement method

Last year, they made the students decide by themselves who gets what without getting any faculty involved in the process. The year before, they let students say their first, second and third preferences.

This year, we only could list our first preference. Plus if there were more people choosing one thing, they do a lottery... They do not take account of our preferences and it's sad that many of the people who already have jobs at Med-surg units get what they want for their senior practicum.

Thank you for your encouragement. I am afraid of speaking out in general, and I am not sure how the others are feeling about voicing complaints either

[merlee]

I am surprised that Community Health was an option. That being said, there is a lot to learn out in the world, and you may enjoy it.

I was a home health nurse for many years, but for my senior practicum (during the Jurassic Age), I opted for our neuro unit. I wanted to make sure that I truly didn't like it as much as I thought I did!! I learned a lot, though - at that time it was the only floor that allowed female nurses to cath male patients. Foleys and straight caths. Became quite adept!!!

So if they cannot change it, remember that your placement was random, and do the best you can under the circumstances.

Best wishes!!

[SweettartRN]

In your career, you will often times be faced with things that you really don't want to do.

I say take this, and use it as a great learning experience and embrace what you have been given.

It may not be your first choice, but once you get started, there may be aspects of community health that you love.

Either way, I hope with whatever works for you turns out for the best.

[babyNP., APRN]

How ridiculous is that system?! I would complain to the Dean and then to the dean's boss, the president!

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

What attrubutes make this the "best school in the country? They obviously accepted too many students and have run out of clinical sifgts, instructors or both. I"m old enough to be very leery of anything or anybody who claims to be the best.

[dayandnight]

In your career, you will often times be faced with things that you really don't want to do.

I say take this, and use it as a great learning experience and embrace what you have been given.

It may not be your first choice, but once you get started, there may be aspects of community health that you love.

Either way, I hope with whatever works for you turns out for the best.

I mean I am interested in Community health nursing (maybe something I might do far along in my career as a nurse), but that's not where the hospital wants students to have experiences to be hired as New Grads, according to what I have heard. Also, I have not had any med surg experience since last year in the beginning of my nursing program (at peds we were not allowed to give a lot of the injection or medications, and in Psych we're not even assigned patients and cannot give meds). I just wanted more experience at an inpatient setting.

Thank you for the advice. I emailed my instructor to see how I can maximize my experience at Community Health - maybe have it relate more to inpatient settings.

[AnonRNC]

When I went to school, we didn't have practicums (but we did have more med-surg that you). Our "management" clinical was in LTC. We did ONE med pass and ONE day of treatments. The rest of the time we coordinated care. I became a peds, then nicu nurse, but in that clinical, I did learn about mangement, prioritization, coordination of care, delegation, teaching (I had to do an education project for the CNA's), and a whole lot more.

I am very sorry that you have not gotten the clnical experiences you want and probably need, but make the best of them. Give honest feedback to the school. Spend some time thinking about you can capitalize on this in cover letters & interviews.

[BraeRN]

I did my senior practicum in Community Health and I still got hired into Med/Surg after graduating. I learned so much and I absolutely loved it. It felt so nice to sit down with the people coming in and having non rushed conversations with them and getting to know them. I missed it very much when I got to the hospital. I have since learned that I don't like Med/Surg. So if you can't change it, then go with the flow and make the best of it. You're so close to graduating so you can do it!

[dayandnight]

I did my senior practicum in Community Health and I still got hired into Med/Surg after graduating. I learned so much and I absolutely loved it. It felt so nice to sit down with the people coming in and having non rushed conversations with them and getting to know them. I missed it very much when I got to the hospital. I have since learned that I don't like Med/Surg. So if you can't change it, then go with the flow and make the best of it. You're so close to graduating so you can do it!

That is good to hear. How did you talk about your practicum experience during interviews? What points did you stress that you thought was important? What setting did you do your practicum in?

Thank you for your comment. It makes me feel a lot better that there are ways to make my experience appealing to the Med-surg area