Senior Practicum - Not What I Expected

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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

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.

can u contact the instructor to get a better rotation?

after doing my community health rotation (mandatory) i would not want to go...ever. again.

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can u contact the instructor to get a better rotation?

after doing my community health rotation (mandatory) i would not want to go...ever. again.

The only way we can switch is if someone is willing to switch out of their position. Right now nobody wants to switch out of their placement to get into community health.

the instructor does not want to be involved in all this either.

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My community health rotation consisted of going to a substance abuse center and sitting in on group therapy sessions. I certainly hope they have more in mind for your senior practicum.

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the instructor does not want to be involved in all this either.

Bahahaha! If I heard an instructor say that, my reply would probably be, "Too bad. You're already involved. Fix it."

Community health is pretty broad. Depending on what you're doing it could indeed be a nightmare, or you could end up sitting in a chair playing solitaire on the computer. My community health class was lame, and my rotations were too. I feel for you.

We don't have a practicum, and the only thing similar to this is our self-selected preceptor for our management course. We'll have to spend 90 hours watching them "manage." I don't mind, but I've been an administrator so I don't like watching others do it.

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Thank you for all your advice. I MANAGED TO FIND SOMEONE who wanted to get into community health. I switched with her and is now going to be in Psych health for my senior practicum.

I am looking forward to because right now because I work with people with different mental disorders. I think this might be a useful area to explore with my interest of being a nurse for the geriatric population. :D

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Specializes in Cardiac Critical Care.

Woo hoo! I'm glad you got it switched :)

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