So much for address taken into consideration

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We were told our addresses would be taken into consideration for our clinical sites. The line up looks very random to me. However, the clinker is...my first rotation site is the absolute farthest location from my house possible. It is 1.5 hours in no traffic and no way to access it without going straight through the city right as rush hour hits as the only bridges that connect to this place over a large river are all in the city. Must be there by 7:00 a.m. officially. All students previous tell me I won't be ready to go if I don't arrive by 6:30. I will never sleep again...

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This is the norm. Last year mine was 1.5 hours away, not including the time that it took me to get there the first 2 times in an ice blizzard. We had to be there by 6am. You don't get much sleep, but the semester will end at some point:)

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The mermaid (Starbucks logo) will get me through this. That and five hour energy shots lol.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Carpool with others if you can and use the time to read or discuss info with others. Listen to Spanish or Italian language tapes. Use your time creatively.

Be glad that there ARE faciities that will take students - there's no rule that says they must do so. Actually some schools have trouble contracting clinical sites for practicums. And each place can only take just so many students. Not everybody can all go to the nearest one all at the same time. You all will most likely rotate sites. I known where some schools have had to schedule day students into evening and/or weekend clinicals just because there weren't enough sites avail for all.

Just remember, this too shall pass - it's not a life sentence forever.

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Specializes in Cardiac/Neuro Stepdown.

Happens all the time, split a cheap hotel with a friend near the hospital.

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No one lives near me. So car pooling is out and I can't afford a hotel right now to even sleep a few hours before work. Gas has been killing me. There are multiple sites for our first rotation, some of which are much closer. I probably will just suck it up though, because moving me necessitates moving another student too. That's not fair to them. I can only hope I get into a closer facility for the next rotation. And that I can find a kick butt coffe pot (my brother broke mine when he stayed with us lol). Just was taking a moment to whine. Nothing more.

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stainless steel coffee press, if you can find one, lol.

No one lives near me. So car pooling is out and I can't afford a hotel right now to even sleep a few hours before work. Gas has been killing me. There are multiple sites for our first rotation, some of which are much closer. I probably will just suck it up though, because moving me necessitates moving another student too. That's not fair to them. I can only hope I get into a closer facility for the next rotation. And that I can find a kick butt coffe pot (my brother broke mine when he stayed with us lol). Just was taking a moment to whine. Nothing more.
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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
We were told our addresses would be taken into consideration for our clinical sites. The line up looks very random to me. However, the clinker is...my first rotation site is the absolute farthest location from my house possible. It is 1.5 hours in no traffic and no way to access it without going straight through the city right as rush hour hits as the only bridges that connect to this place over a large river are all in the city. Must be there by 7:00 a.m. officially. All students previous tell me I won't be ready to go if I don't arrive by 6:30. I will never sleep again...

Wow. That is completely insane. I've heard of schools that send their students out far, but I didn't realize it could be THAT far.

Just remember, it'll be a challenge, but it's TEMPORARY. If all you're doing is surviving for 16 weeks (or however long your semester is), that's all that matters as long as you're getting through schools and closer to graduation. ;)

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Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

We were given an online list of which students were in which clinicals. One of the students had a major issue with a far away clinical and sent an email out to all the other students asking if anyone would switch. She managed to find someone who was willing. That might be worth a try.

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Each school handles this differently. I know one BSN program in Baltimore where a student can be assigned to a clinical site 75 miles away in any direction. So a student can have clinicals in Virginia on Monday and in Delaware on Tuesday.

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We were given an online list of which students were in which clinicals. One of the students had a major issue with a far away clinical and sent an email out to all the other students asking if anyone would switch. She managed to find someone who was willing. That might be worth a try.

Be careful if you do this because this would NOT go over well in my program. This probably depends a lot based on the instructor who assigns the clinicals, so only you can decide whether or not it's worth the risk.

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I know what some people will laugh at what I am about to suggest, but if you cannot afford a hotel, what about camping in your car? You could do any after clinical paperwork at a local library or coffee shop. It is not a perfect solution, but in nursing school, you have to do what you have to do!

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