1st semester RN student

RN4Little1s · Sep 23, 2008

PREPARE before each clinical day! Your clinical instructor may offer optional ways for you to prepare - like making drug cards, coming in early to look up your patient's info, etc... take advantage of that! Drug cards are a great idea even if they don't make you do it.

Try to get a lot of rest before you go in for clinical. If you will be on the same floor a long time, establish relationships with the nurses (as best you can...). Utilize your resources.

ilstu99 · Sep 23, 2008

Always be on time! Show up well put-together (not looking like you just climbed out of bed). Don't participate in their gossip or politics (it can be tough sometimes, but it's not your place as a student). Two words: Breath mints. Don't sit....especially when there's an RN working his or her 12-hour shift, and s/he needs some place to sit to chart. Always be as prepared as you can be. Know your patient and your meds.

Understand that the first semester is a lot about becoming comfortable in the clinical setting, and the very basics of patient care. You may feel a lot like a you're doing nothing but wiping rear ends and making beds. There's tons of learning in every minute. Sometimes what you're learning is how to hold your breath like a diving champion. Sometimes it's about how to maneuver without hurting yourself and your patient. Always, you're learning about how to treat human beings with dignity.

Some nurses will be horrible. Some will be awesome. They will all teach you something.

Oh yeah - and don't hang out in the hall or anywhere else with your student friends. Find something to do. Please.

ABerryGirl, CNA · Sep 23, 2008

Take full advantage of each clinical day. Somedays the patients you get will be boring, so hunt down things to do. Ask your nurse or your fellow students. Look for skills to do and become good at doing them. I'm in my last semester of nursing and wish I would have been more proactive in the beginning. Always come prepared!! Last week I was in a room with a nurse when she noticed that the patient's IV catheter was infiltrated with blood. She needed a flush and a new reseal. I had those in my pockets... she was so happy! Keep flush in your pocket, alcohol pads, 2x2 gauze, tape... etc. You never know. And never forget your stethoscope, watch, penlight, scissors or drug book!

scuttles · Sep 23, 2008

"Breath mints"!!! :yeah: SO true, I still breath a travel toothbrush/paste w/me always. Sometimes you forget, until you begin to wonder who poo'd their bed...then you realize its your breath.

Nothing says "love" better than a garlic, bacon and sour cream chip bagel :imbar.

Regardless of your prior background, don't be a arrogant "know-it-all," be confident.

If you don't know something, say so..but add at the end that you'll look up the answer right away (if you are allowed access to comps/hosp. library) or you'll have the answer for next clinical's.

Our clinical instructor would get upset if we said "I don't know." Because, she thought it was a careless attitude. We quickly learned to follow-up with the "but I'll look it up and talk with you about my findings...."

And focus on making the patient comfortable. Any and all meds you'll be pushing, you should have had time prior (even that day) to look up and write notecards on. And the nurse you are shadowing that day, s/he will double check your work (after you checked it a b'zillion times ) and never be afraid to say "CAN YOU HELP ME WITH......" or "I'M UNSURE OF..." oh, and get to know your Nursing Assistants/Patient Care Techs, they're a wellspring of normalcy.

:smokin: Relax, observe, listen, volunteer, and ask questions...you'll be fine.

-Scuttles

oh, carry around a small flip-notebook, to take notes and jote down info