Starting Clincals, need advice...

dotty865 · Mar 3, 2006

When I was in nursing school during clinicals in LTC we did mostly nurse aide work to begin with and then advanced to passing meds and charting .

I_Love_Nursing · Mar 3, 2006

OK, Thanks so much for responding!

MimismomRN · Mar 3, 2006

hi ILN, i just graduated 11/18 and am waiting for my NCLEX results (nervously) but the best advice i can give you is take every opportunity to do procedures that come up, don't be scared, just jump in (wound care, cathether, ng tubes, etc.). you'll feel better getting the experience and won't be scared later on when you go to the acute care hospital. sometimes chances are far and few between. the older people can be very sweet and have alot of stories to tell. good luck to you. take care. you'll do great. p.s. don't get the dentures mixed up. one day i had three sets of dentures and had no idea whose was whose. oh boy what a mess!!! :) :)

I_Love_Nursing · Mar 4, 2006

Oh my gosh, your denture story is funny!! Thanks for your advice.. Your much appreciated..

HeatherLPN · Mar 4, 2006

We mainly did aide work, medpass, and TB tests, with an occasional Foley thrown in.

clee1 · Mar 6, 2006

hi i am a lvn student in my second semester and we are starting our clinicals this weekend and a ltc facility. i was just looking for other lpn's advice. i am a little nervous about it and not really sure what to expect :uhoh21: i know that our first day of clinicals will be "orientation" but i was wondering if anyone else who has done there clinical rounds at the ltc facility could tell me what all you learn at the ltc facilities and give me any advice you picked up along the way or have any stories you would like to share with me from that experience in your schooling.. thanks so much

your ltc rotation is mostly about adl's and being oriented to a hcf. no problems; just drive on.

the big thing in this rotation that they want you to realize is that your patient/resident/client is a real human being: not a room number, dx, or chart. your later rotations have more to do with tasks, meds, etc. and you'll have precious little time to consider the "human being" you are dealing with.

best of luck to you.

I_Love_Nursing · Mar 6, 2006

Thanks everyone... I had my first clincal experience this weekend and I had a great time. I loved it and I am so looking forward to learning more and more and more.. I cant wait, I am so anxious to see the road ahead, lol... It was a little hard though b/c it hurt to see some of the patients suffering and most of the CNA's and aides there were "hardened" to it.. I interacted with so many patients and just sat and listened to some of them. I was thanked so many times for being there "just to listen"... The elderly are so sweet and innocent.. I love nursing!!!