Texas Tech University ABSN - 2025

TTU Hopeful · May 7

brooket41 said:

Hi all 🙂 I saw that there was ~20 clinical hours per week. I was wondering if you get some say in your schedule. For example, it would be easier for me to work nights or weekends. Do they set up for schedule for you? Do you make a schedule every week or is it planned for the whole semester? Is it typically working clinicals two days every week? How was y'alls experience with clinicals in general?

Thanks for all of the information y'all can provide!!

So each location is a little different and depends on your coordinator and what your interests are. For my location I have to do minimum of one shift per week, and I just follow the schedule of my preceptor. You do have the option to select nights if there is a preceptor available. I know some locations they only have the option to do clinicals on Monday's.

G.V TTUHSC · May 7

brooket41 said:

Hi all 🙂 I saw that there was ~20 clinical hours per week. I was wondering if you get some say in your schedule. For example, it would be easier for me to work nights or weekends. Do they set up for schedule for you? Do you make a schedule every week or is it planned for the whole semester? Is it typically working clinicals two days every week? How was y'alls experience with clinicals in general?

Thanks for all of the information y'all can provide!!

**I apologize in advance for the length of this reply, but I wanted to add as much as I could to help you all out!**

So I can only speak from my experience in Lubbock. While the program is mostly the same across all locations, there are some small differences. For example, I noticed that some students at other locations had their clinical shifts scheduled for them by their course facilitators (in Lubbock, we didn't). Also, in some weird cases, some students were scheduled for clinical shifts the night before a test, so they were allowed to delay their exam. Meanwhile, we still had to test on the scheduled date regardless. No one really explained why that was, but it's just something I noticed.

Choosing Your Coach & Clinical Unit:

In LBB, your clinical preceptor ("coach") is randomly assigned. That's the nurse you'll work with for the entirety of the program. You don't get to choose if they're day shift or night — it just depends on their real job schedule, since they don't work for the school. Same thing with the floor/unit. You might get ER, ICU, Ortho, etc. — it just depends on where your coach works.

Scheduling Clinical Shifts:

The only real control you have is what days you go in — and even then, it's based on your coach's work schedule. Every Wednesday, you enter your upcoming clinical shifts into this system called CSMS. You submit your shifts a week ahead. So if I want to work next Friday and Saturday, I need to submit those by this Wednesday. If I wanted to work this week, I should've submitted those last week. Make sense?

Important tip: You are required to have clinical shifts scheduled during non-simulation weeks. Sim days count toward your total hours (we need 270 hours our first semester), so they basically give you some wiggle room. With sim day hours, you'll need 8-9 clinical shifts to reach that 270 total. On sim weeks, you don't have to pick up a clinical shift — but I personally still did, just to get ahead. Trust me, stacking up hours early helped so much when finals came around and everything was due at once. But it's up to you and what works for your schedule.

Flexibility With Coaches (Kinda):

You can't pick your coach or floor, but if you really can't stick with the preceptor they assigned you (whether it's because they are night shift, or don't work weekends), you can request a change — though they say "you better have a really good reason why.". Weekends? Again, depends on your coach. If they don't work weekends, you won't either.

There were times my coach was out of town (he's a travel nurse), so I would text other preceptors on the floor and ask if I could join them that week. The professors were totally fine with it as long as you communicated this with them, and honestly, it was cool because I got to experience day shift for once. So yeah, things can be flexible if you're proactive and communicate. Never assume they're okay with a change in your schedule - always, always text your professors about any changes in your schedule or your preceptor's.

Time Management Is Literally Everything:

Although you have the freedom to pick which clinical shifts you'll work, it all boils down to time management. You need to take a look at your school/work /life schedule and work around that - they aren't going to excuse missed or late assignments because you worked a shift. So plan this out carefully!

I ended up with a night-shift coach, and at first thought that would be impossible to work around with, but I did it. Just had to manage my time wisely and miss out on "fun" at times. But everything is manageable as long as you schedule your life. I can't stress that enough - use your time wisely and schedule your days however it works best for you. I thrive at night, so I did a lot of my studying and assignments at night, my night clinical shifts, and self-care time. During the day, I was typically resting or getting my quizzes and exams done. This worked for me, but it's different for everyone.

I was never a planner girlie, but now best believe I have 2 planners with me everywhere!! If I forget something, I quickly look and it's there. Because trust me, YOU WILL overlook an assignment with the amount of work we have to turn in LOL. It's a matter of time when you forget to work on an assignment when you have 2 exams, 3 quizzes, and 8 assignments in one week (laughs in tears). So again, schedule these shifts when you think you have the energy for them. They aren't going to be just 12 hours... by the time you get there for report and leave to give report, you're clocking out at 13-14 hours...so just keep that in mind. Of course, that's my experience on my unit - but maybe other floors are right at the 12-hour mark (lucky them!).

What Clinical Is Actually Like (for me):

You're not just shadowing- you're there to work with your preceptor. At first, you'll observe and get to know your unit, but after a couple shifts, your coach should be assigning you your own patient to care for — under their supervision, of course. As the semester goes on, you'll be given more responsibility, more patients, and more hands-on stuff. So always be ready to work and help. If my coach only has 2 patients, I go around and help out the other nurses on the floor. The more experience you get, the better! This is the time when you get to be a "real nurse."

My coach is amazing. He always checks in on what we've gone over in class, so he knows what I'm ready to do — but he still lets me observe or assist with things we haven't covered yet, just to get a little ahead. That way, when we finally go over it in class, I'm like, "Oh cool, I already saw this!” However, I have heard many students have not had that experience with their preceptors. I can't say what the process is on that since I love my preceptor, but I am assuming if you ever feel your preceptor is not allowing you to practice the skills you're learning or help you navigate, then it's something you should bring up to your course facilitator and maybe they'll change your preceptor (not sure since thankfully I haven't had any issues with mine).

Everyone's Experience Is Gonna Look Different:

Some people are out there doing CPR in the ER on week one. Others are in slower-paced units just doing meds and assessments. And that's fine. Every floor is different — and honestly, it all balances out. Don't stress if someone else is getting crazier experiences than you. You'll get your turn. You'll get to practice the same skills by the end. We are entering our 2nd semester and have so much to experience still.

Also — during our final group meeting last semester, they did give us the chance to request a new floor or coach if we didn't vibe with our current one. So that's an option, too, if your experience wasn't great.

Hope this helps someone out! I know it's long, but this is the stuff I really wish someone had told me when I was applying. You got this — seriously. If you've made it this far, you're already more than capable of handling the rest. Just take it day by day, stay on top of your stuff, and don't be afraid to ask questions or lean on your cohort.

You'll get through it — and if you're anything like me, you'll end up with two planners, a caffeine addiction, and the ability to do anything on no sleep. Welcome to accelerated nursing 😅

taylorann, CNA · May 12

Hi guys! Thank you for all the info! Does anyone know if they prefer a CV or a resume? What did ya'll submit?

TTU Hopeful · May 12

taylorann said:

Hi guys! Thank you for all the info! Does anyone know if they prefer a CV or a resume? What did ya'll submit?

I did a resume. I think keeping it short and concise is beneficial since there is usually around 1,000 applicants.

taylorann, CNA · May 12

TTU Hopeful said:

I did a resume. I think keeping it short and concise is beneficial since there is usually around 1,000 applicants.

Good point! I just noticed the website says one-page resume, so I think I will do the same.