Tips for first clinical?

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Hi everyone! I just had my first clinical orientation at the hospital today, and next Tuesday will be my first "real" day. I'm VERY excited, but I'm also nervous about making the transition from lab to hospital. Would anyone like to share any tips? I'd love to hear from others who felt the same way I do.... TIA! :)

It sounds like your program is WAY different than mine; we started our clinicals in longterm care (where things aren't quite so hectic, medical-wise) and we're now in our final semester. Things just kind of built up for us. After longterm care we spent most of our rotations in hospitals, but we're back in longterm care right now, though we're going to finish out this semester in a hospital again.

The prior posters gave such good advice about being in a hospital situation, that I don't know if I can help... My best advice is to plan on being prepared, and by that, I mean find the nurse RIGHT AWAY that gives report for your patient(s). The hardest part for me was finding what nurse to get report from. All hospitals have different ways of giving report; some do it by tape, where everyone sits around the recorder and listens to everything (which is easiest, but not very specific, since sometimes you still don't know who your nurse is after you've sat in the group and listened, and mostly psych hospitals do this, at least in my area); some also do it by tape, but nurse-specific, meaning your nurse might be coming onto her shift, grab the tape she needs to listen to, and go hide in a break room to listen all the while not knowing (or caring) that there's a student who also needs to listen to it; and some do it nurse-to-nurse, and trust me, if you aren't already shadowing the nurse who has your patients, the nurse going off-shift will NOT wait for you before they give report. Not to scare you, but student nurses are like the scum they accumulate on the bottoms of their nursing sneakers by the end of the day. Just something that tags along, but that they'll shake off at any chance they get. Like they were never students themselves. But I digress...

I have to say, though, don't stress about hospital rotations. :) I liked them the most. Yes, it's acute care, but as long as you go in there with your head in the game (and you grow a thick skin) you'll be fine. Get your vitals on time, know how often you need to get them, know what your patient is in for, use your head regarding any abnormalities, and you'll be fine. You're a student, so no one (or hopefully no one) will expect you to know what to do when confronted with a strange situation.

If all else fails, do what I do: open your eyes really wide and try to look scared. I'm in my last semester, and this tactic has never failed to rescue me :)

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I just started clinicals at a neurological unit in a high ranking hospital in NYC. I am so happy and I want to absorb every bit of information I can!!! But i notice the nurses are wayyyy too busy to be bothered with us and the new grads are too overwhelmed and give us attitude. The staff who have been there longer are nice. Anyway, my clinical group and I feel as if we are INVADING their territory when all I want to do is LEARN. Did these nurses forget they were once nursing students (not so long ago)?!?

Can someone give me tips to learn the MOST I can? I feel like the patients are nicer and want to educate us about their diseases more than nurses do and we practically CHASE DOWN the nurses to ask questions about something we saw. My clinical instructor is a whole other story-- she is off the wall.

Thank you!!

Lauren :o)

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

Do your best. The unit is not designed to host students, but provide patient care. The nurses have not chosen to be teachers and are busy. Its not the way it should be but its the way it is. If you can find a nurse who is willing to help you, stick with them. If your clinical instructor is a problem, ask you school for help.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

Teaching is a huge part of nursing, but unfortunately, many nurses are only focused on getting their job done for the day. Answering your questions and being interrupted are frustrations to them. And as a nurse myself I understand the predicament, when it's my turn to orient someone, it takes me at least twice as long to get through the day. You are invading their territory, and yes they were students, but now that the responsibility is on their shoulders, they just don't have the time. The older ones sometimes do because they know the ropes and can get things done faster.

That said, I found that teaching myself was a big part of nursing school. When you are unsure use books or the internet to look things up. A lot of PA's, NP's and doctors too are willing to explain and show off their knowledge. Write down questions you have and do the research at home. Bring books to clinicals and look it up at lunch. Patients today are often well informed and can tell you a lot because they themselves have researched. There are so many diseases that no one nurse or doctor will know all about it, but the patient who has it is motivated to learn all they can!

Try to look into the chart. Write down abnormal labs and research what those abnormals mean. It's often an "ah ha moment". Write down every acronym and look them up. Co-morbidities are common. Hope this helps a little, it's tough out there! Soon you will be the one rushing around and rolling your eyes when newbies come on the floor! :)

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

First, please don't take this the wrong way but nursing students ARE a hindrance to the nurses on the floor. The primary nurse is legally responsible for the care of their patients; patient care is the priority not teaching nursing students. However it seems that your clinical instructor that is "off the wall" may be the bigger issue.

While in clinical rotations the nurses would help us observe the "cool stuff" and answer questions, but the major questions were answered by our instructor either on the floor or at post conference. The primary nurses didn't always have the time to teach us, but that is what the clinical instructor was there for--to supervise, to teach and ask questions. We were always able to find our clinical instructor quickly for assistance or questions if needed.

Remember that a patient with a chronic illness/condition is often the foremost expert on their disease process and many are more than willing to share their knowledge and experience with staff and nursing students.

There have been several threads recently about clinical experiences posted by nursing students:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/disappointing-first-clinical-505458.html

https://allnurses.com/nurse-colleague-patient/floor-nurses-make-550703.html

https://allnurses.com/nursing-blogs/tips-making-your-379230.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/just-observation-clinical-622503.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/treatment-student-nurses-621555.html

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Specializes in MED/SURG STROKE UNIT, LTC SUPER., IMU.

All so true! I absolutely LOVE teaching students, but if it comes down to teaching someone how to do something OR taking care of my patients and getting out on time (management does not like it when we are late getting off the clock) then I will have to have the student watch me take care of my patients. If you have questions: #1 look it up first. #2 ask the nurse, but understand that she does not have time to give you a lecture on an indeapth subject. #3 Ask your clinical instructor. (Mine would tell me to look it up.)

Good luck and soak up as much as you can in school.

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You will have to use your judgment to determine if this is appropriate.... but see if you can actually jump in and help the unit. Can you take vitals? Do bed baths? Answer call lights? Although it may not be the best way to learn the hardcore nursing stuff, it's better than decorating the wall.

If you start to form positive relationships with the nurses, and they view you as part of the team, they will be more inclined to pull you in when they are doing an interesting procedure.

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I am a student like you, so I can totally relate! I have completed 2 semesters of clinicals so far, so I will tell you what has worked for me....

I work my butt off helping my nurse to build a relationship with her, so that she will help me too! I do all of her FSBS, help the aids, get supplies, etc... Basic stuff that is not really teaching me high level nursing skills, but it saves my nurse time. It's easier for a nurse to go ahead and put a foley in themselves, but if you have worked hard for them all day, a lot of times they will let you do it. Those skills you are learning about building trust and rapport with clients, also work for other people! :)

I also accept that when I get put with a nurse that is fairly new, often she is terrified of having me follow her because she is unsure of her skills. This should be discussed with your instructor and they should seek out the seasoned nurses that are used to having students and more sure of themselves. With the new nurses I try to just really relate to them and point out things that they are doing that are really great. I try to build them up and show them I am not a threat and I understand that no body knows everything.

Then sometimes when I think a nurse just doesn't want me to do anything, she will let me know when we are in private that the reason she didn't let me try to start an IV is because the client is really fussy and has horrible veins. So, always give the benefit of the doubt.

I agree with a previous post that your instructor situation may be more at fault. I had units that would let me do all sorts of things because they knew that I could get my instructor and she would help me do the skill, and the nurse didn't even have to be in the room. They had built a trusting relationship with my instructor though, so that was a huge benefit to me.

Good luck! You will get through it, and from what I hear -most nurses come out of school feeling like they didn't get to hone their skills. My new motto for life is "I can only do what I can only do." I do my best and that is all I can do! Wont it be great when all of this school stuff is behind us!

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I have read all of these posts about nurses not liking students and I just thank my lucky stars that I have been blessed. The majority of the nurses I have come across have really been great teachers. Some of them have even said they love students. I have run across the occasional nurse that doesn't like students but most of the time if I show them that I won't get in their way if they get super busy then I generally win them over.

There was this one nurse that one of the students in my clinical group said she looked at her and said " I really hate students. " My poor friend did the best she could but was the sensitive type anyways and it just shook her up so bad. I had that same nurse the next week and she hated it at first but when I proved that I was fairly competent (as much as a student can be anyways) and when things started to get really crazy I either grabbed my instructor to help, or just stood out of her way and let her regain control, she did much better with me then. She even grabbed me to do an NG insert when she heard another nurse needed it done and stayed with me the whole time. I know that you can't win every nurse over but if you do what you can to make their day easier at first then many of them will warm up to teaching you things.

I just do my best to keep a positive and grateful attitude that they are giving of their time to me.

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From working in the past at a teaching hospital, I can tell you that nurses sometimes get burnt out on having students ALL the time. Sometimes you want to NOT have to teach, to be able to just take care of your patients.

Also, I tended to spend more time with and enjoy students who were prepared. If I sensed or saw that the student was clueless, I wasnt going to put my time into him/ her. And yes, your instructor can build bridges or burn bridges for you. There was a particular instructor from a particular school that we all loved. And her students were ALWAYS prepared. There was another school where it was the opposite.....instuctor never around and students seldom prepared.

best of luck

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

It's funny how we never have nursing students at my work place (a State prison), but I see psych students all the time. Hmm.

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It's funny how we never have nursing students at my work place (a State prison), but I see psych students all the time. Hmm.

You know I never thought about it. The city that our college is in has a state prison and we don't have the option of having students there. I hadn't thought about it before but now you have me interested.

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