What Can I expect once I get to Clinical?

[Bridget73]

Hello, my name is Bridget and after almost 10 years I have decided to go back to school to become an RN. When I first graduated from high school I went to college in hopes of becoming a nurse. Well, there was a change in plans and I became a single mom and abandoned school. I have a job in customer service that pays 23 dollars and hour, but I want to complete what I started 10 years ago. I have a JOB not a career or shall I say a trained profession. I have all of my basics classes complete, but I will have to retake my A&P due to time limitations. I had like 3 classes to complete before I left a BSN program all together. I was ready for clinical, but life consumed me so to speak. My plan was to buy a house since I will have my car paid off in about a year. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks that now that I won't have a car payment, I could afford to scale back on working and go back to school. I plan to take a 6 month educational leave from my current job once I take the A&P classes again to experience clinical. Can someone please tell me what the hell clinical is like??? What does a typical day consist of? I just don't want to quit my job if this is something I can't handle. I have seen soo many different views posted at this point I really don't know what to think??!!

[Bridget73]

i would love to keep in touch. i have a year until i will be able to safely quit my job. i have to re take a&p, microbioly then a&p ii. like i mentioned before if the science classes are over like 5 years then you have to start again with them. i haven't been in a class room setting in like 9 years, so i welcome taking the classes over. it will be august 2006 when i will be ready to go. my plan is to work as a cna while in school. i'm sure the time will fly

by. i'm excted, nervous and a little scared!! it's all good. with god all things are indeed possible!! :)

hello bridget and welcome to the site. hope you enjoy your stay. :) i too will be starting clinicals soon, so maybe we can keep in touch. there are a couple of threads going for the fall and winter starters that you might want to stroll by and say hello. they are in the prenursing forum.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Bridget, I just wanted to wish you the best of luck. I'm a 38-year old new grad, just starting my first job as a nurse. I was a stay-at-home mom/corporate refugee when I made the decision to go back to nursing school - people told me I was crazy. But I did it, and I'm so glad I did.

A wealth of info and support here at allnurses.com. Welcome! :)

[lilyleigh04]

Do you normaly get to pick what hospital you do your clinicals at??

[charlies]

Hi Lily...

No, you do not normally get to pick the location of your clinicals.

[Angels']

:Melody:Thank you to all the people who have posted here. :)

I have copied and pasted the inspirations and affirmations to my computer folder...to look over throughout my times of need.:)

I have been interested, very curious about the clinicals...this information has been helpful.

Angels’

[MusicAngel19]

they're tough, but very rewarding...just stick with it and pay attention to everything you hear; even if you're with a classmates' patient helping them out with something because you will hear something that will help you out later! have fun!

-katie

[Sheri257]

Clinicals aren't so bad. There's always these stories of bad clinical instructors and RN's treating students like dirt ... but I personally haven't seen that much of it. I've had a few problems, but nothing I couldn't solve.

The key to successful clinicals, IMHO ... is always be on the look out for helpful RN's. Some of them may seem unfriendly to students but, actually, they warm up to you when you offer to help them out. I'll even offer to get them a cup of coffee or whatever they need because, that really helps break the ice.

If my assigned RN doesn't seem to be that interested, I start looking around for another one that really loves to teach. Some RN's aren't crazy about students but there's always others who love to work with students ... you just have to find them.

[MMARN, BSN, RN]

Anyone have any advice to people who are about the start their clinical rotations? Which one is the best? In your opinion.

Mave.