What are clinicals like??

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What do you do during clinicals? Also, when do you start doing clinicals? I know different programs will vary, but can someone just give me a detailed idea of what they are? Thank you!

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Yes, I'm anxious to hear too! I know we start clinicals 3 weeks after class starts, but I don't know what we'll be doing.

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hi,

clinicals in a nutshell:

1. student must get bodies accustomed to waking up early to get to the site by 0600-0630am

2. do vitals q4h until you leave for the day

3. talk to the rn that has your pt and tell him/her you are there taking care of..., here until...., can do...., can't do...., (depends on what the school/instructors allows you to do)

4. do pt care....(bath/bed changes/ i & 0)

5. talk to pt, do care plans based on pt needs

6. look up and know your medications ( give them if instructor/rn is with you)

7. take a part or observe procedures etc. if allowed/when possible.

i am a new rn, graduated this past may. gosh!!! let me tell you. i am just glad nursing school is over. your in for the ride of your life..( in both good and not so good terms)...good luck!!!.....your school will give you guidelines as of what is expected of you and what you are allowed to do...as your years go on in the school..youll be allowed to do more and more things....until preceptorship (senior year)..you basically do all pt care with rn..and go to clinicals when rn is working (12hr shift)....fun times!!!! again, it may differ based on school.

good luck:yeah:

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Specializes in Sub-acute, Rehab.

o this is a good question. I am wondering this myself. We're finishing up our first semester, start the second semester in february and start clinicals then, I am worried sick about it. Good luck to you and hope people can help you.

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Specializes in LTC.

In the LPN program I went to we had clinical for 4-5 days out of the rotation. Med=surg was 10 days straight.

A clinical day would be like this. We'd wait for the same strangling student who was late. Get our patient assignments. Help our patient with breakfast, am care, do morning assessment or any procedures in the am. Observe during any therapies or treatments done by doctors, therapists etc. The rest of the morning we would be filling out our daily assessment/nursing dx/intervention sheet and write a nurses note. We would get a half hour for lunch and after lunch we would go back to our patients and do an afternoon assessment and anything else that would occur. But in geriatrics we would get a different patient in the afternoon and we would have to report off to the students receiving that patient.

It sounds a lot worse than it is. Clinical can be alot of fun if you have an open mind and enjoy learning and working as a team. Most of the nurses/doctors/other staff you work with are very nice and willing to help you. Of course there are a few who just have a stick up their orifices and the only thing you can do is respect them and get your work done. You are there for the patient. Not for them.

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I don't have much to add, but if you are allowed, answer call lights. This makes a BIG impression on the nurses and they are much more willing to grab you and show you something if you are "working" as opposed to sitting around chit-chatting. At first I was scared to answer lights, but so many requests are for a drink, or to hand them something.

My average clinical was as such: depending on the class, we got 1-2 patients. We didn't pass meds unless it was our turn with the clinical to do so. We did our assessment and took vitals. Talked with the patient. Wrote down the information for the care plan, which meant timing it around doctors and the nurses. There was usually a lot of "free time".

Lol, looking back on it, clinicals is a far cry from the "real world"

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Specializes in LTC.
I don't have much to add, but if you are allowed, answer call lights. This makes a BIG impression on the nurses and they are much more willing to grab you and show you something if you are "working" as opposed to sitting around chit-chatting. At first I was scared to answer lights, but so many requests are for a drink, or to hand them something.

My average clinical was as such: depending on the class, we got 1-2 patients. We didn't pass meds unless it was our turn with the clinical to do so. We did our assessment and took vitals. Talked with the patient. Wrote down the information for the care plan, which meant timing it around doctors and the nurses. There was usually a lot of "free time".

Lol, looking back on it, clinicals is a far cry from the "real world"

Oh most definitely! Make sure your instructor said that you are allowed to answer call lights because some only want you caring for your patient and your patient only.

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I just graduated from an BSN program and our clincials were much like the LPN program's day on the floor. We started doing clinicals the last week of our fundamental's class but it was just to get our feet wet in a hospital and do the care of a tech. In med-surg I took care of just one patient along with the nurse assigned and by end of the semester some of us were taking care of two patients which is actually a lot better. Peds, OB, and Psych were a little different clinicals for me because it was more just assessments. It was more an observation. Med-surg II was much like the first although we were in more critical areas and took on more patients. We took care of 3-4 patients along with their assigned nurses. If you have to fill out any paperwork prior to clinical, plan on taking a lot of time doing at least the first time around. We had to come up to the hosptial the night before to write out their dx, hx, meds, etc which took me a few hours. That was due the morning of, then the care plan was due a couple days later. It really helps if you have a good instructor. I was luckily to mostly very good clinical instructors. good luck!

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Specializes in Oncology/BMT.

I went to a hospital-based diploma program and we started clinical the fourth week of the first term (Nursing 101). The first term, I was responsible for assessments and vital signs and assisting with personal hygiene, meals, toileting, and ambulation. As far as paperwork, I was required to look up the patient's diagnoses and understand the pathophysiology and develop three nursing diagnosis for the patient. I had only one patient during the first term. The second term, I was responsible for all of the above plus PO meds and sub-q or IM injections. I had to write med sheets for all medications and develop three care plans for each patient (two patients). The third term (med/surg), I was responsible for all of the above plus all IV push and IVPB meds plus IVF's. The paperwork remained the same but had three patients. The specialty courses during my second year varied greatly.

What you can expect:

-You will go in the evening before clinical to research your patient(s)

-You can expect to devote several hours the evening before clinical to look up conidtions, medications, treatments, and work on care plans

-You need to be at your clinical sit at least 30 minutes early to look over labs and any new orders

-After getting report, you will assess your patient(s), obtain vital signs, and pass meds

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Specializes in TSICU, Renal Transplant, IR, Cath Lab.

Hi. I'm a 4th semester ADN student (I graduate this May -- knock on wood). In our program, clinicals are like personal little fiefdoms, and the instructors run them as they see fit with very little oversight. That can be good or bad depending on your individual instructor.

My first instructor was ex-military and ran her group like boot camp. She was exceedingly tough, and IMHO the extra stress was really counterproductive. Three classmates flunked out or quit, but I survived a little wiser than I was before (sort of a Neitzsche thing, I guess). The next was very disorganized and didn't have a good relationship with the RN's. Because she didn't trust them, she was unwilling to let us do anything without her being there, and this really limited my experience. My last instructor was a jewel who really brought out the best in her students and gave us a great deal of autonomy (within the bounds of good sense, of course). I learned a great deal from her and the RN's during this rotation. On the other extreme, my best friend in the program had the misfortune of getting an instructor who was -- no joke -- borderline psychotic and was downright abusive. Several of her students complained to the administration, but nothing was done about it. From what I understand, this is pretty much par for the course in most programs, probably due to the shortage of qualified instructors.

For our final semester, we have the option of selecting a precepted clinical in which we are paired up one-on-one with an RN who basically supervises us with a full patient load much like what happens as a new grad if you're lucky. You schedule yourself to work with your preceptor subject to their schedule, and you have a certain amount of time to get your required hours completed. Again, if you draw someone whose preferred mode of transportation is a broomstick, then you're out of luck. Personally, I'm going to take that risk if I can.

The thing is you have to be extremely flexible. Use good judgment, keep your own survival foremost in your mind, and assertively seek out your own learning opportunities. Don't be a doormat by any means, but pick your battles carefully. Learn something from every circumstance, be it good, bad, or ugly. And have fun in spite of the BS. :twocents:

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Thanks for all the replies so far. I'm getting so excited, but also very nervous. How did you deal walking into the room for the FIRST time?

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was responsible for...assisting with personal hygiene, meals, toileting, and ambulation.

Ok, that cuts the cheese. Nursing is officially off my list. To the medical profession I go! Thanks, Steffers.

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