What are clinicals all about????

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What do you do during your clinicals? and do you start clinicals in your first year of nursing school? :confused:

Specializes in public health, heme/onc, research.

Hi Michelle,

I just started nursing school at the end of May. I had my first clinical during the 2nd week of school and was very overwhelmed. First, breathe!! This is a learning experience. I found out that as the weeks went by I wasn't so nervous about going to clinicals.

If you have your own patient or are paired up w/ someone, introduce yourself to the patient. For example, say "Good morning, Ms. XYZ. My name is Michelle and I will be your student nurse for today." Smile; ask them how they are doing. Don't let them know this is your first time giving a shot, etc. If you're not sure how to do something ask your instructor or another nurse OUTSIDE of the pt.'s room. As far as AM care, ask what the pt. what he/she usually does and adjust to that accordingly. Eat a good breakfast (high protein)! Drink lots of water.

Have a great day tomorrow and let me know how it goes.

Thanks for replying, that helps me feel better :) Im sure I wont be the only nervous student! I keep telling myself after the 1st few clinicals I will be more relaxed and will probably enjoy it more than sitting in the classroom all day. My school doesnt have the dummy's to practice on and you cant practice on each other, or oranges anymore thats probably part of why Im so nervous. I will let you know how it goes

Good luck in school :) Im glad I found this message board. LPN school is very stressful and it helps sharing with others who understand.

Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.

Hey guys! I also started LPN in May, and I wish I was going in to clinicals, but we have a 6 week summer break, and won't even be starting clinicals until September since it's a night class and we move slower :( I'm so far ahead on my book work that it's not even funny and am at the point I should be starting my 3rd or 4th level of clinicals, yet I haven't even had my 1st one yet. Hopefully my teacher is going to be able to arrange for my clinicals early.

Michelle, I hope your clinical went okay today, let us know!

Specializes in Rehab, Step-down,Tele,Hospice.

I always thought clinicals were the "easy" part of nursing school. Please believe me when I tell you they are not going to just put a needle in your hand and say "go get em". Someone will be at your side at all times until you feel comfortable, by the end of the semester you will probley be begging them to let you go on your own. Learn all you can while someone is willing to teach you, once you graduate your on your own baby!

Hey guys,

Well I was worried for absolutely nothing, It was SO easy. I had someone right with me all the time. I actually cant wait untill tommorrow.

You are so right rnkitty, I need to learn all I can now. I already ask my instructor to put me on a different floor tommorrow so I can hopefully do some of the things I didnt get to do today. Mostly it was giving baths, feeding, taking vitals, giving insulin shots and finger sticks.

I hope you get to go to clinicals soon Lana, but I would love to be able to say I was ahead in my book work. I stuggle to keep up :)

I just realized I posted this in the wrong forum, Sorry about that, but thanks for replying :)

Michelle

my instructors were great, they helped me build so much self confidence, so clinicals were always a wonderful experience.

I have to laugh! My husband and I are planning on going into nursing this coming year (mid-life career change). I had an experience with a "first timer" a couple of years ago. I had to have my blood drawn. My first timer was with her supervisor and all was going well. Except when a person in the next room needed restraint. The supervisor told the very scared young girl to go ahead and take my blood since I have excellent veins and she would help the other group. She was shaking so hard she could not get the vein and I soon started bruising. Well: having worked with a vet very young: drawing blood was no big deal to me. I took the syringe and showed her how to do it. She promptly passed out! I got scolded by the supervisor. I guess I have to say then was the first time I thought about nursing as a profession. I hope to remember this scared girl when I get to do my first time clinicals! All I can say: take a deep breath, remember what you've learned and have confidence in your education!

Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.
I have to laugh! My husband and I are planning on going into nursing this coming year (mid-life career change). I had an experience with a "first timer" a couple of years ago. I had to have my blood drawn. My first timer was with her supervisor and all was going well. Except when a person in the next room needed restraint. The supervisor told the very scared young girl to go ahead and take my blood since I have excellent veins and she would help the other group. She was shaking so hard she could not get the vein and I soon started bruising. Well: having worked with a vet very young: drawing blood was no big deal to me. I took the syringe and showed her how to do it. She promptly passed out! I got scolded by the supervisor. I guess I have to say then was the first time I thought about nursing as a profession. I hope to remember this scared girl when I get to do my first time clinicals! All I can say: take a deep breath, remember what you've learned and have confidence in your education!

LOL! When I got my phlebotomy certification last year I was scared to death! I kept telling the lady I was interning with that I just wanted to watch her the first day but towards the end of the day we had a hispanic woman come in who spoke no English and she made me do her stick. It was kind of nice because she didn't realize how much the other phlebotomist was talking me through it, but she had to have seen the fear on my face!!!

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry.

I'm a senior in a bachelor's program in nursing. I was also worried about my first day at clinicals. I was afraid they were going to expect too much from us with not having really been taught anything yet. Well, now that I'm a senior and looking back over the last year, I wish they would have added more responsibility to our day than what they did. Granted, the first couple weeks I certainly wouldn't have wanted more than just giving baths, vitals, etc. But soon I started feeling more comfortable as my weeks went by and could have used more skills before my semester ended. Anyway, I'm sure that as you do get more educated in the skills you need to know and your instructor sees your knowledge, they'll give the responsibility as they see fit for you. Mine have done just that. They wouldn't give certain responsibilities to some of my classmates as fast due to not showng enough competency. I have an advantage over some of my classmates with being 34 yrs old and having 4 kids....that's enough to give you at least a broad knowledge base to start you off...LOL.

Good luck and remember, never be afraid to ask questions when you are unsure. They'll respect you more for admitting you don't understand and wanting to increase your knowledge. Better than trying to fake it and hurting someone!!

Hang in there Michelle! You're gonnabe fine...promise!

Hello,

I just finished my LPN program and yes, I too was scared. Had to do flu shots and did great until my last shot. On a CENA. She made me nervous and made her arm stiff, the needle bounced off and I stuck her again. Not a good thing to do. Had to tell my clinical instructor because if you hide things it will make things worse for you later. Had to document it. Got in trouble, Put on a warning, but I guess its better to learn in school. Thing is I knew I did wrong as I stuck her the second time.

As far as starting a new floor on your second day...... Be in no hurry. Learn everything there is to know on that floor for a few weeks before moving on.

Good luck

Dabuggy

P.S. I hope you learn from my mistake.

Specializes in emergency.

No worries!

I was petrified my first day of clinicals as I think everyone is, and you should be, i think there is alot of excitment that is wrapped up inside that aprehension.

your first day will probably go something like this:

1, welcome, ladies and gentlemen, here is a list of 5 thousand rules,....lets review them!

2. Here is a room

3. here is a patient

4. Look at the patient

5. do not touch the patient

6. next room..

7. go home

As for giving a shot, YES you will be shaking like a leaf on a tree! [and it wont be on the first day]

My first shot, I did not feel nervous at all, but when i raised that thing toward my patient she started laughing uncontrollably,...as I looked over....the needle was flailing in my hand like a fish off a hook!

Be confident, remeber ...you are the one with the training...you are the one becoming a medical proffessional...take a deep breath ...and just focus on the moment...you will be fine.

ps. don't forget your first injections will not be into veins or arteries,....so at best if you screw em up..they end up with a bruised, thigh, delt, or glute!!

thank God, there is no spelling part on the NCLEX!!!

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