What did you do on your MedSurg I clinical?

Despareux · Feb 28, 2011

I did not get to do a lot things we were checked off for at the beginning (foley's, IM injections, IV push, tube feeding, and probably other things I should know, but don't.)

I've also heard of graduates who have never inserted a foley. That seems a bit scary.

So no, you're not the only one.

gpatry · Feb 28, 2011

I'll let you know, I start this week :)

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2011

Apparently, I'm a cat. We go to clinical nine times, and I die each time. Boredom is killer. I keep waking up at home the next day so there must be nine lives....well, seven to go.

To answer your question, we get patient assignments five of the nine times. The first time it's one patient and the other four it's two patients. We give meds, wash their bodies, fetch their lunch, insert/remove tubes, document, sling meds, and do whatever else pops up. If the assigned patient(s) don't need catheters or NGTs then you don't get to do one.

MSI is our second semester of clinicals though.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 1, 2011

You will find that across the programs people do a variety of things in their first semester of clinicals. While you say you have not done a lot of things, I did all of those several times my first semester. I was always the one to volunteer to do things ( mainly because I was bored half the time ). You never know, you might get the chance to do all those this next semester. We had students make it through that never inserted a foley, start an IV etc etc.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 1, 2011

I did most stuff my third semester clinicals which was Med/Surg 2. I did a few things 2nd semester but by 3rd we were cleared to do everything and I was able to do a lot more. I also always sought out opportunities, I would tell the nurses that weren't my nurses that I was trying to do new things and if they had anything I would love to do it. In fact most of the skills I ended up doing were with nurses that weren't my co-nurse

cschoppe · Mar 1, 2011

In med-surg I, I pretty much gave meds, did assessments, assisted with dressing changes and did a lot of observing in addition to a lot of butt wiping lol. Our main focus for med surg I was to refine our assessment skills and pass meds safely, anything besides that was a bonus. Most of the time the patient's had been on the floor for a while so they didn't need new IV's or foleys, etc.

In med-surg II I gave injections, meds, d/c IV's, took VS, etc. We also did a lot of observing since we got to go to different specialty areas (main OR, day surgery, PACU, cardiac cath lab, and interventional radiology). Oh this semester I got to put in my first foley on a female pt.

This semester I am in specialties so right now I'm about to finish up OB clinical where I've seen 3 vag deliveries, worked with babies in the NICU, gave Vit K injections and eye ointment to newborns as well as performing their first bath, helped with postpartum care as well as antenatal care...after spring break I am headed to pedi clinical and mental health clinical...we'll see how that goes

SummitRN, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2011

The annoying thing to me is that I did more in my first two clinicals where I was able to start and d/c several IVs, give several SQ, IM, and drip meds, do ostomy care, start and d/c several foleys, and do a tube feed. I figured those skills would prepare me for MSI. I figured that MSI would be a step up in intensity, not a step down! When I go to MSII, those skills will be a year old.

Of the four skills I mentioned doing in MSI, I've only done one on my assigned patients, the rest were from begging other nurses to give me SOMETHING to do. I think it is the floor I'm on. Only half the patients even have IV access or foleys!

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Mar 1, 2011

MS1 (which was considered Older Adults for my program) was spent doing basic patient care + IV stuff, blood draws, injections, dressing changes, etc...MS2 was pretty much the same but I did a lot of things related to central lines. You just kind of build along as you go. You can't possibly know every procedure in the book.