What do you do when sick? Clinicals? Class?

[PennyLane, RN]

The only time I've missed clinical or class was last year when I had the Norwalk virus. Believe me when I tell you I should have been hospitalized, I was so dehydrated. I lost 10 pounds in 24 hours!!! Didn't pee for 24 hours!!! Laid on the bathroom floor for 3 days!!!

If I have a cold or am just feeling under the weather, I go in.

[PennyLane, RN]

The only time I've missed clinical or class was last year when I had the Norwalk virus. Believe me when I tell you I should have been hospitalized, I was so dehydrated. I lost 10 pounds in 24 hours!!! Didn't pee for 24 hours!!! Laid on the bathroom floor for 3 days!!!

If I have a cold or am just feeling under the weather, I go in.

[LauraLou]

We are allowed to miss one clinical day a semester. If you miss any more than that, they drop you from the program, no excuses allowed. I figure unless I am on my deathbed, I am not going to miss a day. Luckily, I haven't been really sick the last two semesters so it hasn't been an issue.

[RedSox33RN]

We can miss one clinical day a semester, but it has to be made up on the ONE clinical make-up day scheduled, PLUS we're charged $50 for missing the original clinical day. And it does not come out of any financial aid. If we miss more than two, we have to meet with the nursing dept heads to see what can be done to make them up (possibly do an entire weekend with the evening program).

We can miss lecture, but not many, or that affects grades and financial aid. Any lab we miss has to be made up before clinical for the following week, or we are not allowed to use the new skills learned in clinical, and have to inform our clinical instructor.

I've missed one lecture, last week, but already have the notes of the one I missed. I'm hoping and praying to never miss clinical!

[NewEnglandRN, RN]

At my school, ALL CLINICAL learning experience is mandatory. Absences which exceed more than two clinical days per semester will result in clinical failure/ course failure.

In the event of an absence, student must complete an alternative learing assignment. Failure to complete the assignement with result in course failure. There is the possible of a fee for service makeup day at $40 per hour!

[Limik]

When I was doing clinicals(way back in the dark ages 12 years ago :rotfl: ) we went to clinicals even if we were on our death beds. I did miss one day because my son was having surgery. My instructors let me make the clinical day up by doing one weekend night at one of our clinical hospitals. We were required to have so many hours of clinical no matter what. We were also given the opportunity to do some extra clinical at Sports Medicine Clinics voluntarily, just in case. My best advice is, if you can make it and you are not putting your patients at risk, go to clinicals.

Limik

[MassLPN2005]

My clinical instructor said unless we were extremely ill to show up and she would assess us quickly to see if she thinks we are safe to work with the patients. If not, she sends us home.

[cherokeesummer]

I am with ya! I wouldn't miss it unless I was putting someone at risk. Too much of a chance of missing very important interaction, especially when clinical opportunities can be limited for eve/weekend classes!

Thanks for the insight into your programs :):)

[Nursetob2005]

Our clinical stuff is 30% of our final grade. Each clinical hour counts as one point. Therefore, if you are 5 minutes late, you have 1 point taken off of your final grade. If you miss a clinical day, that is 6 points taken off of your final grade.

Just my 2 cents!

jami