I go to CSULB and our ratio is 1:10/11, which i think is too much!
I finished the first semester and barely got see my instructor.
she was only with me 3 times.
first time for passing the med.
second time to go over my careplan with me.
third time because i have a patient almost coded.
other than that, i only see her in the morning for 5 min, and next sec shes gone, either with other student or just can't find her!
I got an A in clinical and her final evaluation comment was pretty much based on that third time she was with me,
because there aren't other things she can say, she wasn't even there with me!
According to other two clinical group, their clinical wasn't much either, its hard to see their instructor too.
first semester was easy but i hated the clinical because I feel insecure.
they expected the nurses to teach you, but its not always the case!!
the RN are usually busy over their own patient! and they sometimes make us feel stupid for not knowing the basic thing. I didn't get to do complete bed bath at all (I did ask, and offer my help many times to the CNA), made bed once, mostly just did V/S and pass. I didn't watch any procedures, not even see a foley or NG tube. They showed us once in the sim. lab and gave us half hour for practice. and expect us to know it. While many of us never got to practice again after that sim.lab day or even seen one.
I feel embarassed when the CNA/RN on the floor ask "you don't know?" or "they didn't teach you this??"
I don't know if I should change a program, I am sorry to say, since many people think CSULB is a very good school.
but I think they are disorganized, and way overrated. Student doesn't get to pick their own class schedule and clinical site. which would be inconvenient if you need a job since you don't get to arrange your time.
I think they have a good reputation because u need a high GPA/TEAS test to get in. and i'm NOT the only student who feels this way.
how is your clinical like for you? what is the instructor/student ratio?
and actually, how is the clinical suppose to be like?
is it suppose to be like this? hard to reach ur instructor and rely on the RN on the floor?
I want to switch to Mt. Sac's nursing program.. but they only offer ADN not BSN.
my friends and family tell me its not a good idea, since BSN is still better.
but I am scared I'll graduate knowing nothing and lack of clinical skills because of the program.
We had 1:10 at the beginning of each semester, and of course less students by the end after 30-50% didn't pass. I didn't like being left alone so much in the beginning, but then I realized I was left alone because my instructors trusted me to ask for help if I needed it. When I asked, they were always right there.
We have 10 in our clinical groups as well. I never really saw my instructor unless we called her. She did however give us time in the ER to practice our skills. The nurses there were VERY glad to let us take over foleys. When I feel like there isn't much going on with my pt. at the time I just start asking for things to do. Out of all the nurses on the floor one of them has something to do or see! You can't be shy, just ask!
Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.
Wow. In my program, it's been 1:6 throughout, and I'm going to be graduating in May. My instructors have always been just an arm's length away and while the nurses have been great, it's been good to know that my instructors have my back too in clinicals. It was hard in peds though, because I had a very useless instructor who was very spazzy and hard to work with. Depending on the clinical, 1-2 people may have been off the floor for observation days but I can't remember having more than 6 people in my clinical rotations. I'm in a 4 year BSN program at a state university.
I would love to have your ratio, maybe I wouldn't be so bored in clinicals if I did. Once my instructor assigned 4 students to one patient ! I was so irrate, and I calmly told her how I would like to get more hands on appearance with out my three other nursing students classmates breathing down my back.
She then gave us one on one, but I would still like to get a touch of reality and get atleast 4 patients for myself if not more.
I know once I try LTC, I'll be wanting to take my words back :)
Specializes in General adult inpatient psychiatry.
I would love to have your ratio, maybe I wouldn't be so bored in clinicals if I did. Once my instructor assigned 4 students to one patient ! I was so irrate, and I calmly told her how I would like to get more hands on appearance with out my three other nursing students classmates breathing down my back.
She then gave us one on one, but I would still like to get a touch of reality and get atleast 4 patients for myself if not more.
I know once I try LTC, I'll be wanting to take my words back :)
For the first clinical day for each clinical so far, our instructors typically paired us with one of our peers for the first day and we shared a patient but that's it. We've only ever worked up to 2 patients each though, because everyone was passing meds too with our instructor.
We have between 8-12 for our lvn program but I've never had a problem getting the attention I needed. First term in the nursing home we were on different units and the pace was slow so we didn't need much one on one but we could call her over via cell or overhead page. Second term we were on a small unit and were following every one elses procedures so we were very much a tight team of 8. I loved last term.
I think a lot of what happens also depends on your instructor and her style. We had 4 groups of ten each at different hospitals with different clinical instructors. It was amazing how different each of our experiences were even though we were in the same program. For example our instructor had us doing patient care on orientation day while other instructors waited almost a full month before allowing patient care. I know one instructor was very serious about paper work, and made her students do tons more than we had to do. Then I was amazed to find out that when we were starting two care plans a clinical day another instructor was just having her students turn in their first care plan. In addition, our instructor gave us the opportunity to go to places we were interested in OR, cath lab, rehab, wound care, GI, ED on some days. There are other instructors who never let their students leave the med surg floor. So if you get a new clinical instructor each semester you may find your experience next semester completely different. I am heading out the door to my orientation for clinical for semester two here in a bit. I am nervous because I loved my instructor last semester, and have no idea what I am walking into this semester. We havent even met her yet. Wish me luck!!!
Ours is not much different and think its fine. I've really enjoyed my program thus far.
how is your clinical like for you? what is the instructor/student ratio?
First semester, our clinical was in the nursing home, and while we were with the patients (basically learning ADLs, our instructor was at the nursing desk researching patient charts so that she could grade our clinical assignments. Our ratio was 1:7. We had a "student charge nurse" who we had to go to with any issues. We were not allowed to go directly to the instructor unless it was an emergency. It sounds terrible, but it actually gave us the opportunity to get comfortable with the patients without someone looking over our shoulder. It made is independent and confident in our ADL abilities.
This semester, we are still 1:7 ratio, but now we're all over a small town hospital. We are assigned 2 to a department, with the remaining 1 in pulmonary rehab (boring!) I saw my instructor when she dropped me off in the ER, and then she came back when I got a proceedure to do, and again when my partner did hers, and then to gather us up for report. We will only see her when we need her I think, which is fine with me. I instead get my education from those who work in the department, and I do my best to make friends with them and be as helpful as humanly possible. It feels much more "real world" to me this way.
and actually, how is the clinical suppose to be like?
I dont know any other way than how ours is now. I do know that this is the most students we've ever had in class and last year they had a 1:4 ratio. I like it. My CI makes me nervous so I'm happier when she's not with me. And I don't need her for things like cleaning wounds ect, just for actual catheters/NG tubes/giving meds/ect.
is it suppose to be like this? hard to reach ur instructor and rely on the RN on the floor?
My teacher has always been a bit elusive and at first it really frustrated and annoyed me, but I've come to see the good in it personally. On the floor, you cant always run to someone else when things get complicated. I would never hurt a patient or do something I didn't know how to do, but I've found myself suprised at what I am actually ABLE to do that I did not give myself credit for. Plus, getting to know the RNs on the floor is not only great learning experience, it also gives you the opportunity to network, which can be a real boost when you try to get a job later on.
IMO, I don't think you should switch programs unless you feel you are going to fail out if you don't. Take it from someone who knows from unfortunate experience. Transferring brings with it a LOT of headaches and possible delays as well as the possibility of some classes not transferring, plus having to learn the system and the teachers all over again (what happens if its not right again and you don't like it any better? sometimes its not necessarily greener over the hill)
they expected the nurses to teach you, but its not always the case!!
the RN are usually busy over their own patient! and they sometimes make us feel stupid for not knowing the basic thing.
Amen! These are some of the reasons I, too, hate clinicals. And I'm in my fourth of four semesters, and hoping it will get better.
Nursing students are just "thrown to the wolves", it seems, expected to know how to do something in the real-life setting from the get-go, without even watching first. It does NOT make for a very comfortable learning experience. Others might have better experiences. I'm still waiting for a more structured learning environment, and for a unit where nursing education/acceptance of nursing students is truly part of the unit's undersood goals.
P.S. My ratios have been 1:7 to 1:9 instructor:student.
I want to switch to Mt. Sac's nursing program.. but they only offer ADN not BSN.
my friends and family tell me its not a good idea, since BSN is still better.
but I am scared I'll graduate knowing nothing and lack of clinical skills because of the program.
: ( any advices? opinions?
How easy would it be to get in? I'm usually of the mindset that you learn the most when you are actually on the job anyway. No way would I drop a program that I had invested my time/money in as long as your BON oks the program.
vashtee, RN
1,065 Posts
We had 1:10 at the beginning of each semester, and of course less students by the end after 30-50% didn't pass. I didn't like being left alone so much in the beginning, but then I realized I was left alone because my instructors trusted me to ask for help if I needed it. When I asked, they were always right there.