What's clinical like in 4th semester of the LPN program (Alberta)?

[Brie_Cheese]

I'm just starting my fourth (and last!) semester of nursing school and I was wondering if you guys could offer some insight as to what to expect/how to prepare for this semester's clinical rotation?

My last rotation was on an acute medical floor in the hospital. Most weeks we only had 1 patient each (they were all full care/high needs) and we would basically start our day with report, complete a head to toe on our patient, assist them with morning care, spend the rest of our day doing meds (mostly oral, fair amount of injections, no IV's), feeding, repositioning, baths/showers, and then complete another round of vitals before the day was out. Oh, and of course, chart. Occasionally, they would require a catheter/hypodermoclysis line, etc. but I never got a chance to do any of that since there were too many of us and not enough opportunities.

I'm worried that I won't be prepared for this semester's clinical since I only had a max of 2 patients and never got to utilize any of those types of nursing skills. Other than doing vital signs/breath sounds, etc. I felt more like an HCA than a nurse...

Main questions: How many patients should I expect to take on this semester? How did 4th semester clinical differ from 3rd in your view? Is there anything that you would recommend I specifically study/prepare for with this rotation in mind? What did you struggle with in 4th semester clinical and what would you do differently if you could do it over?

Thanks in advance!! I really appreciate any advice you have to offer!!

TLDR; I'll start 4th semester clinical next month. Feel like I didn't do enough last semester. Overwhelmed. How many patients should I expect? How should I prepare? How is 4th semester different from 3rd?

[Brie_Cheese]

P.S.

Sorry for the novel!!

[Fiona59]

You need to focus on your time management skills and volunteer to watch or do any skills you can

I'm surprized that you have had only two patients. When I did my training, we were expected to handle our budyy nurses load in Semester 3. And yes, I'm talking 4-5 surgical patients.

[Brie_Cheese]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I was actually surprised by that too. Was expecting to take on at least 3 patients that semester. Apparently it's school policy that we only have 1 patient each in 3rd semester (but our instructor allowed us to have 2 some weeks because we were doing well). I'm hoping they'll loosen up a bit and give us the opportunity to experience a fuller patient load this semester.