When can you shadow someone?

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Can somebody fill me in on shadowing?

I haven't started school yet (getting ready to start this semester) and I've already been asked by a couple people if I've shadowed anybody in the field yet, so, I'm, now, wondering how it works.

I mean, if everybody did this as a means to help decide if a certain field was even right for them before starting school, wouldnt it be happening constantly, and be an encumberance or a "monkey on the back" of the medical industry? It's a risk on the hospitals behalf to be allowing "just anybody" to come in and have "a day in the life" experience, so there has to be more to it I'm thinking...

Shadowing a CRNA, for example, seems so premature right now, but if it's my ultimate goal, it would be nice to know if I really am on the right track before I begin all my schooling.

What kind of a referral would I need? Is it a "who you know" kind of thing, especially this early in the game? Should I even be shadowing right now? :confused:

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I don't think it is necessary to shadow anyone right now... when you start going through the different semesters you will get an idea of what you like best. I'm in my 3rd semester and still keeping and open mind as to what I want to do :)

good luck!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.

my first semster we got to shadow as part of clinical experience so maybe you will get that opportunity.

maybe u can volunteer in a local hospital , so u get an idea of how everything goes and esp. how the nurse handles their daily duties.

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Yeah, very true, I've heard its pretty common for people to change their mind (sometimes several times) while going thru the process, so Im not fretting it... yet! ;) DEFinitely keeping an open mind!

With that said, I do think it would be extremely interesting and invaluable to shadow someone in the areas you might be interested in, at any point in the process, if you were given the opportunity or could GET the opportunity, like Pneumothorax did. That's awesome!

I have a couple friends who are nurses, and a connection in anesthesia that might be able to help if it doesnt happen thru school. I should just ask. I was just curious to see if it was common procedure.

Volunteering is a good idea!

Thank you both for your responses!

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I know when we had a meet and greet day last november we shadowed current nursing students for a couple hours. Our nursing class starts in 2 weeks. Our school arranged that anyone that wasnt in the medical field already in some way could get an idea of what kind of things we would be doing, because I guess they always lose a few when they get to that point and they reallize "this isn't what i thought/expected.....i dont think i can do this". Then they can know 3 months before school starts and only lose the applicaion and acceptance fees, instead of realizing several weeks into the program, having bought books, uniforms, paid tuition. Before we went to the hospital we had to fill out a shadowing paper that the hospital has. Obviously ours were already arranged, but the paper was a requirement, but usually would be asked to be placed for shadowing.

If you are questioning nursing all together, maybe it would be worth looking into shaddowing a nurse before you start nursing school if you can. Even if only for a couple hours. Maybe call your school and see if they know where you could, or call your local hopital and see if they offer any shaddowing programs.

But specialties you will be able to observe while you are in clinicals. Yes you might be on ortho med surge, but that total knee replacement patient you are caring for might have a nerve block that the CRNA will be coming to check on and you will be able to observe a CRNA when they are dealing with your patient. (actually what happened on my shaddow, student i was shadowing had that patient). I think it would be more benifitial to worry about actually shadowing a CRNA when you are at the point of looking at applying to CRNA programs. At that point I think anything you get out of it will be more valuable to making that decision

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