Just finished my clinical rotation for this class (med/surge). Had evals yesterday because we had a sub instructor tonight. Which, my usual CI was actually working at the hospital on the unit I was on!! Anyway, what has been your favorite part of nursing school?
First semester I loved class far more then I loved Clinical. I flew through with minimal effort, but I absolutely loathed clinicals where I was at. It was our nursing home rotation, I felt like I learned nothing, the staff was rude the aides were rude, it tore me up to see the condition our elderly are treated in. It was just miserable.
This semester I might not even pass my class and it's not even because I get knowledge questions wrong, I lost my focus very early on and got worst test grade of my life and I was never a 4.0 student to begin with. Anyway, that REALLY through me off my game. My husband is out of town so it's just my 4 kids and I and I have no family or friends locally so it was rough but more so, I have hardly got the sleep I used to get first semester. Not because of school but I always have a harder time sleeping when my husband is gone.(he works in Cali from after Thanksgiving until May with only a few visits, we try once per month) So I went from forcing myself to get 8-9 hours of sleep a night last semester, to maybe 3-4 a night this semester. I have pulled two all nighters the night before my exams, the others I got maybe 2 hours. So anyway I know that was 90% of my problem with my class because my exams were dumb mistakes, ones that sleep deprivation could certainly cause. Now I am paying for it and have my final monday with a very narrow margin to pass, but not throwing in the towel yet.
Anyway, the only part that I don't mind if I have to retake the class is clinicals. I have LOVED clinicals this semester, I have learned SOO MUCH. Tonight besides pulling meds from Pyxsis and pushing meds, (we aren't allowed to do that yet or central lines, we won't even have our own Pyxsis ID because of some incident a few years back and we always have to have a nurse or instructor present to give meds as long as we are students) anyway, so besides those things, I took care of all my pt needs all night, I planned out my care for them, did everything, did the meds to but had to find someone to assist, my co nurse was a float nurse that got a really difficult post op, so I barely saw her the whole night, but I knew the patients couldn't go uncared for and although I spent most of the clnical weeks always WITH a co nurse, I just took charge and took care of my patients. Anyway, I get awesome reviews from the nurses and my CI for clinicals, the nurses would be a better judge, with us all so spread out on the different floors we rarely see our CI unless we page her. She is usually trying to get to see us all briefly in the night so not anything bad on her. She was so awesome we all got her gift and are sad to not have any more. (well I will get her again if I have to retake the class LOL )
Anyway, I am trying to wind down for the night so hopefully this made sense, I didn't get home until almost midnight. But what do you like most,
Do you feel at the top of your game in class but not clinicals, is it pretty even, or do you feel right at home in clinicals and try to get through class?
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
yep... I would take clinicals over class at any time, yesterday I pulled my last preceptorship shift, and finished all my clinicals for nursing school, so I am done... I cant believe how fast it all went...
lets see:
16 shifts on skilled nursing unit
16 shifts on a multi system PCU
4 shifts on L&D
4 shifts on NICU
4 shifts on mother baby
14 shifts on pediatrics
5 shifts on mental health
16 shifts on a multi system PCU
8 shifts on a surgical PCU
1 shift at the hospice
8 shifts for practicum
total 96 days of clinicals for the last 14 months... I loved every single one of them
I remember your post from you're first day. CONGRATULATIONS, you're almost there!
What was your favorite and least favorite area and why?
Hi, I feel the same way about my CI, she is rude, degrading and makes it hard to ask questions. I can't wait to finish 1st semester and move on to different instructors.
Clinical beats class for sure. I have a fabulous instructor for this rotation who is helpful and fun, so she definitely helps make it a positive experience. Plus, I learn better when I'm actually doing something instead of sitting in boring lecture for 6 hours at a time.
~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN
5,259 Posts
I remember your post from you're first day. CONGRATULATIONS, you're almost there!
What was your favorite and least favorite area and why?