Clinicals: they provide some of the most challenging and rewarding learning opportunities in nursing school! I have been so thankful for my time in the hospital this semester, and I wanted to share with you some of my tips for making the most out of your clinical experience.
1) Lay out everything the night ahead!
Clinicals are often early in the morning. It is no fun at all to be scrambling in the morning to gather all your supplies and get out the door on time! I like to lay out everything I need and pack my car with my hospital bags the night ahead so all I have to think about in the morning is my coffee :)
2) Don't be afraid to ask questions!!
Clinicals can teach you so much, so take advantage of the opportunity to ask questions. Most of the nurses and doctors will be more than happy to answer questions. Last week I got to talk to a nurse in the dialysis unit, and he taught me for over an hour about the dialysis pumps, the pathophysiology behind the patient's diagnosis, and the proper procedures for initiating and discontinuing dialysis. It is always so fun to listen to someone who specializes in a particular field of nursing teach something they are passionate about!
3) Always be ready to help in any way you can
Being a nurse is not always glamorous! I think one of the most important lessons you will learn is that you are not above any task. No matter how simple it may be, patient care is our priority, so we need to be willing to do whatever it takes to make our patients as comfortable as possible! Often you will learn so much about your patient by taking their vitals, giving them a bath, rubbing some lotion into their dry skin, or helping them to the bathroom.
4) Take care of yourself!
You can't take care of your patients if you aren't taking care of yourself. When things get crazy in the hospital, it isn't always easy to remember to take bathroom breaks or stay hydrated, but this is so important! If you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of your patients. Keeping a bag in the breakroom with a full water bottle and some easy to grab snacks is a great way to keep your energy up during a long clinical day!
5) Use outside resources
Obviously during clinical you can't just pull out your phone and google questions you have about medications or treatments. I always write down the names of drugs I am unsure about or procedures I want to look into. Look up these questions later or bring them up in post-conference. Applying what you see in clinical will really solidify the concepts in your brain.
6) Be cautious, but confident!!
If you have been validated on a skill and get the opportunity to practice it, then go ahead and do it! I remember feeling terrified the first time I got asked to give an injection or start an IV on a real patient, but I felt so much better after I did. My clinical instructor was right there with me, and the hands on practice reinforced everything I had learned in simulations, validations, and lecture! Don't perform any skill you are uncertain about, but don't be afraid to practice what you know.
7) Be open to new experiences
Keep an open mind as you explore different areas of the nursing field! You never know: you may think you have no interest in becoming a cardiac nurse, but you may fall in love with cardiology when you see it in practice. You'll never know what you are passionate about until you are immersed in the field!
Clinical can be a scary but incredibly exciting experience. Take advantage of it, learn from your mistakes, and have fun! Nursing is amazing, and I love it more and more every day.
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