Question

What are some of the best stragties to survive nursing clinicals?

Answer 1

Sleep, do your prep work, have your medication cards done. If you instructor lets you see your patient's chart prior to clinical day, go and find out what their primary diagnosis is and the pathology behind it. Also, ask questions when you have them - your instructor is there to help you learn.

Answer 2

Make sure you're well fed, it's hard to think straight when you're hungry. Prioritize what you need to get done (using your instructors expectations as a guideline.) Mentally review your assessments before you go to do them until you're comfortable with what you're doing. I found making a colour-coded to-do list helpful...all meds in red, assessments in blue, treatments and procedures in black. Keep on top of what needs done when. Ask for help from the nursing staff as well, and remember that nursing is a team sport!

Answer 3

What used to work for me and still works for me now that I am a nurse is to keep a "brain board" which is a paper I designed to take report and keep my to do list on. I have separate columns for vitals, med times, prn meds, intake, output, blood glucose, etc. It makes reporting off much easier. Another great tip is to do all of your charting in the patient's room if possible. I do my assessment, and do small talk with the patient while I chart. Not only does this allow you to build rapport and trust with your patient, you will catch anything you forgot to do. It looks pretty bad to the patient and your instructor if you have to keep coming back for things you forgot. Your instructor will also appreciate you having everything done and charted when you exit the room, then they know they can check your charting.