What to Expect During Nursing School Clinicals
Clinicals provide nursing school students with the opportunity to obtain experience in the field while they are working toward their degree or diploma. They are often one of the most important aspects of nursing school because clinicals allow students to get real-world training and a glimpse into their future work environment. As a nursing student, you can take as little or as much as you’d like from your clinicals. The experience you gain ultimately depends on your readiness to learn. Over the course of your clinical rotations, you will likely work in every healthcare specialty, from emergency care to pediatrics. The key to making the most of your clinicals is being prepared, following your training and listening to your nursing mentors. Starting clinicals for the first time can be intimidating, but in time, you will begin to feel more confident and comfortable in the healthcare settings you visit. Textbooks and lectures can only get you so far. In order to be prepared and ready to pursue your , you need hands-on experience with actual patients in legitimate healthcare facilities. Clinicals allow you to shadow other nurses, interact with patients and learn critical compliance-related rules and regulations. In most cases, clinicals begin once you complete your general education courses. A nursing student typically starts their clinicals with general nursing to help acclimate them to the healthcare environment and ease them into engaging and caring for patients and their families. Clinicals take place in addition to your typical classes and coursework and usually occur in your first or second semester. Most nursing programs require 120 to 140 hours of clinical rotation per semester in order to complete the program. Clinicals look different for every nursing student depending on the tasks they’ve been assigned and what healthcare specialty their clinical is under. Most nursing students work several clinical shifts a week, each lasting anywhere from five to eight hours. While every nursing program will have its own grading system, attendance and participation are the greatest influences when it comes to clinical grading. In addition to your attendance and participation, the quality of your nursing care plans may also influence your grade. The goal of clinicals is to prepare you for working as an RN on your own once you’ve passed the NCLEX. If you study well and apply what you learn during your clinicals, your grade should ideally reflect your nursing abilities. Our accredited four-semester long complete with academically challenging coursework and hands-on clinical practice. At SLCHC, our LPN program is flexible and accommodating for those with busy schedules who would benefit from evening or online classes. Apply to our LPN program or explore other by calling 866-529-2070.