While every part of a nursing course is of vital importance, for many students, it is when they start their clinical rotations that it becomes real. During your studies, you will have learned the science and theory of how to treat patients and the best ways of treating different conditions, as well as learning about life in a busy hospital. However, when you start your clinical placements, you are able to see everything you have learned in theory put into practice and discover first-hand what life is like for nurses at all stages of their careers. A successful clinical placement will help put you on the road to success for your entire nursing career and can also give you an idea of where you want your career to go.
Clinical placements are challenging but are also highly rewarding as you work with real patients, and many nurses report that these are the most satisfying parts of a nursing course. While it will take hard work and dedication to succeed, there are some strategies you can use that will help ensure that your clinical rotation is a success.
Arranging the right placement
Clinical placements are an important component of most nursing courses, including the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) that students take to qualify as a registered nurse (RN) and the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) that prepares RNs for more advanced roles such as a nurse practitioner. As a result, high-quality clinical placements are in great demand. For nursing students, sourcing their own placements can be a time-consuming task, taking up time that can be far better spent on the study needed to gain the knowledge that’s essential for a successful placement. If someone else is able to do the hard work of securing the placement, you can concentrate more fully on your studies.
Nursing students can pay for a third-party assistance service. However, while this does at least free you up to concentrate on studying, the costs of these are often difficult for students to manage. A far better idea is to choose a nursing course that includes assistance in securing good-quality clinical placements.
It may be expected that an online course will offer less support in securing placements for clinical rotations, as they may be geographically distant from you and not have connections in your locality. However, this is not the case, with many online nursing courses at all levels providing clinical placement services. A good example of how this works can be seen in the nurse practitioner clinical placement service offered by Texas Woman’s University on its MSN-FNP program. The faculty and placement coordinator will help organize and prepare you for your clinical placements, including making sure that the placement is as close to your home as possible and introducing you to your preceptor. By choosing a course that offers a clinical placement service, you can be confident that it will meet all of the requirements. By freeing you to concentrate on your studies, you will be as well-prepared as possible to start the placement.
Introduce yourself
Try to make contact with the setting where your clinical placement will take place with an email to introduce yourself. This is also the time to find out any information you need to know before you start, such as where you will need to go on your first day and any particular rules there are in the establishment.
If possible, visit the facility in person. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are often large, busy places. While you will quickly learn to find your way around, if you are able to get to know the layout of the place before you start, it is one less thing you will need to learn once your placement begins. Check all the little details, such as where you can go to take a break, where you can eat and where the restrooms are. On a busy clinical placement, you will not want to waste any of your breaks, being unsure of where to go. It will also give you the chance to meet some of the staff you will be working alongside. Starting your first placement can be daunting, and seeing some familiar faces can help to ease you into it.
Be professional
You should treat your clinical placement as if it were your job and behave in a professional manner at all times. Arrive on time for your shift, or better still, a little bit early, and respect the guidance and rules of the workplace. Make sure that your manner with staff and patients alike is courteous and respectful. When you’re making a first impression on your clinical placement, you want to ensure that it is a good one.
Ask questions
Clinical rotations are some of the most valuable learning experiences you will get during your course. You’ll get to work with people in the environment and position you hope to work in, so make the most of them. The best way to maximize your learning is to ask questions to the nurses and other medical professionals you are working with. You might want to ask why they acted in a particular way, why such a treatment was the most suitable, or how they reached a particular diagnosis. By doing this, you will enhance your own knowledge.
Generally, the medical professionals you work with while on clinical placement will be happy to answer your questions. They know that you are there to learn and will be happy to play their part in this. However, you will need to pick the right moment to ask questions. The middle of an emergency is unlikely to be the right moment, and it might be tricky for staff to find the time to answer you as fully as they would like during a busy shift. Ideally, pick a moment at the end of a shift or during a break when a colleague will have time to talk. If in doubt, speak to your preceptor to let them know that you have some questions and see if they can organize a time for a debrief.
People can feel nervous asking questions, as they’re worried that it might make them look foolish. However, try to overcome this. There is a very good chance that other nursing students will also be keen to know the answer to your question. If you are given an instruction that you have not fully understood, then it can be tempting to cover it up rather than admit to it. However, this would be the worst action. Your preceptor will be far more impressed by a nursing student who seeks clarification rather than one who has not understood and made a mistake.
Welcome feedback
It is daunting having someone observe you while you work, and criticism is something that none of us enjoy. However, understanding your weaknesses or where you have done something wrong is the only way to make improvements, and so, for this reason, you should welcome any feedback you get.
Although the feedback may be critical in places, it should not be overwhelmingly negative. The idea of clinical placements is to grow in confidence as a nurse, not see it dashed. With any mistakes or weaknesses highlighted, there should also be recommendations of what you need to do to improve your skills. If this type of feedback is not offered, then this is something that you should certainly ask for.
The feedback should also include highlighting your strengths and singling out examples of good practice. From this, you can decide how to use your strengths to improve your performance and what you can take from the praise to enhance your good practice in future situations. By building on your strengths and finding ways to improve your weaknesses, you will develop as a nurse.
While it is not pleasant to hear about mistakes and weaknesses, it is important to remember that those are just from one observation. If you use the feedback to improve your practice, then eventually, looking back at the less successful observations will simply highlight how much you have learned through your clinical practice, something that is important for students and preceptors alike.
You can also be proactive in seeking feedback. If you are unsure about your performance, ask your colleagues for their feedback. Often, we are most critical of ourselves, and you may be pleasantly surprised to find that your colleagues notice strengths that you were not fully aware of.
Take the time to reflect
At the end of a shift, it can be tempting to let out a sigh of relief and head home, resolving not to even think about nursing until the next shift. However, this is not the best way to gain benefits from the shift you have just worked. Taking a break is important, but first, reflect on the shift. Think about the aspects of the shift that went well where you felt that you excelled and demonstrated your skills, but also identify areas where you should have done better and think about any improvements you can make.
Perhaps most importantly, think of times when you were uncertain and make a note of questions you need answering. It may be that you can be proactive in this by carrying out your own research. However, also make a note of things you would like to discuss with your colleagues at the earliest opportunity.
Nobody starts a clinical rotation as the perfect nurse, so don’t give yourself a hard time over the aspects that you know should be improved. Instead, treat them as learning opportunities and reflect on the ways that you can hone your skills and knowledge to do better in the future.
Look for different opportunities
To get the most out of your clinical rotation, you want as many different experiences as possible, so look out for the chance to experience something different. Perhaps there is a patient on the ward with an unusual condition. In this case, you could ask to shadow a medical professional who is working with them, or if you have not yet witnessed an MRI, volunteer to accompany a patient who is on their way to have one.
You do not need to limit this simply to nursing. It is advantageous to see what other medical professionals do as the best medical practices are delivered as part of a team. So, if the chance comes to observe a radiographer or physiotherapist at work, take it.
Take any opportunities for any clinical experience. Your clinical placement may start with observation, but you are there to gain practical experience, so as soon as there is the chance to help with any procedures, be the person who volunteers.
Networking opportunities
Ultimately, you are doing a nursing degree program with the aim of entering or advancing a nursing career, and so making yourself known in prospective places of employment is a good idea. While on your clinical rotations, build up professional relationships in the workplace and take the chance to showcase your abilities.
While on your clinical placement, you will certainly want to demonstrate your clinical skills, but employers are often looking for more than that. You should also demonstrate the soft skills you possess, such as being organized, having good communication skills, being able to work well under pressure and working well as part of a team. With good nurses always in demand, there is a good chance that the healthcare facility where you are undertaking your clinical rotations will be looking for new nurses either now or in the near future. By building professional relationships and demonstrating high standards of clinical practice, you can get a head start on the competition and have a good chance of securing permanent employment once you are qualified.
Besides all the clinical and soft skills needed to be a nurse, you should also be personable. Talk to your colleagues and get to know them. In this way, you will likely be remembered if in the future you apply for work there. At the very least, you may be approaching them for a reference in the future, so having connections will be advantageous.
Try to be useful
While on a shift, look for ways to be useful. There is always an array of tasks that need to be done on busy wards. Volunteer to tidy up a patient’s room, arrange their meals or help them with personal care. By being useful, you will get yourself noticed by your colleagues and make them more disposed to look for ways to help you.
If you are the person who answers call bells or takes observations, you will quickly be considered highly useful by the medical staff of that establishment. This will make them more likely to get to know you, write a more positive report or reference, and, if you do one day seek employment there, they will be keen to get you back.
Look after yourself
Clinical placements are physically and mentally demanding, so it is all the more important that you keep yourself in the best physical and mental state. Make sure that you get sufficient sleep and eat proper meals before and after your shift. Also, ensure that you find opportunities for relaxation and leisure when you are not on your placement.
After the placement
Successful clinical rotations are essential for success in your nursing degree program. They will also help you develop as a nurse, teaching and honing an array of skills that are essential for a successful career. You should, therefore, be grateful to the medical setting that has welcomed you for your clinical rotations and helped you develop so many skills.
At the end of your placement, say thank you to your preceptor and to any staff whom you have worked particularly closely with or who have been particularly helpful. Once you have left, send a card to thank them for the experience they have given you. Doing this not only shows appreciation to the hardworking and busy staff who have made the time to help you, but it is also a good way to leave a final good impression. This way, if you ask for a reference or seek employment there one day, they will be happy to consider you.
Conclusion
Clinical placements are not supposed to be easy. Nursing is a skilled profession in which there is always more to learn. However, clinical placements should be fulfilling and occasions where you can truly see yourself as a nurse. By making sure that you take advantage of all the opportunities, including the chance to learn from feedback, you will develop your skills and knowledge.
At the end of your clinical rotations, you should feel a sense of achievement and the knowledge that you have gained in terms of experience and ability. It is also possible that you will have found a place of future employment.
