Last Clinical…

Earlier in the month I started my last nursing school clinical ever! I’m on a medical surgical unit, which was my top choice, at a hospital about 40 minutes away. The set up for this is a bit different than my other clinicals where I was with an instructor and about 7 other students. This time it’s just me and my RN preceptor for 210 hours. And instead of having assigned clinical days I work when she works. Thankfully and to my delight my preceptor works the day shift 7a-7p.

Like all of my previous clinicals I get really nervous for it and can’t sleep the night before. But hopefully this will pass. My preceptor is really nice and I think I’m going to have a good experience. I’m hoping to learn a lot and have some good stories to tell.

My interesting experience on Saturday, which was my second time at clinical, actually happened after I completed my shift. To my surprise I got locked in an outside fenced in courtyard. And it was cold with snow on the ground.  My normal exit out of the hospital was locked so I used the one in the stairwell. Once outside with the door shut I realized I’d made a big mistake. I tried not to panic but the gate to the fence was locked, the doors leading into the hospital were locked, I couldn’t scale the fence (even though I tried twice), no one heard me banging on one of the doors, and my preceptor wouldn’t answer her phone. I was about ready to dig through my backpack to find the phone number to the unit I’m on to ask them to send down security when I thought I try one more thing.  I saw another gate that had two doors that were chained shut. I thought that maybe I could maneuver the chain so I could open the gate a little and slip out. After a little work I was able to do it and barely squeezed out.

When I got home Patrick had bought me chocolate milk, made me dinner, and gave me a long foot rub. It was nice to see him after being locked outside in the snow and being gone all day. Thankfully my exit from the hospital on Sunday night went much smoother.

Patrick got me these flowers to celebrate my last first day of clinical. I was so tired when I got home I didn't even see them on the table until the next morning.

Here are some pictures from a few of my past clinicals.

 Pediatrics

 OB

Medical Surgical 2