3 Tips to Better Manage Clinical Placement as a Student Nurse

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2. Table of contents  Introduction  Become a master of time management  Be constantly curious and never afraid to ask questions  Understand that it will be a lifelong learning journey  How Clinical Placement Feedback Can Drive Outcomes  What Does Research Say About Nursing Students and Stress  Everyone copes with stress in their own ways

3. Introduction Making the most out of clinical placement is extremely important for student nurses. It is the first step toward being a part of the cycle of care provision, where they get the chance to experience medicine from ground zero. Placements are typically designed not only to give the student the chance to apply the theoretical knowledge gained so far, but also to better understand what it takes to run a ward and how to succeed at the non-medical side of nursing as well. It is truly a unique opportunity to hone and develop skills and make an important decision for the future. Nonetheless, clinical placements comes with its own unique challenges and there are a number of things every nursing student should know and apply to ensure they make the most out of it. The work can be exhausting and even distressing some times, but there are few occupations that are as crucial and rewarding as being a nurse.

4. To begin with, every student must put in place a placement management plan of their own. This will entail everything from schedules and rotations to managing patients and their case. As many students have revealed, it’s not at all easy to stay on top of things. Imagine that many of these future nurses have never interacted with a real life patient with a real life problem. Having another human being ask you ‘Am I dying?’ or witnessing a patient pass away or being in pain can threaten emotional and psychological health if one is not fully prepared. On top of things, having to fill out, submit and update what seems like endless amounts of documentation on a regular basis can leave many overwhelmed and unable to do their job. There are a couple of tricks and tips that every nursing student can benefit from, namely:

5. Become a master of time management Nursing courses paired with practice and outside of work responsibilities already sounds like a recipe for disaster. Former students and specialists emphasize on the importance of managing time effectively and planning ahead. Keeping a journal and a constantly updated agenda can make a huge difference, while leveraging the potential of technology can smooth things even further. Apps such as Rotation Manager have been developed exactly with this objective in mind – to make nurse students’ lives easier.

6. Be constantly curious and never afraid to ask questions Stress and frustration can often build up as a result of insecurity and fear of asking for clarifications and explanations. It’s important to keep in mind that in such settings, the student is accountable for their own learning. Exploiting the knowledge and experience of mentors and long- standing staff and having a natural curiosity for procedures and processes will not only make the placement more enjoyable, but it will ensure a robust learning experience.

7. Understand that it will be a lifelong learning journey Nursing school and clinical placement are just the tip of the learning iceberg. There isn’t really a point throughout where learning will cease. As times are changing and there is constantly something to discover and master, it is important to not establish a finishing line. Health care is going through immense and exciting developments and fostering a growth mindset, always thirsty for more knowledge is the way forward.

8. How Clinical Placement Feedback Can Drive Outcomes Clinical placement could be majorly improved if feedback from nursing students was captured better. Who else is better positioned to identify gaps, provide solutions and praise what works well than those with fresh eyes, big ideas and willingness to go that extra mile to fix something? Performance, regardless of context, can only be boosted when areas of improvement and similarly, areas of strength are identified and appropriate actions are taken. Nursing students hold a powerful voice in this, which often remains unheard. Picture a medical ward where standard procedures have been put in place many years ago and since then, like clockwork, anyone who came in just followed them, without questioning or searching to revamp them. We are witnessing unprecedented advancements in ways of doing things, it is hard to believe many educational environments do not facilitate the provision of feedback from students.

9. Induction, morale, resources and mentor assignment, are all aspects that nursing students and only them experience first-hand. Considering clinical placements are responsible for as much as 50% of their entire education before going into practice, their perceptions and experiences are highly valuable in ensuring the future of medical establishments and provision of care can grow and stay on top of developments and changes. It’s also how hospitals and clinics attract and retain top talent. Generations who are now entering the workforce have different ways of working, higher expectations from the workplace culture and a mindset shaped to find errors and, hopefully in many cases, come up with solutions to fix them. While many establishments have provision of feedback on their agenda, few actually take a well thought out approach to enable them to collect and analyze it. Even fewer facilitate the process for students. Feedback generally comes in the form of a thank you letter, gifts, dinners or at the very best, a poorly designed questionnaire where aspects get rated but no chance of explaining is given.

10. Studies have demonstrated that when students have the opportunity to provide qualitative feedback management and staff can gather valuable insights and actionable advice that can significantly improve performance and boost morale. And the explanation behind this is simple: being fully immersed in an environment, particularly for many years, it’s difficult to stay impartial and objective. The situation can be looked at through a different set of lens as well. Nursing students have confessed they do not receive regular performance feedback from their mentors and supervisors. Which is yet another untapped opportunity which can lead to better outcomes. Feedback can improve student confidence, motivation and self-esteem and overall clinical performance which are key both short and long term.

11. To address these issues, it’s important for every ward everywhere to nurture a culture that welcomes feedback and utilizes it to grow individuals, teams and medical care provision. Encouraging everyone to have a voice and making sure that voice matters can truly make a difference.

12. What Does Research Say About Nursing Students and Stress Being stressed is the new normal in our modern lives. It is believed that at least 70% of all Americans exhibit the overwhelming symptoms associated with it on a daily basis, and it’s no different for nursing students. Even more so, for nursing students in clinical placements the levels of stress experienced are thought to be higher than for students in any other practice. According to findings from several international studies, all nursing students have moderate to severe stress in the clinical setting phase of their training and in some places around the world, the levels can go as high as 99%.

13. The most common causes of stress in nursing students in clinical placements as reported most frequently in studies, include: – Fear of unexpected happenings and making a mistake – Operating medical equipment – Working with difficult and unhelpful staff – Lack of sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge and experience – Communications gaps with peers and patients While in small amounts, stress can have its benefits, in most cases it poses a high risk to health, overall wellbeing and future performance. It’s not uncommon for students to withdraw from the program because they are not equipped to deal with these stressors.

14. Everyone copes with stress in their own ways All of us have different coping mechanisms when it comes to dealing with stress. Some go for a run, others engage in social activities or a hobby; others meditate or choose to travel. Nursing students, as studies tell us, employ a variety of coping mechanisms from venting to friends, physical exercising, crying, ignoring the feelings and the pressure associated with it and among the most maladaptive ones, using alcohol and drugs.

15. Clinical placement is a critical part for every future nurse’s career. To actively and successfully overcome clinical setting related stress, it is recommended that students leverage various strategies to enhance professional competency, acknowledge and correct mistakes, confront tense situations, and reflect on issues. It is also the faculty’s responsibility to take action and ensure the learning environment allows for stress to be dealt with efficiently. From making sure nursing students are empowered to express concerns and more importantly, perform tasks without fear of being judged, providing patient safety and risk management training, and teaching reflection as a way to better understand specific situations and develop self-awareness. As a student in any field, getting closer to actually leaving the academic part and diving into the unknowns of a job is a daunting thought. For nursing students, the pressure to perform is even higher. What they do or don’t do can have significant implications and affect lives. It is no wonder many decide to leave the profession or under the burden of stress and anxiety, develop co-occurring conditions that damage their health irreversibly. There is more that needs to be done in this area to ensure the future of patient care and staff wellbeing is not jeopardized. See more at https://rotationmanager.com/