Keeping their interest
What is the best way to keep extern students interested in attending their clinical sites?
Tracy,
You are bringing the human aspect into the learning process of your students. This is a comfortable way of letting them learn and progress in their careers while backing them up with your expertise.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I always try and make my clinicals fun for the students and I also try to fit in as much learning as possible. Students want to learn while feeling unintimidated by their instructors. I remember when I was a nursing student, I dreaded going to clinicals because I was afraid of messing up and getting a poor grade. Students are there to learn, it's ok for them to be less than perfect.
Roxsie,
Make sure the students understand that successful completion of clinicals are essential to their graduation. Also, have a specific grading rubric set up that includes being in attendance on time in addition to the required performance on site. If a student is not attending or is late then have a talk with the student and if performance doesn't change take them out of the site. This will send a clear message that they must past clinical in order to keep their career moving. This is serious for students as well as for the people they will be serving in the future so this must be impressed upon them over and over.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
