Integrating classroom and onsite clinical challenges
I teach clinical at two different acute care hospitals for LVN program. Trying to meet all needs of all students and constantly trying to integrate and measure the effectiveness of classroom instruction into clinical setting to help students develop skills and proficiency is a continual challenge. However, by keeping in touch with classroom instructors, advance planning, knowing the policies and procedures of the clinical site and by providing in writing what is expected of each student helps manage the assignment. Also encouraging students to practice, practice and practice to help them better retain learned information.
It is very ideal to aim for applying the knowledge from classroom to the clinical site but when you have such limited number of experience that students can have in a clinical setting, it becomes a big challenge to the clinical instructor. I follow students in this clinical setting for obstetrics and newborns but the site only have 1 or 2 patients and or none at all. So what I do is if there is a patient there , I will ask permission from the staff and the patient to do a group teaching so at least I can have more students get the experience rather than just one or two students that are assigned to that unit. Lourdes
Being able to apply your knowledge from the classroom to the clinical setting is what good nursing is all about! It is the joy of an instructor to witness the students' growth and their pride in their accomplishments.
Knowing your craft and honing your skills makes a lot of difference in the delivery of your material. I make it a point to incorporate what I do at the hospital and present it to the students. I do "real time" or "reality check" way of teaching them what happens on site and what must be done while training. I do spot checks on the instruments we just discussed and call on them to see if they learned from the subject matter. I make sure they know their instruments and set-ups as if they're in the actual setting.
Wow, you have articulated the clinical teaching challenge well. You must be doing a great job and isn't it fun too! I walk in your shoes too.
Cheryl
