Hi all! This post is all about how I studied for clinicals and lab during my first semester!
First lets talk about lab:
For the 10-week summer semester, we had 8 modules that we focused on in lab. The modules didn’t coincide with what we were learning in lecture so I had to read from the lab book to prepare and learn the information.
Each night before lab I would fill out the module so that I went in knowing the terms and steps for doing things.
We had 3 professors in one lab for a day learning one module, then the next day switched to have different professors and learn a different module. This was hard because sometimes what we were taught was different per professor. Our professors didn’t write our module quizzes either- point being that it was very important to read from the lab book!
Our lab book was “Taylor's Clinical Nursing Skills: A Nursing Process Approach / Edition 4.” It lined out each task by steps. When I first started reading it I didn’t realize that there were key facts within the book meaning there were quiz questions I missed from not reading correctly. At first I hated this book but when I learned how to read it I ended up loving it!
P.S.- if you have this book, anything in the red font- know it!
PICTURES OF THE MODULES I FILLED OUT THE NIGHT BEFORE
Studying for assessment of particular body functions was different and we did not use a module. These labs did coincide with what we were learning in lecture which I feel made it a lot easier. This is when I started making concept maps to help get down what needed to be done in an assessment, all on one concise page. I will do another blog post all about concept maps.
The assessment book we used is “Health Assessment in Nursing, Fifth Edition.” This book had a code on the inside cover that I didn’t know about until a little after the semester began. The code gave me online access to “thePoint” website- which I highly recommend using!
One of the best parts of this was the practice questions which helped me study for exams and quizzes! If you don’t have this book I recommend seeing if your book does have a certain website linked with it (most do). If not you can always google practice questions!
The site also had great resources for listening to heart and lung sounds- but you could always use YouTube!
The book we used
And of course LOTS of studying for lab is hands on practice! Your first day snap a picture of the open lab schedule so you know when you can go in. practice, practice, practice so you can walk in your patient’s room and know what you’re doing!
Clinical was a bit different and of course when you’re walking into a hospital you can’t always prepare for everything that will happen. I basically just wanted to share what our clinical prep/assignments looked like.
Hopefully it’s somewhat helpful but you can always send me a message on Instagram and let me know if you have any questions!
