SOUTHEASTERN
LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY
College of Nursing and Health
Sciences
Melissa Wafer, R.N.,
M.S.N., C.E.N.
Clinical
Guidelines
Nursing 489
My clinical is held at Our
Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. Units utilized are critical
care, respiratory step-down and emergency care.
I. General Guidelines:
1. Pre-Clinical:
No formal pre-clinical. Students must do independent readings and preparation that allows
competency in student role. Students needing extra preparation can visit the unit
the day before clinical to choose a patient assignment. No clinical time is given
for this preparation time. Please notify me if you choose to go to the Hospital to do
pre-clinical preparation.
2. Clinical hours: See Clinical Schedule to confirm exact
times & dates.
3. All weekly paperwork is due to my office or e-mail by
12:00 pm on the day specified each semester.
II. Blackboard Course Area:
1. All course materials can be accessed
online at the Blackboard course area.
2. Orientation materials can be accessed on the Blackboard course
site. It is the student's responsibility to complete the online
orientation modules and submit the post-test for their clinical records.
III. DUE WEEKLY:
a. Clinical Patient Summary
b. Journal Article Summary
c. Weekly Clinical Evaluation
d. Any clinical assignments assigned for the week.
IV. POST CONFERENCES:
Sometimes we will meet in person and hold post-conferences to share and
discuss mutual experiences. Student will be notified in
advance the time and place for conferences. Journal articles may also be
presented at these times.
V. Student Expectations:
See the document FAQs
VI. Medications:
a. I don't expect you to miraculously know all the drugs by heart, but
prior to giving a medication, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK IT UP.
b. Students are expected to know the following about a drug before administering it:
General information about the drug like drug classification, Normal dosage and if patient dosage is safe,
Compatibility and contraindications
Specifics about how to give drug, i.e. IVP (Rate of administration/need for
dilution),
WHY patient is receiving this drug
c. There are numerous drug references on the units. There
is no excuse for not knowing critical drug information.
d. Perhaps one of the most important things to know about a
medication is WHY the patient is getting it. How does it fit into his/her medical
treatment plan?
VII. Patient Load:
Students are expected to strive to take a full nurse/patient load normal for the demands
of the unit by the end of the rotation. Students should be autonomous in their
assignments and progression in number of patients.
VIII. Absences:
In the event of illness or the inability to attend clinical, please notify the unit
between 6:30 & 7:00am. I would prefer you not to call me at home that early. After
notifying the unit of your absence, contact me during clinical later that MORNING. Remember
that a clinical absence form is to be filled out and turned in that week. You are
expected to be on time to your unit--- DO NOT BE TARDY.
IX. Other:
Bring as few items to clinical as possible; no purses please. You may bring your lunch if
desired, and a few reference books. Be aware that there are multiple reference books on
the unit that you will find helpful.
Cell phones are not permitted while in
clinical, unless a special circumstance warrants it. Cell phones may
be kept in the nurse lounge for use on breaks.
I want to emphasize the need for you to assert yourself in meeting your
clinical learning needs. I expect my clinical students to readily volunteer for new
& unfamiliar procedures that I WILL GLADLY ASSIST WITH. Please do not use the
excuse that I was unavailable to help you. Use my beeper to locate me wherever I may be
and we can figure out a way for you to accomplish new tasks if I cannot come right away.
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