Day in the Life of a Nurse at Clinical (Medical-Surgical)

By Makoa Royat

A simple day in the life of a Simpson University nursing major.

It is either a 45-minute drive or a 10-minute drive to the hospital. One thing is for certain—it will dark when you get there and dark when you leave.

While most people leave their house with their phone, wallet, and keys, nurses have some extra sundries to pack: scissors, penlight, red book, stethoscope, polishable shoes, name badge, and clipboard. Additionally, a sunny disposition may not be required but it is vital for nurses. By the way, you can be dismissed from clinicals if you forget one of the above resources—sans the sunny disposition.

Once you go through that mental checklist in your head, you also need to remember to bring water, food, and caffeine for the next 12 hours—extra caffeine if you are on night shift. For the most part, clinical is from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

When you get to the hospital, you meet up with your clinical instructor. They will pair you up with a nurse (babysitter). You follow them around like a potty-trained puppy. From then on, you are off to the races. It is the healthcare lottery whether you get Nurse Ratchet or Nurse Sunshine. However, 90% of the time you are with a nurse that is helpful, explains what they are doing, and tells you tricks of the trade. They were in your shoes not so long ago.

One of the great things about clinicals is the fact that students get pulled to see procedures. I have had wonderful viewing opportunities—leg amputations, a cesarean section, hip replacement, intubation, and bedside pancreatitis. I did chest compressions on a patient. I scared some poor little boy because the surgical robes made me look like an alien. Those experiences are scarce so take them if you get the chance.

You get an hour lunch with the rest of the students. Meanwhile, the clinical instructor talks about the day and expectations for homework.

Throughout the day you are taking care of 3 to 5 patients. Each one has their own story on how they got there. For almost every patient you are administering medications, in addition to doing physical assessments. A physical assessment is similar to when you get a physical at a doctor’s office, but it is not as intense. We do that for all patients.

On the surface this does not seem very chaotic, but it can be. Many patients cannot walk—you need to help them to the bathroom. Some have enough meds to sedate a small horse, while others have the memory of a goldfish. For the latter, you have to tell them to stay in bed unless there is a nurse present.

If you ever have the chance to share a meal with the black-cladded health care scholars, they will ruin whatever you have on your plate, while they have no problem eating pea soup. One of the busier majors on campus is nursing. Students like to complain to anyone that will listen, but inside they love what they do.