Help with clinicals!!!

Lindsey · Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Posts: 4

Can someone give me advice on how to be successful at clinicals? This is my 1st clinical and the first day was not a good one. The techs acted like I was not there. They acted like they didn't want to be bothered mostly. When one of them did try to let me help they talked so fast and basically made it apparent that teaching me was not on their list of things to do that day. They sat around (they being about 7) and talked and joked while I stood around looking at my pocket guide. Can someone help me? How do I get them to help me more without coming off as a pain? I want to get a good grade in clinicals. I really want to get in there and learn but I do not remember some of the positions without looking at the guide, is it ok to look at it or do they frown on that. Basically I just need advice on everything!! Maybe a checklist of things, I don't know.

Lindsey

hjhogle · Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 8:54 am Post subject:

By all means look at your notes - you're a STUDENT, not a technologist. You're not supposed to know this.

The first day at anything stinks. For them, too. It's possible, isn't it, that they've previously had less-than-stellar experiences with students? That some other students before you may be been whiners or lazy or whatever? So they may not be sure who YOU are yet. Don't base your opinion of the profession or even that clinical site on what happens the first day.

1. You are in charge of your experience there - it isn't up to anyone else to spoon-feed you and make sure you get to do the things you need to do.

When you're ready to tackle something - step up to the plate. Tell whoever you're working with that you need to do it. Try a little good attitude - tell them you need to do it, but will they please keep an eye on you so you don't kill the patient. A relaxed, humorous attitude can work wonders.

2. Give yourself (and them) a little time. You need to get acclimated to the clinical site and the folks who work there need to see who you are.

Now, that's not to say that's a guarantee that this is the clinical site for you. It may turn out that you're really only going to be happy in a larger, more urban, more hectic environment (that's me). I want to be busy, I want to move and for heaven's sake, don't let me be bored.

Fortunately, there are almost as many different kinds of work environments as there are states.

But since you're a student with no experience, you need to be exposed to lots of different things to find the fit that's right for you.

Your challenge is to be successful even if you've decided that this is not the environment for you. With the job market tight the way it is now (and it will be again, this happens in cycles), there will be times in your career that you have to take a job that isn't "perfect". And as a professional you must perform to the best of your abilities, regardless.

So instead of looking at this as "oh poor me" ... why not get excited? This is a great challenge for you! A perfect chance to practice.

Not just your positioning skills, but those vague skills that no one has a class for: Do you work well with others? Are you able to compromise? Do you show up, every day on time, ready to work? Is your attitude positive? Are you one of those "how can I help you" co-workers? Do you keep your work area clean without being asked?

Do you go to the supervisor any time there's "nothing" to do and ask for something to do? Clean cassettes (if they still have them) ... offer to clean up other rooms. If it's really slow, ask if you can work in the film library (if they have one) so that you can learn how an image library is organized. Ask if you can help transport patients - it's a great way to learn your way around the facility and learn how to assist in moving patients who are in pain or slow.

YOU be in charge of what you learn. For heaven's sake, even if you don't really like it there, we're not talking about a whole lot of time, are we. I can't believe your program sends you to only one clinical site - so it will end at some point. Use it. Make it positive, use it as a chance to practice, see it as a challenge.

And that's the way to succeed at clinicals.

Good luck,
hjh, RT

kwtechstu · Joined: 23 Feb 2008 Posts: 3

I hated my first clinical experience also. I felt like no one wanted to help or to have a student in the way. And yes, every time an exam came up, I had to look it up in my pocket guide. What I learned at that facility was that you can't change the techs that you are working with. Some like to help students, some don't. That's human nature. That's why some people go into the teaching profession and others don't. And I agree with the other reply here, the techs have had a lot of students come through and they will wait to see what type of go-getter you are before deciding whether they want to stick their neck out to help you. I am in my last clinical rotation and this is something that I have heard over and over again. Techs sum up students by how willing they are to try every exam that comes along, if they are initiaters or if they wait for a tech to ask them to help them with an exam or go with them to shoot a portable, etc. When I was first out there as a student I felt more in the way than a help, so I would stand back more than I should have. Fortunately I happened to hear my clinical instructor tell my program instructor that I needed to be more aggressive and get in there even if the tech had beat me to the patient. That was the best thing I could have every overheard because I had assumed that if a tech was already in the room with the patient and I went in there I would be stepping on their toes by taking over. I was obviously wrong and on my next clinical review date, that specific incident was mentioned and the clinical instructor said that I had really turned things around.

So, don't be afraid. You're a student, not a tech. They expect that you don't know everything, Just don't be afraid to step up and try every exam that comes into the department. Plug along and you will see, you will just get it. Be aggressive even to pursue the exam, but realize that you are a new person in the department and that people are trying to figure out who you are and how you operate.

papa · Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:11 pm Post subject:

hjhogle · Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:20 pm Post subject:

I've liked your posts so well that I decided to emulate you Very Happy

hjh, RT

wvaio · Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 82

The last few posts have done a great job of coving most of the bases, but I have a few things to add that might help improve your experience.

Show up early. You can define early, but I found that there is a distinct advantage to showing up before when you HAVE to be there.

Start out every day by cleaning the area. Disinfect the table, wall bucky, tube handles, door knobs, and anything that gets touched. This shows great initiative, and it is also a great habit to get into. You don't have to ask to clean.

Stock linens, gowns, towels and anything else that will be consumed during the course of the day. Empty soiled linen hampers if they are getting full. Once again, not only great habits to get into, but also show that you are not lazy and you are willing to do the grunt work, so that the tech's have more time to teach you.

Buy a small pocket-sized composition notebook and take notes. Record techniques used, protocals, tips, tricks, and etc. This will come in handy throughout your clinical experience.

Work with the equipment when you have nothing to do. Don't be afraid to move the equipment and get aquainted with it. Practice moving it from table detent to wall detent. Hit the buttons on the control panel. Learn how to change the techniques, adjust AEC controls, manipulate mA and time.

After a set of images is taken, take the time to look at them. Evaluate the evaluation criteria of the images. Identifiy the anatomy.

NEVER say I KNOW when someone tells you something that you know. I trained people for many years in another industry, and nothing is more frustrating to a trainer that to be told I KNOW when describing something to a trainee. Eventually, you stop telling them anything, because they KNOW it all. Just say OK.

Ask questions. Merrill's doesn't tell you every positioning trick. Ask the tech what method that they use to position, but don't bombard them with 1000 questions. Get in the habit of asking 1 or 2 during or after an exam, even if you know the answer. Showing your willingness to learn goes a long way.

Finally, show enthusiasm! Enjoy yourself. Clinicals are a great experience. Make the most of it. See every exam you can, even if you haven't learned it yet. Between all the posts you have recieved, I hope you will be able to find some tips to help you make the most of it!

Relax...take a deep breath...you will do fine.
Wvaio