During the last week of the spring quarter, my nursing instructor asked me to fill out some paper work for the Fall semester regarding placement for clinical. I began filling out forms for all of the healthcare systems in the surrounding areas. After filling out several of these forms, I quickly realized that I was applying to the same hospitals that fellow nursing students had previously spent clinical time. Knowing that I could rely on honest feedback from these students about these programs gave me much confidence that I would make the right decision and get the most out of my clinical experience.

I am what you call a non-traditional nursing student. I have worked in the health care field for 13 years, 10 years with one company. I decided to return to nursing school in 2007 after having graduated from college in 2000. My work experience with nurses in the healthcare system and also having several friends who are nurses helped me take the plunge to return to school. Having friends in the industry is one of the reasons I feel so connected to the nursing profession. Now, I am sure you are wondering: what does this have to do with me and how does this affect me? Well, read on to see.

Being connected to the many nurses I know has helped me get through my classes. My nursing friends have helped me to understand the importance of some of the information being taught and how it applied to the “real” world. The information passed on from working nurses is invaluable; you learn much more about the industry than you could ever get from a textbook. These friends were and still are my resource to learning how the health care field functions and what is truly expected of a nurse. Here is an example. A friend of mine has been a nurse for 10+ years. One day, as I was complaining about having to do yet another care plan, she looked at me and said, “Once you graduate from college, you will never have to do another care plan. However, you will be thankful for all the time and effort put into those care plans and the ability to critically think on your feet.” I thought about what she said and realized that while it seemed like a waste of time now, she was correct. In the end I would be a better nurse.

Another great resource for nursing students is connecting with students from other colleges. I have friends in every program in my city and some in programs in other states. The importance of networking among nursing students is most beneficial when schools place students at different sites, and there is a chance that a student from another school has been placed at the same site you have been assigned. That student could give you information that would be valuable for you to create a positive experience. Using social networks such as MySpace, Facebook and Twitter is a great way to keep in contact with students from other schools. Connecting with other students increases your ability to become a better nurse.

Let’s face it, not all clinical experiences will be positive. However, one major thing we must remember is that this company could be our future employer. It is our duty as student nurses to give 100% to the clinical site whether we are enjoying the experience or not. Another reminder is that our actions are a representation of our school. Always be respectful to the staff at the clinical site because they could be the deciding factor on whether you get a job or not. A previous co-worker of mine decided to return to school for nursing, with the goal of getting a job as a Patient Care Associate on one of the units at the hospital we worked at. During nursing school, she started to call in for her shifts and not show up for work. She was let go. Once she graduated from nursing school, she applied for a job with the same health care company. After looking at her previous work history and employee file, she was denied the job. It was unlucky for her that this company was one of the largest health care companies in the area. Lesson to be learned: never leave a job or clinical site on bad terms. Burning bridges will come back to bite you.

As the future of nursing, it is our job to learn to the best of our ability and to be the best nurses we can be. In order to achieve this, we must learn to work with one another, and act in a professional and respectful manner.