Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid During Your Clinical Rotations

Thinking back to past rotations, reliving the excitement and nerves that come from stepping into actual patient care is easy. Going from textbooks to hands-on practice is a giant leap, and while that is an essential part of your journey, it is equally easy to stumble along the way.

Here are ten common mistakes often made during rotations and how to avoid them:

Not Being Mindful of the Importance of Nurses and Staff

Not only do nurses take orders, but they can also be a significant source of information and allies. They understand patient care inside and out and have years of experience to prove it. Too many students fail to appreciate these relationships, which increases friction needlessly. If treated respectfully, most nurses and staff will bend over backward to assist in learning.

Showing Up Unprepared

Showing up unprepared is a surefire way to miss essential learning opportunities. Preparation is vital, be it reviewing a particular patient’s case or knowing what is expected of you that specific day. Never wing it; take your sweet time to prepare. In time, you’ll appreciate just how important it was to be ready.

Miscommunication

Effective communication with the patient, peer, or supervisor is an art. It is easy to say too little or too much, thus confusing all parties concerned. Transparency is required, but with just the right amount of detail to not burden any party unnecessarily. This will come off as competent and thoughtful.

Avoiding Accountability

Mistakes happen, and you’re only human. It is not the mistakes that matter but how you handle them. There will be times when you feel like making an excuse after messing things up terribly. Owning up to it is a superpower and speeds up the learning curve. Saying something went wrong is maturity and a sign of growing up.

Being Overconfident

Overconfidence boomerangs. Everything looks under control, and suddenly, you feel out of your depth. Keeping your feet on the ground and being open to advice from experienced people – senior doctors or fellow students – makes the difference.

Ignoring Self-Care

Clinical rotations are long, and self-care often goes unnoticed. Burnout is no joke and can happen in the blink of an eye. Take time by grabbing coffee, resting, or just taking a breather. It’s worth the time, and caring for yourself makes you a better patient caregiver.

Arguing with Patients

Arguing with patients leads nowhere. Although sometimes frustrating, it is nevertheless highly unprofessional and counterproductive. Often enough, it is just well worth the while to sit down and listen to what they have to say, even if hostile. This will tend to establish a level of trust rather than break it.

Performing Procedures Without Permission

Trying to prove yourself before getting the green light can lead to leaping into procedures too soon. Always check with a supervisor before starting. No matter how confident you feel, getting that approval is about protecting the patient and yourself.

Competing with Peers

It’s easy to get into a competitive mindset, but that can have a negative effect. Instead, focus on personal learning and growth. Supporting classmates can make rotations more enjoyable and even lead to more understanding.

Forgetting That You’re There to Learn

With all the pressures, it’s easy to forget you are still a student. Remember that rotations are about learning, not about proving a point. With each new day comes the potential for learning or gaining something new—don’t let an end goal cloud your vision when reaching that end.

Wrapping Up

Clinical rotations are pivotal and set the stage for your future in medicine. Avoiding the mistakes mentioned above and concentrating on learning and growth will help you survive and thrive during these rotations. This is just one step in such a big journey. Enjoy it, learn from it, and keep moving forward.