what are clinicals

Clinicals are supervised periods where nursing students practice nursing skills under the direction of a registered nurse, clinical instructor, or nursing educator. They are designed to provide practical, hands-on experience caring for patients in different healthcare settings, like hospitals and clinics. Clinicals are a core part of the nursing school curriculum and usually start after general education courses. During clinicals, students are introduced to general bedside and specialized care skills and interact with patients to gain first-hand experience in the field. Clinical hours vary from state to state, and each board of nursing determines the required hours and settings. Some states permit simulated hours online or in-person instruction in the lab to count toward the required clinical hours. Clinicals end with a semester of students working mostly independently, referred to as the capstone, where they take over the nurses workload as if they were the nurse. Clinicals allow nursing students to follow RNs in their daily jobs, practice skills, and gain feedback. By experiencing the world of nursing first-hand, students gain real-world experience and develop their nursing skills in a variety of patient care scenarios.