We recently asked our alumni on Facebook to share their memorable clinical experiences. A walk down memory lane showed us the impactful lessons that mentorship clinicals provide to nursing students.
Facebook replies:
Casey Moore: Pediatrics is definitely my passion, and I loved my rotation at the children’s hospital. However, my most memorable clinical rotation was on the rehab floor at Tuomey. I was so upset that I was assigned there for my Capstone but I ended up having an awesome preceptor Amber Linkous, who was the charge nurse. She was so kind to her patients, had excellent skills and never got flustered in an emergency. I learned so much from her and even now as a PNP I implement skills I gained that semester.
Jamie Andrews Odom: My first rotation with BIMA at Baptist! My wonderful preceptor gave me so much encouragement and helped me with networking for future preceptors!
Katrina Keohane: Spring 2013 Preceptorship at Greenville Memorial NICU!!! It provided me with the fantastic experience I needed to go straight into NICU as a new grad and be confident interviewing for that position! I also very much enjoyed being a 50% simulation study participant for clinicals. I learned so much through those debriefs and discussions.
Meagan Brown Winburn: I loved Peds at (then) Palmetto Health Richland. I went on to spend many years in Women’s and Children’s. I now work in outpatient surgery and love it! Class of 2009!
Kelsey Morgan: Honestly I loved them all. But my Capstone forced me out my comfort zone hard-core and made me realize how much I love all areas of nursing. I ended up working my first job on the same unit. Now, I rep my UofSC all the way in Hawaii and let people know who the real UofSC is
Beth Holland Morrison: My favorite rotation was Parish Nursing. What a unique experience. Class of 1997.
Mallory James Newsome: OB rotation at Baptist or the MedSurg rotation at the Heart Hospital. I was in the DEU program at the time, so most of my clinicals were one-to-one with my preceptors while at Palmetto Health instead of traditional clinical groups. I will say that my most surprising and eye-opening clinical was Psych at Richland Springs. It gave me a completely new appreciation for such a stigmatized area of healthcare. (Bachelors Class of 2013 and Masters 2019).
Denise Arant Sackinger: Pediatrics at Baptist Hospital. We were challenged to take the difficult patients but were fully supported as we cared for these patients. It helped me realize I wanted to be a pediatric nurse. BSN class of ‘90, Masters ‘93
Allison Cassady: OB/L&D clinical was my favorite!! Emily Young was the best instructor! Thankful my experiences were able to land me an L&D position as a new grad
Jessica Atkinson: My favorite by far was our undergrad psych rotation at William S. Hall. Those patients are probably the most memorable I ever worked with as a nursing student and what sparked my love for psych. (BSN '09, MSN '18)
Frances Ashe-Goins: My favorite rotation was labor and delivery...the only place you get a gift to take home. Frances Ashe Goins Class of 1970 and 1975.
Tiffany Fuller: My first NP rotation Summer 2019 with hospitalist at Lexington Medical! So much information and experience packed in one summer. Truly believe that rotation set me up for success.
Outward Bound Rusel: 2007. Out patient surgery center for the day. The song Golddigger had just come out so when the charge nurse said who wants to go first I chimed in with, “holla who wants pre-op, who wants pre-op?” Thanks for the memories UofSC. It was a great one.
Alyce Ni: I loved my Capstone clinical (Spring 2015) the most!! I was in the NICU at then Palmetto Health. But my favorite preceptor was Susan Kay Lyons in the PICU!!
Rachael Park: My favorite was peds! I got to go to a clinic day with Dr. Chappell and see her work as a PNP. Now, I’ve just finished obtaining my masters as a PNP-PC as well. She is one of my inspirations!
Lauren Cooper: My favorite clinical rotation was psych—I did my clinicals at Piedmont, where you are able to regularly interact with the patients in a safe environment. Mental health is so important, yet generally does not receive adequate funding or compassion and understating from those not suffering with a mental health disorder. Being able to witness the struggles of those with chemical imbalances made me more empathetic to the circumstances of others—something you have to have to be a caring and effective nurse. I was able to eventually become a caregiver in this field and went on to work inpatient psych for 4 years—those years set the foundation for the nurse I am now and gave me the experience I needed to effectively advocate for my patients. Class of 2012!
Stacey Wilson: Neuroendovascular. So many hands on skills and got to practice procedures. Officially an alum as of Aug 7, 2020 with my DNP in AG-ACNP
Cameron Smith: IICU at Prisma Baptist-I was only used to Med Surg floors but this clinical rotation showed me a little on what critical care would be like. I learned more skills there than any other floor!
Debbie Lorick: Psychiatry would be mine at South Carolina State Hospital. I remember so clearly how dark and eerie it felt going through the halls and meeting my client! I still remember her and her story of her Pharmacist husband putting here there. I learned so much about human behavior and I use what I learned there in my job today.
Jennifer Bell Woodley: Of course, OB with Erin Moorhead McKinney!! Fell in love with Women's Health. 2002 (BSN) and 2009 (MSN), Cockcroft 2017!
Miranda Soprano Holland: My favorite was labor and delivery! I cried during every delivery I saw! So special watching families grow. Now I’m a NICU nurse and watch deliveries every day!