Off-campus clinical experiences have been a critical part of the curriculum at the Florida State University College of Nursing since the 1950s. Clinical experiences are important because they provide students with an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to authentic real world problems in a variety of healthcare settings. The hands-on, practical clinical experience gained is immeasurable, and the memories last a lifetime. Alumni have fondly shared their experiences (Kathleen, 1978):
“I often think of a couple of unique clinical experiences that have shaped my nursing career even today. One was car travel with faculty and classmates in caravan to the Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee - this being a challenging clinical experience because of the nature of the type of patients, I was glad that I had support of faculty along with us on this ride. We would use the time to prepare for our clinical experiences.”
“I fondly remember staying in Seton Hall at St. Vincent’s in Jacksonville for a pediatric nursing experience with Ms. Linda Hunter. Being that we stayed in a Catholic Center, Mother Superior would speak to us over the intercom at the end of the day prior to bedtime and wish us a peaceful night and productive next day.”
Undergraduate students engage in clinical experiences during their first semester, and complete their clinical experiences with an internship in the final semester of their senior year. Students today don’t have the benefit of staying in the facilities at St. Vincent’s in Jacksonville. During their rotation at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville they share hotel rooms for their weekend stays. Recently students in Tampa shared the lease on a short-term apartment for a clinical placement at Tampa General Hospital.
All of this travel places Nursing students under unique financial burdens to pay for gas, incur mileage on their vehicles, find carpool rides, pay for meals off campus, and sometimes pay for lodging for overnight stays and six-week clinical placements.
First semester and second semester -- students travel to clinical sites in Tallahassee as well as local health departments for their Community Health rotations.
Third semester -- students travel further away from campus to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville for their required clinical rotation in pediatrics. Regional clinical sites can include Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville, GA (39 miles from Tallahassee) and Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee for the psychiatric mental health rotation (45 miles from Tallahassee).
During the final semester of their senior year -- students participate in an internship, which consists of a six-week placement at one of the following clinical sites: Sacred Heart Health System in Pensacola, Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville, GA, Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System in Sarasota, Florida Hospital in Orlando, and Orlando Health or Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando.
Students in other majors across campus don’t experience these types of off-campus requirements and extra expenses. Your gift will help ease the financial burden students face by offsetting the cost of their clinical related travel expenses.