-
CycleTrack and SDN are teaming up to make medical school admissions more transparent and accessible! Read the announcement to learn how we’re supporting the future of CycleTrack’s free application-tracking tools .
Shadow a nurse?
Started by berlfe03
Get help with your application
Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.
I would probably contact a nurse manager. He/she would be able to point you in the right direction. Most hospitals have a mechanism for shadowing a nurse.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
In many hospitals, you will find these options quite limited, if even offered at all. Your best bet would be a major teaching facility. But I doubt if you will be able to find many shadowing opportunities. Or you will not get a very complete view.
Per HIPAA regulations, it is rare for a nonemployee/nonhealthcare worker to be permitted to shadow, due to potential privacy problems. Currently, hospitals are jumping through major hoops, to prevent any unessential dissemination of patient info...even the most benign data. Having an "outsider" in any position where they can obtain that data is banned in most places. And "shadowing" a nurse definitely falls into that area. There would be absolutely no way to provide you with a complete overview of a nurses job, without you having some "protected" information.
As an example, as a licensed RN, I applied to a facility for two positions, one of which was home health. I was offered the opportunity to "shadow", so that I could see what the job entails. I said yes, but the offer for a shadowing got retracted, by legal department, due to privacy issues and possible liability. This was despite the fact that I as an RN would be barred from dessiminating private data, and held my own liability insurance.
I could imagine that it is more difficult for nonlicensed personnel.
Per HIPAA regulations, it is rare for a nonemployee/nonhealthcare worker to be permitted to shadow, due to potential privacy problems. Currently, hospitals are jumping through major hoops, to prevent any unessential dissemination of patient info...even the most benign data. Having an "outsider" in any position where they can obtain that data is banned in most places. And "shadowing" a nurse definitely falls into that area. There would be absolutely no way to provide you with a complete overview of a nurses job, without you having some "protected" information.
As an example, as a licensed RN, I applied to a facility for two positions, one of which was home health. I was offered the opportunity to "shadow", so that I could see what the job entails. I said yes, but the offer for a shadowing got retracted, by legal department, due to privacy issues and possible liability. This was despite the fact that I as an RN would be barred from dessiminating private data, and held my own liability insurance.
I could imagine that it is more difficult for nonlicensed personnel.
I think it depends on the hospital. Recently, the daughter of an old high school friend of mine asked if she could shadow a nurse in the OB department, as she was considering becoming an RN and was interested in OB.
Not only was she welcomed, she was allowed to observe a C-section (with the parents' permission, obviously). She left with a very positive impression of her experience.
I work in a small teaching hospital, so maybe this wasn't as big a deal because there are fewer layers of admin. to go through and we have all sorts of students coming in and out of the hospital.
Not only was she welcomed, she was allowed to observe a C-section (with the parents' permission, obviously). She left with a very positive impression of her experience.
I work in a small teaching hospital, so maybe this wasn't as big a deal because there are fewer layers of admin. to go through and we have all sorts of students coming in and out of the hospital.
The hospitals around here have a confidentiality form the one shadowing must sign.
I'd just contact the DON (director of nursing) of a small, rural hospital. You can just call the hospital. You'll get the operator. You say, " Hi, my name is 'x', can you transfer me to the DON please?" Then state you case. No need dealing w/ HR, Nurse Managers, or anybody else who has a greater propensity to give you the run around. Good luck.
