---
title: What Are Clinicals in Nursing School?
url: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/what-are-clinicals-in-nursing-school/"
type: post
date_published: 2024-06-26
date_modified: 2025-08-01
schema:
  @type: Article
language: en-US
word_count: 1673
reading_time: 9 min
canonical: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/what-are-clinicals-in-nursing-school/"
featured_image: "https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nursing-School-Clinicals.webp"
categories:
  - Nursing School
---

# What Are Clinicals in Nursing School?

![Nursing School Clinicals](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nursing-School-Clinicals.webp)

Clinicals are an essential part of any nursing program and, together with your
classroom education, give you the framework to prepare for a successful nursing
career. But what exactly are clinicals? What do they really entail? And
specifically, how will clinicals help you to become a more effective registered
nurse?

We’ll answer all these questions and more in this beginner’s guide to
understanding clinicals. Let’s get started!

## What Are Clinicals in Nursing School?

Clinicals are healthcare training experiences where nursing students will rotate
through different practice settings while shadowing real-world nursing
professionals. During the training, students will observe nurses as they go
about their work and have a chance to ask questions. Later in clinicals,
students may do hands-on work with patients while supervised by a registered
nurse. Clinicals are required as part of all RN education programs, whether it’s
an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
degree.

## Where Will Clinicals Occur?

Typical clinical settings where you can expect to gain experience are hospitals,
long-term care/nursing homes, and other outpatient or community settings. Common
specialties in clinicals include geriatrics (older adults), acute care,
pediatrics (children and infants), labor and delivery, mental health, pre- and
post-surgery, and emergency care. Where you are placed for clinicals will be
determined by your geographic location, availability of preceptors (this is the
name for nurses who will supervise your clinical), and clinical locations where
you can learn and gain the appropriate skills before graduation.

## What Exactly Happens at Clinicals?

A typical day in clinical will involve observing patient care under a practicing
nurse’s guidance. Students will be able to ask questions of the nurses they
shadow. Later, students may be actively involved in performing patient care.

![How Much Do Registered Nurses Make Near Me](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/How-Much-Do-Registered-Nurses-Make-Near-Me.jpg)![How Much Do Registered Nurses Make Near Me](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/How-Much-Do-Registered-Nurses-Make-Near-Me.jpg)
You will be assigned to the same patients as the attending nurse and be
responsible for understanding their care needs and familiarizing yourself with
their medications and orders. The amount of independence you are given in caring
for patients will increase as you progress through clinicals. Different rules in
each state and practice setting determine what tasks nursing students can and
cannot perform. Your clinical instructor and precepting nurse will instruct you
on appropriate tasks and help develop your skills.

Clinicals allow you to use the education and skills learned in the classroom.
You begin to build your confidence and gain valuable insight into what a typical
day for a nurse may look like. You will also use this time to help decide what
type of nursing you want to pursue. Many nursing students will have the chance
to select a final clinical rotation in a chosen specialty area.

## Skills You Can Expect to Learn During Clinicals

There are certain skills employers will expect you to have mastered when hired
as an RN. These foundational skills will enable you to perform core functions of
the role. Many of these base skills will be covered during the clinical
training:

1. Reviewing patient information and creating a nursing care plan
2. Taking vitals and recognizing normal and abnormal readings
3. Completing a head-to-toe assessment
4. Administration and documentation of medications
5. Electronic medical record use
6. Patient care tasks such as safe patient handling (moving and positioning) and
   activities of daily living (ADLs). ADLs include eating/feeding, dressing,
   grooming, toileting, and mobility.

Based on your rotation, you may also gain experience with wound care, IV
(intravenous) medications, injections, immunizations, inserting/removing urinary
catheters, and other procedures.

## Why Are Clinicals Important for Nursing Education?

Completing required courses and learning the foundations of nursing practice in
a classroom will only take you so far. Clinicals give you real-life, direct
patient care experience. It’s the place where your classroom knowledge can be
applied in the real world. Clinicals get you comfortable with utilizing the
skills and knowledge you’ll need to be a successful registered nurse.

Clinicals are an important part of your nursing education. While the number of
hours and specific guidelines will vary based on the state where you live and
the program requirements, every nursing student must complete clinicals before
graduating. Without clinicals, you would not be prepared to practice nursing and
treat patients.

## What Does the Clinical Process Involve?

The clinical process is a partnership between you, the school of nursing, and
the clinical setting where you are placed. Generally, there will be a
coordinator in your program who helps with communication and supervision. This
can be a clinical instructor or other faculty member. Students begin their
clinicals after completing general education and nursing courses. You will
shadow and work directly with a practicing nurse.

Occasionally, you will have the chance to work with or observe other healthcare
professionals such as nursing assistants, aides, or doctors. This is helpful
since you will work closely with other professionals during your career.

The clinical process is typically broken up into separate rotations. Each
rotation will be a specified number of hours. You will work with your clinical
instructor to determine the schedule of when your hours occur. As your different
clinical rotations progress, the goal is to gain and master new skills. You will
receive feedback from your clinical instructor throughout the process.

![Nursing jobs in hospital](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nursing-jobs-in-Utah.jpg)![Nursing jobs in hospital](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nursing-jobs-in-Utah.jpg)
You can expect to have several different rotations to ensure you gain experience
with different patient populations. These will sometimes align with specific
classes you are taking. For example, when taking a class about medical-surgical
nursing, you may have a clinical on what is called a “med surge” floor in the
hospital. When you take a class focused on community health, you may have a
clinical in an outpatient setting such as a health clinic, senior center, or WIC
(women, infant, and children) office. The actual clinical schedule will vary
depending upon your nursing program and the healthcare facility hosting the
clinical training. Clinicals can occur in any setting where nurses practice, and
a qualified instructor is available.

Nursing schools have relationships with local community partners and will ensure
you are placed and that you complete the required number of clinical hours.
Completing clinical rotations can help you build relationships with potential
future employers. Once enrolled in a nursing program, you will receive specific
information about clinical partners and locations.

At the end of each clinical, you will have an evaluation or grading. This is to
ensure you are meeting the requirements to progress towards graduation.

While this may sound scary, it is an excellent opportunity to gather feedback
and gain confidence. Clinicals are designed to increase your independence as you
go, so after completing each rotation, you will be closer to becoming a fully
trained registered nurse.

## Tips To Be Successful in Clinical Rotation

Now that we have discussed what clinicals are in nursing school, let’s review
some tips to help you be successful in your clinical program. These tips can
help you to get the most out of your clinical experience:

1. **Never Be Afraid to Ask Questions:** You remember the old phrase, there is
   never a bad question? This holds true when you’re learning to become a
   registered nurse. It can feel challenging to ask questions, but it is also how
   you learn. Each practice setting and role can vary greatly, and you won’t be
   expected to know everything right away. You can always write down your
   questions throughout the day and ask them later.
2. **Utilize Your Clinical Instructor:** Clinical instructors have a wealth of
   knowledge. They spent time as practicing nurses and have years of experience
   working with nursing students. They are a great option when you have additional
   questions or are unsure about something you may have observed or experienced.
3. **Advocate For Unique Opportunities:** Nurses are known for being patient
   advocates, but we can also use those same skills to help ourselves. Speaking up
   and letting your clinical instructor know you are looking for unique
   opportunities can help you gain valuable experience. There are times when
   nursing students may be invited to observe surgery, attend an interdisciplinary
   (this is a term for a group of health care professionals who work together)
   meeting, or even be present for an emergency code (these are typically called
   when a patient stops breathing or their heart is not beating).
4. **Practice The Basics:** It may seem boring, but practicing basic nursing
   skills will help you feel more confident when starting your first job. For
   example, practice taking patient vitals manually, without using automatic
   machines for blood pressure and heart rate. It is more time-consuming but
   ensures you are confident in your skills. Sometimes machines break, or if you
   choose to work outside the hospital, you won’t always have access to this
   equipment.
5. **Commit Time to Your Own Mental Health:** Clinicals in nursing school can
   bring feelings of excitement but can also make you feel nervous and increase
   stress. It is important to know that most nursing students have these feelings,
   and it can be a normal part of the learning process. Take time to process your
   experiences and reach out to other students, your clinical instructor, or other
   faculty members for mental health support whenever needed.

Clinicals are a hallmark experience in your nursing education and solidify the
knowledge gained in the classroom and simulation settings. Working in these
dynamic, interdisciplinary settings will help you gain confidence in yourself
and your ability to care for others. Clinicals help lay the foundation for your
nursing career and even help you decide what area of nursing you want to
specialize in. Use this time wisely, as it is just the beginning of your
exciting journey towards becoming a nurse.

**Categories:** Nursing School