MODULE ONE: Orientation

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First day of placement means first impressions for the student, the preceptor and the facility. As the lead preceptor or clinical coordinator, planning the orientation that highlights everything the placement has to offer and establishing a relationship opens the students’ awareness to how things will flow at their clinical placement.

Introductions are the usual beginnings of each player which begin with the clinical instructor and each student. The Clinical Coordinator may highlight lead people in the demographic tree of the department in combination with lead persons of the modalities the student will encounter during their rotation.

Another must is a review of roles and expectations of both the student and preceptor which include a review of program requirements. Any other pertinent information like personal information exchange, locker, cafeteria, computer access/password , schedule and hospital wide orientation subjects like code announcements, should also be reviewed and can be organized in a manner that is best delivered or achieved during the orientation session.

This information can be an overload for the student and the clinical coordinator and maybe best divided up with short breaks, walking tours or question and answer moments (sounds a little like Bonnie Hunt as the white house tour guide in the movie “Dave”…”and we’re walking, we’re walking and we’re stopping” ).

Once the large items of orientation are covered, the student is introduced to their first day “on the floor”, working side-by-side with a preceptor. The orientation continues with introductions to more staff, equipment, image storage and retrieval, patient flow and workflow, safety and accessory tools available to the area.

After a few weeks of placement and the firsts are out of the way, it is always nice to inquire into the student’s progress by asking him/her if there are any areas that he/she would like more exposure to or areas of improvement that the two of you can focus and work together to meet their next goal. The orientation of students helps to create a positive learning environment and fills them with inspiration about the placement on which they are about to embark.

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