RT in RealTime: Your Internship

As a student, after your first 15 weeks in the respiratory therapy program, you’ll be taking the knowledge you acquired in the classroom and begin to put it to work within the hospital setting. 

The easiest I can make this is to have you think about what your mothers would tell you about “being a visitor in another person’s house,” you would want to make the best impression possible.

Going into a healthcare facility can be a intimidating and a trying experience, yet you are expected to go into this environment and perform at the top of your game.  But don’t fret, everyone you meet in the hospital, at one time, was in the same position as you are now; the beginning of your healthcare career.

Your clinical rotation is a way to become involved with your patients in a direct manner.  This gives the learner a chance to get some hands on experience that will develop into skills that can last a lifetime. 

The RespiratoryTherapy Cave gives advice to budding respiratory therapists from the perspective of the “preceptor” (the person you be paired with), give this article a read to gain an idea of what staff respiratory therapists may be thinking about students’ approach and behavior.

The AmericanAssociation for Respiratory Care (AARC) asked specialists in different areas of respiratory care what rubbed them the right and wrong way in regard to students in the clinical environment in PuttingYour Best Foot Forward in Clinical Rotations.

In the U.S. News andWorld Report, Alison Green wrote an article, Don’t Make These 10Internship Mistakes about how students can shine or bust in front during an internship.

This and instructions from your educators should help you towards a more relaxed clinical experience, pay attention to what others are able to offer in terms of skills but be sure to do what you can to shine.  Remember, this is your first job interview.