The clinical area that I’m assigned to is in the Emergency Room (ER), here are both advantages and disadvantages for nursing students’ learning that I have experienced in my clinical teachings:
Advantages:
The ER exposes students to a wide range of critical cases and medical emergencies, providing invaluable experience in assessing and managing patients with urgent needs.
The area or department requires or demands a rapid pace, which will require quick thinking, adaptability, and the ability to prioritize tasks, which can help foster essential skills for future nurses. The ER caters to patients of all ages, backgrounds, and medical conditions, offering students exposure to a diverse range of healthcare needs and challenges.
The ER fosters a collaborative environment where students learn to work effectively with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
and the disadvantages are the following:
*It has a very stressful environment, a high-pressure environment that can be overwhelming at times for students when there are a lot of patients, which can potentially hinder their ability to learn effectively and can lead to increased risk of errors. Due to the fast-paced nature of the ER, students may have limited opportunities for in-depth patient interaction and relationship building.
For some students witnessing traumatic injuries and patient suffering can take an emotional toll, and may require them to develop coping mechanisms and emotional resilience, and also, due to the ER's busy environment, students may receive less direct supervision and guidance compared to other clinical areas.
Overall, the ER offers a unique and valuable learning experience for nursing students, but it also presents significant challenges. We nursing educators must carefully consider these factors and provide students with adequate support and guidance to ensure a positive and enriching learning experience.
Advantages and Disadvantage of the ER as a clinical area of exposure for nursing learners.
by Jose Ma. Nilo Pueblo -
Number of replies: 4
In reply to Jose Ma. Nilo Pueblo
Re: Advantages and Disadvantage of the ER as a clinical area of exposure for nursing learners.
by Czarlyn Goopio -
I agree with your description of the advantages and disadvantages of the Emergency Room, as the clinical area of exposure of nursing students. Truly it is a high-pressure environment that is fast-paced, requires rapid thinking in prioritization of cases and nursing actions, limited interaction with the patients and students are most likely to act as an observer if they are not yet equipped with the knowledge and skills in acute care nursing. Clinical Instructors must be cautious in assigning cases to students that could either make or break their decision to pursue nursing profession. This is where I think briefing and debriefing sessions would be beneficial to process the experience gained at the Emergency Room, thus it is necessary that Clinical Instructors must provide adequate support and guidance to enrich the learning experience of students that is always variable and volatile.
In reply to Czarlyn Goopio
Re: Advantages and Disadvantage of the ER as a clinical area of exposure for nursing learners.
by Jose Ma. Nilo Pueblo -
Thank you Maam Czarlyn for your reply and insights,, learners' can indeed make or break in the cases that they will encounter, especially when they are not prepared for the day, in handling high adrenaline situations in the ER. It's true also that it's the responsibility of the clinical preceptor to provide the proper guidance and mindset for them to go by the day without losing their sanity or love for the craft in caring patients, it is a really a unique responsibility for us clinical preceptors to maintain this especially if we are handling a lot of learners at the same time.
In reply to Jose Ma. Nilo Pueblo
Re: Advantages and Disadvantage of the ER as a clinical area of exposure for nursing learners.
by Rainier Del Rosario -
I agree with you being in the ER demands a very high level of skills and emotional stability, for students to be expose in the area really will make them understand how important critical thinking and emotional stability, critical thinking because it is a fast pace area, they must think fast and correct in their judgement, emotional stability because they might experience codes meaning patient can die that is inevitable, if their emotions is not stable they cannot do their task because emotions takes over.
In reply to Jose Ma. Nilo Pueblo
Re: Advantages and Disadvantage of the ER as a clinical area of exposure for nursing learners.
by David Paul Ramos -
Hi Sir! Your reflection provides a well-balanced view of the Emergency Room as a clinical learning environment. The advantages you outlined: exposure to diverse, high-acuity cases, the development of quick clinical judgment, and the opportunity to collaborate in an interdisciplinary team are all powerful learning experiences that shape students into competent and resilient nurses.
At the same time, you’ve rightfully acknowledged the intense demands of the ER setting. The fast-paced environment can be both stimulating and overwhelming, particularly for students who are still developing their clinical confidence. Limited patient interaction time and decreased supervision can affect learning depth and emotional processing, especially when students encounter trauma or loss for the first time.
Your emphasis on the need for strong faculty support is essential. As clinical educators, it’s important to scaffold the learning—by debriefing after shifts, promoting reflective practice, and providing just-in-time teaching when appropriate. By doing so, we can help students not only survive but thrive in high-stress environments like the ER, turning challenges into meaningful professional growth.
At the same time, you’ve rightfully acknowledged the intense demands of the ER setting. The fast-paced environment can be both stimulating and overwhelming, particularly for students who are still developing their clinical confidence. Limited patient interaction time and decreased supervision can affect learning depth and emotional processing, especially when students encounter trauma or loss for the first time.
Your emphasis on the need for strong faculty support is essential. As clinical educators, it’s important to scaffold the learning—by debriefing after shifts, promoting reflective practice, and providing just-in-time teaching when appropriate. By doing so, we can help students not only survive but thrive in high-stress environments like the ER, turning challenges into meaningful professional growth.