Standing static during lab for 4 hours?
I thought this was interesting, so I wanted to post here and see if anyone else has experienced something similar or any input is encouraged.
I’m in a hybrid nursing program with one on-campus lab day per week. We have two lab sessions (4 hours and 2 hours) with a lunch break in between, totaling about 7 hours. During our first lab, the nursing director explained that we stand because it mimics real-world nursing practice. We have to stand in place in one spot at waist high tables. We are not allowed to sit at all.
I understand the reasoning behind this, but I’m noticing some challenges. We stand in place for about 1-1.5 hours during presentations, with brief 10-minute breaks twice throughout the lab. After the presentation is over for a certain section we do skills practice for about 20 minutes or so. I’ve noticed cohort members leaning against tables and shifting their weight frequently, which makes me wonder if prolonged standing is affecting our ability to concentrate on the material. I know for me it is.
I’m not opposed to standing.. It definitely prepares us for clinical work but I’m curious if continuous static standing for extended periods is the most effective learning environment. One cohort member mentioned feeling nauseous during lab, and I wondered if that could be related to the prolonged standing without position changes.
Has anyone else experienced this in their program? I’m interested in hearing how other schools approach this balance between realistic preparation and student comfort during learning.