The best advice I can give anyone is to just do as you're told, follow the rules and pay attention. For example, if you're told not to do something then don't do it. There's always a good reason why, and the staff are only trying to keep people safe and maintain the peace on the unit.

There was a student who totally did not understand how important this was. She was placed on the forensic floor wherein she was sternly warned not to interact with a specific patient. Apparently, the student thought she possessed some therapeutic communication skills and charisma that was on par with Christ. She approached the patient, said the wrong thing and was attacked. She suffered no injury but to her ego and clinical reputation.

The staff absolutely will watch your back, but you have to watch your own and listen to what you're told. However, no one is going to feel too sorry for you if you cause an incident that you were clearly warned against. That student failed her clinical for the same reason most students fail clinical-- she simply was not safe and demonstrated a profound inability to follow direction.

That was an extreme case on an extreme unit. Staff are always looking for subtle signs of smoke and putting out fires before they start. This requires a lot of skill and energy and it can make psych look like a walk in the park to students who don't realize how much work is going on behind the scenes. No one going to be happy if you create the spark that lights the flame!

Don't be afraid. Just do as you're instructed. I always felt safe because I worked with great staff and we always looked out for each other. We always looked out for students too.

Enjoy your rotation.