[JessieRN]

Depends on that setting. Some facility just don't foster that "warm fuzzy" feeeling. I found when I was in clinicals, bigger facilities usually were more likely to have that attitude. Most of the "small town" hospitals I went to were very welcoming. But even then you would have a nurse or two that didn't want to be bothered. And most seem to respond better to "one on one" with the student, instead of having a whole little flock following them around. I actually was around a lot of great nurses, that took time to teach us when I was in school, and I try to do the same for new students at our facility.

[Luv2BAnurse]

Not that the "attitude" makes any difference, but I'm just wondering if the "student" in charge is already an RN, working for a higher degree (wonder why she'd bother ). Let us know how things go....

[Dorito]

I had a bad experience when I went to my first clinical. I had been an LPN for over 15 years in an acute care facility. The primary nurse that was caring for the patient I had been assigned to was rude, obnoxious and treated me like crap. At the end of the day our instructor spoke with all the nursing staff who had students and mine complained I asked a bunch of questions. Imagine the shock on her face when she realized I had worked in a hospital for many years already. I told the nurse I was assigned to that the only thing harder than orienting a student was to be one and that she shouldn't jump to conclusions (or accusations) when she's assigned to precept. She was a different person after that day but I still remember the way I was treated. Best of luck. I know in the future you'll probably be a great resource for future students. (I also agree you need to talk to your instructor)

[oooooooooo]

During my first clinical rotation we were in a LTC. One of the clients started choking and the LPN (who was looking distractedly out the window) told me and my clinical buddy to go get the other LPN so the patient could be suctioned out. She's in the middle of cleaning up a client, so my classmate stays to work on that while we grab the portable and head up to the cafeteria. LPN number 1 still staring out the window...

[NancyNurse08]

I'm sorry you had such a lousy experience. I agree that a conversation with your CI is warranted. As someone else has mentioned, at least you know what kind of nurse you do not want to be!

[earle58]

Originally Posted by femsmahus

I had my first clinical rotation yesterday. To say that I am green is a gross understatement. I have never worked in a hospital and I have only been a patient a couple of times, so my only learning has been through school. We were assigned to a nurse; she gave us each one client to take care of for the day. As I said before, I have no hands on experience, only what I have learned in school. So... in my little mind I thought I would pass meds, give/help with hygiene, do an assessment, go over the clients chart and read the labs, etc. Instead I was confronted with a group of openly hostile women who did NOTHING to guide, encourage, or assist us.

what did these "openly hostile women" do? and i think it would have been the primary nurse who would have been 'obligated' (if that's even the correct term) to assist you...no one else.

When my nurse (she is actually a final year nursing student) finally came into the patients room (two of us where giving the patient a bed-bath...she wanted it done quickly because she was cold), the nurse was completely annoyed, grabbed the patient by the shoulder and hip (96 yr old with tissuepaper for skin), flipped her over and harshly told me to wash her "what not's". And let me say this... I was not avoiding her "what Not's" we were simply taking our time, talking softly to the client to help keep her calm and comfortable....

rather than "simply taking your time", it would have benefited the pt for both of you to move right along. also, i see nothing wrong w/a more advanced student to be supervising a bed bath.

The nurse also proceeded to say "Let me show you how this is done" She grabbed a PILE of washclothes, wetted them, piled them on the bedside table (water going everywhere), pump soap all over them, and told me to use those. She was arrogant, rude, and biligerant to the client I was supposed to take care of.

how was she "arrogant, rude, and belligerent" to the client? what did she say to her? if she was, that's reportible.

And to make matters worse.... when she did the charting... she changed all of the times and falsified information.

for example?

OH MAN.... I could go on and on about the things she did the entire 12 hour shift. The bedbath was only a small thing.

wouldn't it make more sense to share the more major events, rather than the bedbath, if that was such a small thing?

I am blown away by this. This has been my greatest fear. I can handle anything a client can give me... but this nurse was a nightmare. Let me also add... I am a 40 year old woman and am not easily intimidated, but I will stress myself into an early grave if I have to deal with such unethical behavior... or hated by everyone I work with because I do not think that this should be tolerated AT ALL.

"unethical behavior" such as???

At this moment I feel like I have to choice but to go to someone (perhaps our clinical instructor) and tell them what the day was like. I am horrified that this freak is allowed to be a nurse.

Please....oh great and wise nurses.... give me your thoughts. Is this what nursing is really like?

i'm sorry, but other than this nurse 'maybe' being a *****, i'm not seeing any evidence of wrongdoing. i mean, if she was rude to the pt, displayed 'unethical behavior', was truly a 'freak', bedbath being a small thing compared to other behaviors/actions she exhibited (but you not sharing them), i am trying to understand your side but cannot.

i do agree you should discuss this w/your ci...
but other than some possibly rude behavior to you, i'm not understanding where this nurse was so out of control.
and believe me, this will not be the last time you are treated with rudeness.
actually, it's pretty much the norm in nsg...
whether it is from coworkers, md's, pts/families.
you will learn as a nurse, to pick your battles carefully.

best of everything.

leslie

[ecnav]

Originally Posted by earle58

i'm sorry, but other than this nurse 'maybe' being a *****, i'm not seeing any evidence of wrongdoing. i mean, if she was rude to the pt, displayed 'unethical behavior', was truly a 'freak', bedbath being a small thing compared to other behaviors/actions she exhibited (but you not sharing them), i am trying to understand your side but cannot.

i do agree you should discuss this w/your ci...
but other than some possibly rude behavior to you, i'm not understanding where this nurse was so out of control.
and believe me, this will not be the last time you are treated with rudeness.
actually, it's pretty much the norm in nsg...
whether it is from coworkers, md's, pts/families.
you will learn as a nurse, to pick your battles carefully.

best of everything.

leslie

R u for real Leslie?

[earle58]

Originally Posted by ecnav

R u for real Leslie?

rather than presenting w/a dubious tone and vague question, why don't you share specific concerns?

leslie

[chevyv]

I'm in 3rd semester and I can't believe that you got stuck on your first day in a situation like that! With little to none for hands on care, for me it's a common sense approach that my students (if I were an instructor) should pair up and get used to doing hands on cares. As for the nursing student who was lousy, you would think she wouldn't give any mind to how long it took to accomplish your bed bath. At least she didn't have to do it. Connecting with your patient is important to developing good nursing skills (listening being so important as a nurse)
Next time your in clinical, let the nurse know what semester your in. I agree with other posts regarding the amount of nursing students they see in facilities. They never know from day to day what semester students they have. Be tough about what you can and can't do. During my 2nd semester, I had a rotation (1 day) in ICU, the nurse told me to go in and reset the IV pump according to the new orders. Beign only 2nd semester, we could not reset any IV without the RN present. She was very sarcastic and asked what could I do? I smiled (sweetly) and told her I was second semester and could not touch a pump without her being there. I also reminded her that it is her license......I stick with skills I'm allowed to do and do them by the book! If I cut corners, I know I'll be the one to get caught or worse give my patient sepsis.
Good luck in the future. Just remember back to this experience when its your turn to help a newbie out. At least we learn how not to be

[femsmahus]

what did these "openly hostile women" do? and i think it would have been the primary nurse who would have been 'obligated' (if that's even the correct term) to assist you...no one else.

No eye-contact, walking down the hallway talking crap about other nursing students (loudly), in morning conference when students greeted them or asked good/intellegent questions they blatantly ignored them.The primary nurse that I was helping that day did not say one single word to me the ENTIRE day. When I went to the nurses station to ask her if there was anything else that I could be doing she wouldn't even look up at me (she was looking at someones wedding photos), and grunted some reply. This is a small hospital- 25 beds. These women had 3 patients each. It was not like they were running around like chickens with their heads cut off and just didn't have the time to, at the very minimum, acknowledge our presense.

how was she "arrogant, rude, and belligerent" to the client? what did she say to her? if she was, that's reportible.

similar behavior: making no eye-contact with the client, man-handling her, when she barked a command at her it was in an insensitive manner, etc. She was visably scaring this woman. She made "jokes" about my client and others and encouraged us repeatedly to break hospital rules when it suited her....in regards to direct client care.

for example?

Charting things that were never done. Documenting physical findings that she did not check. Later in the day I learned that we were supposed to chart something every 2 hours and she charted only twice the entire day and put bogus times on the chart both times. Please correct me if I am wrong, but in school they have taught us that this is a huge no-no.

wouldn't it make more sense to share the more major events, rather than the bedbath, if that was such a small thing?

she didn't do anything. she walked around eating, took a nap in an empty room, disappeared 30 minutes at a time, I didn't see her wash her hands one time the entire day, etc etc etc. The bed-bath incident was the last event of the day so it was on my mind the most. Frankly, it was the totality of the days events that ended with the bed-bath that made me so upset. She did not provide any basic or advanced care for this woman. Isn't that enough? I kid you not, this woman would have laid in the bed all day long without having assistance eating, repositioning, getting cleaned up, etc if I had not insisted on doing it. And even when I insisted she would sigh loudly and roll her eyes "fine~ if you really want to". Well Hell yes I want to... the woman is lying in there looking, smelling, and feeling like crap. I am supposed to be her advocate and have her best interest in mind.

I could care less if she was rude to me. I certainly have had enough life experience to know that there are people out there that are idiots, but I was not expecting such behavior on my first day in clinicals. Please forgive me for being so naive, but I did not think that someone would be so blatant. I readily admit that she freaked me out...but not on a personal level. She freaked me out because she might take care of someone I love someday.... what a tragedy.