The student nurse

Nurses General Nursing

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How do you feel about working with a student nurse? How comfortable are you with the student nurse basically taking over your patients and paper work while you observe? If you are not comfortable with the student taking your patient load what do you like your student nurse to do while assigned to you and your patients.

There's always the, "Remember you were a student too!" posts by students. Guess what, I've been a student AND a nurse. As have all the nurses here. How many students can say that?

So, we helped the nurses by doing some of their med passes.

The fact that you don't realize that isn't exactly all that helpful, just shows your ignorance of the real world of nursing. So I skip the med pass. Even when I've got students with a good instructor, I'm still assessing my patient, making sure they have everything they need, and can't just do my thing of taking care of it all off the bat because I'm trying to let the student have their experience. Then if orders change, instead of just taking care of it, I have to make sure both an instructor who can be with any of her students and the student know about it. EVEN WITH A GOOD INSTRUCTOR AND A GOOD STUDENT.

Sure, sometimes the techs are happy, since they can ignore a group of patients now, but even when you have a patient, that patient is ultimately MY responsibility, not yours, not your instructor's.

My turn :)

I have always enjoyed having students, some students definitely more than others. Which students have I liked the best? The ones who impress me with intelligent questions, ones that didn't pop out of their mouths not two minutes after I said something that would have preempted the answer, had they been listening. I love students who ask me to show them something they haven't seen, or explain why I did something they didn't understand. The ones that offer to help with or do a task that they DO know how to do, and are eager for the chance to reinforce what they've learned.

Those I will go out of my way to make sure they get to be involved if anything "fun" happens. Although, I remember imagining in my head that changing a pleurevac would be more exciting than it was. Got some students. Got in the room, realized it was REALLY boring. Told them, "You can go to conference and say you got to see a tube unplugged, then plugged in again!" But I did try....:p I mean, supposedly the students like me, apparently I'm super fun. I do let students do everything they're allowed by their school and my hospital to do (and sometimes even a bit more). But it's taking time away from my pee breaks. And instead of walking down the hall the rest of the day, I'm walking briskly and often staying late to catch up on things because students SLOW THINGS DOWN. It's not their fault. It's the nature of the beast. Realizing that though, will totally win a student brownie points, and make me want to give you a better experience. You come in thinking you're doing me a favor? Well, not going to be such a good experience that day.

I also believe that at some facilities it is very hard for the primary RN's to refuse students due to their facility being considered a "teaching hospital".

There was a while we had students 7 days a week. Sometimes more than one school on the floor at a time. There was just NO BREAK where you could just do your job and go home. And no chairs were ever available, and the breakroom would be taken over by homework. Even when you like having students, it IS extra work. And when you never get a break from that extra work, guess what, it gets old!!!

That the attitude of "we're helping you guys, you should be happy to see us" might have caused a resentment like I mentioned in my post?

I was never helpful until I was in my senior practicum and could be trusted to be somewhat independent with some tasks. I was on "task heavy" sort of unit, so my preceptor could send me into a room for a couple hours to do something and not worry about me. Of course, until I got to that point, I was a huge albatross around her neck. So glad she didn't take me to the helipad one day and push me off the roof...

And of course the ones who will just declare "that nurse hates students" when in actuality, that nurse LOVES students, she just can't stand YOU (not you, wish-me-luck, "you" as in "the student").

I genuinely enjoy teaching students. But that doesn't mean there aren't days when I want to bang my head against a wall and wonder what the profession is coming to.

Just something to think about.

Brava!!!

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Specializes in none.
How do you feel about working with a student nurse? How comfortable are you with the student nurse basically taking over your patients and paper work while you observe? If you are not comfortable with the student taking your patient load what do you like your student nurse to do while assigned to you and your patients.

I want him/her to do everything. That is the only way they will learn.

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Specializes in LTC, medsurg.
I want him/her to do everything. That is the only way they will learn.

I want a student nurse to walk up and down the halls, go into the rooms, fill up water pitchers, empty urinals, pass out trays, pick up trays, offer coffee, talk with the patient,

do something, anything! Don't stand or sit around, stand on your feet all day like we do.

Work on your care plans at home, if your teacher will allow. Don't sit in our chairs at the nurses station. The last student I had gave me a very bad taste and I know it's going to start making me have bad feelings towards future students. :/

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Specializes in Gerontology.

Frankly, I think a student nurse should be taking a full assingment, with guidence, by the end of their education. It would prepare them better for the real world when they graduate.

This idea of having students only taking 1 pt at a time does not prepare them for the real world. Orientation is NOT the time to learn how to manage a full pt load in my opinion. Orientation should be about learning how things are done in this specific hospital/unit, not about how to learn how to manage a full pt load. that should have been done during the last semester of nsg school.

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I think its the most saddest thing when experiences nurses 'dislike' the present of student nurses. Where do you think you as an experienced nurse learned your skills? From the FAIRY NURSE?!!!

Every single one of us started as student nurses scared out of our a*$ and praying that we don't harm our patients. Now student nurses have to worry about hateful nurses who are so darn adamant to Not work with students. I have noticed on my unit the nurses that don't want students, tend to be bitter who are burnt-out and need to get out of nursing! They really have attitude problems. And I am not ashamed to say it!!!!

I am a nurse, and I love to work with student nurses. They are such a benefit for us nurses! Not only do they ease the pt load for me (no complain from me there) but they truly want to learn and really go out of their way to help out. I love that I can teach someone and know that they will pass on that knowledge to their peers.

Much appreciation to student nurses! You have a fan in your corner!

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Wow Im surprised how many students took the full load of even one patient. When I was in school we were banned from charting in the legal chart. We would do our assessments on a separate sheet and our instructors would evaluate it from there. Also, I feel like we relied heavily on our instructors for advice, and were warned in advance not to take away from the primary nurses duties to his/her other patients. If we were lucky, we would catch the primary RN while she was assessing and we could ask our questions from there. I remember writing all my questions for the day down, and addressing them in post confrence.

Of course, if there was a pressing or important issue we would always find our instructor immediatly, and if they were unavailable we would find the primary nurse or charge nurse. I dont ever remember having too many issues while in school.

I do wish that we did have more exposure to the "whole package" as a student, but its pretty unrealistic. We would get to observe an admission/discharge if we were very lucky, but generally did not participate.

We did things independently as we were signed off, such as vital signs, baths, turns, toileting and so on. But procedures were limited to if our instructor was availble to observe. Occationally, if you had done the procedure with the instructor before (like a dressing change) we could do it the RN if they had the time.

Overall this routine worked well for us, however I do feel we were underprepared for the real world. Definitely a reality shock. Our goal my last semester was to take on a full load of patients, but in reality it was more like do assessments on all 4 of those patients, and possibly pass meds. Definitely not the entire load by a long shot.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

In a smaller hospital, like in the area where I live, RN's don't have the "luxury" of not taking a nursing student, no matter what you may believe.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Yes, this may be what you saw while you were actually IN clinical. However, once you left, you can bet your left lung that the RN actually assigned to those patients is going over EVERYTHING you did with a fine tooth comb, because ultimately, those ARE her patients ergo, HER responsibility.

I don't care what anyone tells anyone, having a nursing student DOES add work to an RN's day!! Some RN's thrive on that and love it, others don't. Tis what makes the world go round....

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Specializes in PACU.

I totally love working with nursing students. I encourage the students to do as much as possible with me standing next to them, guiding them. I still wear the pants, if you will. Most students require a lot of direction in the PACU, as it's quite different from their past experiences. If they're with me for weeks they're often able to get the job done with less direction, but I always encourage them to ask questions and will throw in my two cents frequently to explain the hows and whys.

If something needs to happen quickly, I may jump in and do it and explain how and why, and then allow them to do it the next time. For example, if they're fumbling to draw up and calculate how much fentanyl to give, I may draw it up and give the first dose before the patient yanks his IV out and strangles me with the tubing. I'll have them give the subsequent doses and draw up the next vial.

Honestly, my shifts are typically way easier when I have a student, esp. one I've been able to break in who can help. I do have to talk more, and sometimes get a bit hoorifice. It is stressful when I'm trying to let the student take the load, knowing the next patient through the doors is ours.

Big piece of advice to all students (and new hires for that matter): LISTEN to the nurse you're working with! I'm a pretty mellow dude, but even I get mighty annoyed when someone totally disregards my input, esp. as it pertains to care of the patient at hand.

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it really is a shame that even on this site, nurses and sn's can be so divided. i am a student nurse, and i hope no one is offended by my response on this topic, because i see it from both sides. i dont think any of us can say with definite certainty that it is "always less work" or "always more work" for the nurse when they have a student. in my experience, it is entirely subjective, and all depends on the facility's rules, clinical instructor/university policies, and sn initiative. even in my small clinical group of 8 students, all in a reputable program, i am completely aghast at the complacency, lack of compassion, disrespect, entitlement and downright laziness of some of my "cohort." hearing "im the student nurse, i don't have to do aide work, that's the aide's job" makes me want to punch a wall. i do have hope however, because i know how i am. i will go in and do whatever i can to make the nurses' jobs easier and comfort a patient, regardless of whether the task is "below" my level of experience and trainig or not. we are all in the business of caring for people, and if we dont feel that way, then what in the heck are we doing?? it's frustrating, but i have to say, the heartfelt thanks that i have gotten from patients, nurses, and even physicians whom i help while i am "just" a student nurse is probably the most rewarding feeling i can think of (well.. short of saving a life i suppose...). heartfelt thanks to the nurses that teach happily and the student nurses that help when they can... its the best way to learn

and to those arguing on this subject, maybe less sarcasm and a less argumentative tone might help?

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I recognize that I'm not addressing the OP's question (as I am not qualified), however I'd like to weigh in. :D

As a student nurse, when I come on to a busy, busy, buuuusy Med-Surg floor, I feel like a jerk interrupting the nurses.

I am incredibly grateful that they let me tag along beside them and inevitably slow them down.

Fortunately, I've never had a nurse decline to take me on. That doesn't mean I'm not pleasantly surprised each and every time they say yes. I get the "wary eye" from time to time in the beginning, but that eases up once I've shown a bit of competency in my SN role and show that I am not going to undo their efforts towards caring for their patient (rip out tubes, freak out, whatever).

I don't think the nurses owe me anything. When I started nursing school, I never considered the fact that one day I may have to precept students, and I can't say that I'd be a ball of funshine and sprinkles with each and every student.

To the nurses, thank you for not swatting me away, taking the time to teach me, to challenge me, and thanks for not making too much fun of me when i stutter and trip over wheelie things.

I will add that I'm scared to post on these boards. I am also showing an incredible amount of restraint by limiting my emoticon usage to one. For now.

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Catzilla, you sound like the kind of student nurse I'm very happy to have around and with an attitude like yours, I can keep my swatting tendencies well in check :D and I'll do everything I can to show you and teach you even though that means everything takes longer.

I think most of us like to teach, what I don't like is being told by a student what they will and won't do, or what they've done once before so don't need to ever do again.

It's not about what the student needs, it's about the patient. I see you get that, but it's amazing how many students don't.

And hey, don't be afraid to post! :)

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