In need of objective opinions....

[nograd]

I am in some real need of help. You guys probably don't know me, but I am a first year student and have been doing fairly well in this program up until Wednesday....

We had our first clinicals at a new hospital and prior to starting were NOT given any instruction on what her expectations were of us, no orientation to the unit I among the other students was feeling very lost:confused: Didn't know where anything was my one nurse I was assigned to was awsome, she taught me the AWA and walked me through it, said I was doing great all I needed was the vitals I went to find a thermometer and pulse ox, I saw one girl with it and asked her if I could use it when she was done. She said it wasn't necessary, I explained I was doing the AWA and would need to use the equip, no hurry...She kept telling me that someone had already done the vitals about a half hour ago, keep in mind I had NO IDEA who she was, I explained that I was expected to complete vitals on my patient (policy for the last 3.5 months) Finally she said that it was ok with my instructor that we didn't have to re-do them...so ok, got the vitals off the temp board. Incident #2 I am sitting and charting at a desk, RN walks up to me says "I have to sit there" meaning MY SEAT (there was another with no one sitting and plenty of room) I said I wouldn't be much longer and moved my stuff down to giver her more space, she didn't want it, made a big fuss gave me a bit of attitude, finally offered to move, she stormed off...

End of shift comes and my instructor, calls me aside and tells me I have "A BIG ATTITUDE PROBLEM"??WHAT:eek: ?? She pretty much had made up her mind and said that the two nurses complained about me and my attitude I HAD NO IDEA WHAT she was talking about!!! She continued on...it turns out that the first nurse was the charge nurse (HAD NO IDEA) and was very upset with me questioning her. I was totally broadsided, didn't know what to say and clammed up. I asked what happened, turns out nurse #2 said I had refused to let her sit and chart!

My instructor since then has been giving me a hard time with everything, from what pt I choose to complete a holistic 10 pg. assesment on to why I did I answer my pt's call light before getting report(the assignment sheets wern't even up yet). Well I was about to discuss this whole issue with her today after I had some time to think about it and calm down and she had already written me up...it goes in my perminent file!

She pretty much want's me to do everything HER WAY to solve this, my suggestions don't fit her needs and states that if I don't fix this she will fail me in clinicals, meaning I don't pass into NUR 102. HOW DO I GET PAST THIS AND SOLVE THIS? I am an A student, have high remarks on all my prior clinical evals. I have worked to long and to hard to let this instructor stop me, which she has the power to do, and isn't afraid to use it. Any help is appreciated.

Signed,

Distraught Nursing Student:o

[kennedyj]

just remember its only one course that will be done soon. The next one will probably be better. Just hang through it. Reminds me of my peds rotation. All the permanend nurses were a bunch of burnt out Bi*ches who hated nursing students.

best of luck,

Jared

[essarge]

get yourself a small spiral and carry it with you. DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT everything that goes on during your rotation (make sure to write times also) so if this instructor continues with this "mode of operendi" you have documentation. If it does continue, schedule a meeting with the chair of your nursing department at school (of course invite the instructor) and resolve things there. Does this nurse work at the hospital you are doing your rotation in when she isn't instructing student? Has she done this to other students? CYA!!! Even as a student this is very important!!

[rosemadder]

Sounds really rough! Have you spoken to your advisor? What did she suggest?

It sounds like you were doing the right thing about the Vitals. In my clinicals what our instructor wants usually is what we have to do no matter what any other nurse says.

The nurses are picky about where we sit and do charting. They look on us as an inconvenience that is in their way. I try to do charting in a place where the nurses' do not. I'm safer out of their territory!

Tell your instructor you are willing to do anything that she deems necessary to satisfactorily complete clinicals and apologize for getting off on the wrong foot! Taking the blame (even when it's not your fault) goes a long way with some people!

Good Luck!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I think your responses were perfect in the clinical, so long as you were respectful and polite (I'm sure you were). The vital signs issue is from lack of orientation to the floor and not knowing what your instructor wanted, and giving up your seat when you were charting is just silly, especially if there is another spot. Perhaps to keep peace in the family next time you will want to get up and take the extra seat- give them the one they want. There may be issues like ability to see call lights or hear pumps or something that made her want that particular spot, but she could have explained it to you.

As far as answering a bell before report, not knowing what is going on with your pt before taking on his/her care is something you can get nailed on as well. You have not yet assumed care so have no obligation to take over, and could be unsafe. However if they are straight out and someone yells "can you get that" it is polite to go do it. Also perfectly justifiable to say you are busy getting report if you are in the middle of reviewing charts etc.

Continue to be assertive and polite, point out anything that could have been resolved or avoided with proper orientation. Write down each incident so that if things do not blow over you will have something to jog your memory if you decide to talk to someone higher in the program. Try not to get so stressed that your performance suffers, these items are not your fault, but you may find that being extra accomodating will get you a few brownie points. Maybe you have time to help bathe or make a bed for one of those nurses you had trouble with, and apologize, make them feel good. :)

[nograd]

Hi all,

Thanks for the votes of confidense and support. I have been really having a hard time with this issue, can't eat, sleep or concentrate. I have had a constant stomach ache for the past few days, basically this is eating away at me and I can't stand aside and do nothing. So all this advise is so appreciated. I have taken it all into concideration. Documented everything (with times;) ) and wrote down some possible solutions. I will be presenting this to my instructor this week and possibly setting up a meeting with the director of nursing at my school. I also spoke to a number of nurses I work with, who support me and are willing to write a letter of recommendation if needed. This situation once analyzed has proven to have more and more things wrong with how my instructor handled a misunderstanding. She has a misunderstanding into a HUGE issue all on her own. I have found out that she has been dishonest with me on more than one issue and will be writing her up (after my grades are posted, of course) This will be addressed. So again thanks and wish me luck, it is going to be a long up hill battle but I have support from fellow students, past instructors and co-workers, and you all.

Nicole;)