Nursing Students or Student Nurses

[Anoetos, BSN, RN]

Is there a difference?

My school tends to call us student nurses, but we tend to call ourselves nursing students. The expressions seem to be interchangeable.

"Student Nurse" seems to be a more institutional expression, but are there any other differences?

[Asystole RN]

LPN or LVN

Ketchup or Catsup

Tomato or Tomoto

[patientlywaitinagain]

Is there a difference?

My school tends to call us student nurses, but we tend to call ourselves nursing students. The expressions seem to be interchangeable.

"Student Nurse" seems to be a more institutional expression, but are there any other differences?

Student Nurse - you are describing a nurse

Nursing student= you are describing a student

:confused:

[1southernstudent]

In my program the official name tags we will wear to our clinicals state us as "student nurse".

[Anoetos, BSN, RN]

Student Nurse - you are describing a nurse

Nursing student= you are describing a student

:confused:

Yes, that's my thought. I am not a nurse (yet), and I feel odd being called one, even with the qualifying adjective of "student". I am definitely a student though, and in a nursing program, so "nursing student" sounds more accurate.

But your analysis is right on, I think.

[FLmomof5]

In our school they explained it like this.....

If you tell a patient that you are a nursing student...the word they hear is STUDENT and they are more anxious about your care. If you state that you are are a student nurse, they hear NURSE and are much more comfortable.

[Anoetos, BSN, RN]

In our school they explained it like this.....

If you tell a patient that you are a nursing student...the word they hear is STUDENT and they are more anxious about your care. If you state that you are are a student nurse, they hear NURSE and are much more comfortable.

THAT makes excellent sense.

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

LPN or LVN

Ketchup or Catsup

Tomato or Tomoto

I was going to say the same thing. It doesn't matter " student nurse or nursing student" they still describe what kind of student you are.

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

In our school they explained it like this.....

If you tell a patient that you are a nursing student...the word they hear is STUDENT and they are more anxious about your care. If you state that you are are a student nurse, they hear NURSE and are much more comfortable.

My school uses "student nurse" as well, but in my clinicals it doesn't make a difference what you call yourself " student nurse" or nursing student". My instructor asks the patients if they would be okay with a student taking care of them. So they know ahead of time that I am just a student in nursing field and not a nurse :)

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

In our school they explained it like this.....

If you tell a patient that you are a nursing student...the word they hear is STUDENT and they are more anxious about your care. If you state that you are are a student nurse, they hear NURSE and are much more comfortable.

I try to say student nurse, but sometimes I get so nervous, I may say nursing student.