Rude/ Inconsiderate nurses during clinicals

OCNRN63, RN · Nov 9, 2013

^Come back to this post when you get your first questioning by admin and a write up based on what a student nurse "saw" (aka seeing something that BENEFITS THE PT; not knowing the rationale behind it ) and then reporting it, causing an unnecessary questioning and/or write up, come back to this posts and MAYBE you will understand these posts-see previous poster before you.

Indeed.

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Nov 9, 2013

Oh wow. All I got out of your post was "I, I, I". I want to see every patient, I want to be informed when the RN is going somewhere to do a procedure, I am going to follow the RN whether she likes it or not". Yikes, you have a LOT of growing up to do, as a student and a person....

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Nov 9, 2013

It's not your job to tell an RN that they need to be accepting of you because they work at a hospital that accepts students. Do you even know what the job market is like for RN's? The choices are not what they once were. Whether or not you "believe it is their job to teach you" is irrelevant. As was pointed out to you in an earlier reply, very often a nurse has no choice in the matter of a student tagging along for the day----even one as great as you who is a self-proclaimed expert at obtaining blood glucose. Poking a finger and reading the number that pops up is something a monkey can do. It is the interpretation of those results and what follows that are the important parts of that task.

vera4130 · Nov 9, 2013

Poking a finger and reading the number that pops up is something a monkey can do. It is the interpretation of those results and what follows that are the important parts of that task.

I actually don't let anyone else do my blood sugars anymore. One of the best CNAs I've ever worked with took one for me once, and I'm positive he did it correctly, the one he got was 380s. I had a weird feeling (her BS had been normal the previous day), explained my concern, and re-took it. I got 100s. I don't know how that happened, but she would have gotten 8-10 units if I hadn't. I do my own now, and I hate checking blood sugar. I have to be desperately busy to let another nurse check one for me.

JesusKeepMe · Nov 9, 2013

Use actual nurses on the defense huh? Well, okay. Well since the students seem to know EVERYTHING there is to know INSTEAD of ACTUALLY CONSIDERING the advice of nurses who have been students, let me stop being so nice and keep it 100 as we say where I'm from...

Some of you students come on here whining about the most simple things, "Oh she didn't introduce herself to me", "We have too many chapters to read", "I'm failing and I can't get my grades up...help me please". Or you guys ask questions without LOOKING for the answer yourself...why post drug calculations on this website wben there are hundreds of websites that help with drug calc? When I see all the crying, the asking questions you can find the answers to, etc, it makes me want to vomit because some of you seem so entitled, lazy, and you just complain instead of seeking out out answers to drug calc yourself, and chilling out and taking the advice of some of the best nurses on here when it relates to how to perform better in clinicals, on test, etc. You guys think we pull his advice from our butts? Heck no, we were, get this, ACTUAL NURSING STUDENTS once upon a time, so we've been in your shoes. Also, some of us have been PRECEPTORS before, so we see students like you quite often; entitled, whining, lazy, ones wanting the answer handed to then on a platter, give us a break.

Stop being all on the defense, and actually CONSIDER what an old head/experienced nurse has to say. You're still students, not nurses, yet.

Oh, I don't care much about opinions or hurt feelings, I'm just saying what alot of other people on here were probably thinking.

Altra, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 2013

OP, you have displayed zero understanding that the NURSE is responsible for every single thing that happens to/with his/her patients. Even if my student goes into a patient's room and strangles him with his/her bare hands ... I am still responsible.

pookyp, LPN · Nov 9, 2013

Use actual nurses on the defense huh? Well okay. Well since the students seem to know EVERYTHING there is to know INSTEAD of ACTUALLY CONSIDERING the advice of nurses who have been students, let me stop being so nice and keep it 100 as we say where I'm from... Some of you students come on here whining about the most simple things, "Oh she didn't introduce herself to me", "We have too many chapters to read", "I'm failing and I can't get my grades up...help me please". Or you guys ask questions without LOOKING for the answer yourself...why post drug calculations on this website wben there are hundreds of websites that help with drug calc? When I see all the crying, the asking questions you can find the answers to, etc, it makes me want to vomit because some of you seem so entitled, lazy, and you just complain instead of seeking out out answers to drug calc yourself, and chilling out and taking the advice of some of the best nurses on here when it relates to how to perform better in clinicals, on test, etc. You guys think we pull his advice from our butts? Heck no, we were, get this, ACTUAL NURSING STUDENTS once upon a time, so we've been in your shoes. Also, some of us have been PRECEPTORS before, so we see students like you quite often; entitled, whining, lazy, ones wanting the answer handed to then on a platter, give us a break. Stop being all on the defense, and actually CONSIDER what an old head/experienced nurse has to say. You're still students, not nurses, yet. Oh, I don't care much about opinions or hurt feelings, I'm just saying what alot of other people on here were probably thinking.[/quote']
What advice was given? Maybe 2 people have advice. The rest told her she seemed entitled.
So students asking for help are lazy, entitled, and make you wanna vomit? How do you know students don't actually TAKE The advice? And just because an old head is an old head, doesn't make their word or experience gospel. Just saying.
It's not what you say, it's how you say it. Did you read some of these responses? Yours included. It's NASTY. Again. No advice was given. None.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Nov 9, 2013

How do you deal with rude/ inconsiderate nurses during clinical?
Things that really irritate me:
> not letting me see a specific patient without a good reason
I want to see *every* patient, not just the nice ones. If it's a danger to my safety or the patient's safety then I understand but some nurses don't give me a reason. The other day a nurse didn't let me see a patient because "she had a good relationship with him" and she spent most of the shift with him, leaving me out. I luckily just tagged along with a different nurse but I felt like she was rude and offered me a poor excuse.
EDIT: if the patient asks for no students then it's okay as well because of consent and such.
> Expecting me to know certain things then telling my instructor I don't know anything.
As a nursing student, I am clinical to learn. I am not going to right away have the skills go into action. It's like riding a bicycle--easy *once you get the hang of it*. Thankfully, my instructor is nice, but it's a mean thing for a nurse to just tell the instructor I know nothing when I am a student trying to learn the things I do not know. But now I am scared to ask my instructor for a rec letter in the future.
>Leaving the nurse's station to do a procedure/ task and not letting me know.
This bothers me to no extent. If I see the nurse I was assigned to for the day and kind of saunter off without telling me then I get up, chase her and follow her. If you don't want a nursing student with you then you should have worked at a facility that doesn't take students. I am going to follow you whether you like it or not. Even if you are just getting a blood glucose (which I am sort of an expert at doing now since I have done it so many times) or asking the patient if he needs anything.
> Saying things like "why didn't you become a doctor?"
Why didn't YOU become a doctor?
>Saying "you're timid, is this your first day?"
No. I am not timid or shy at all. I am comfortable going up to people and asking them if they need help. But these hospitals are potential employers and I am guarded in what I say or how I act in them. I am not going to chuckle at your jokes about the patient because I want a job next year.
>When the nurse doesn't introduce him/herself to me when I am assigned to that nurse for the day.
This is just rude.
What do you do in these situations? How do you handle them? I am just really mad, I had a bad experience this week. I know I am not supposed to be entitled but I am paying 20,000 plus a year out of pocket for nursing school.

Ok, grasshopper, I've never come across a student post that made ME so angry. Let's take the issues one by one.

Trust. If a nurse has a relationship with a patient and doesn't want an SN that *is* a good reason. Is the patient difficult, does the patient have anxiety with new caregivers, are the patient preferences very specific? Don't waste the nurse's time by wanting the complete run down of everything. Move on. The nurse wasn't rude; her priority was good patient care. Your priority was your experiences as an SN. Learn the difference.

Expecting you to know things. Hrm. I think there is a lot of missing information here. You present it as not knowing skills. I wonder if you didn't know stuff you were expected to just by reviewing the chart or listening in on report. We nurses are expected to know our patients' medical backgrounds, social history, inpatient history, test results, and plan within the first half our of our shift. On five or more patients. Did you not know this basic stuff? If not, get used to knowing it quickly and completely. What are you going to tell the docs who are part of the rapid response team (who do not know the patient), if the patient crumps in the first hour? It doesn't matter if YOU didn't know the patient until an hour ago--it's our job to know! I can tell you that no nurse is expecting SNs to have a good grasp of skills, but we DO expect you to know something about the patient.

"Why didn't you become a doctor?" Something tells me that was a passive-aggressive statement on the part of the nurse to a know-it-all student. I don't endorse passive-aggressiveness, but if you have 'tude, I would have to bite my tongue till it bleeds to not say something similar.

The timid comment. She was assessing your comfort level with patients. I do too to determine how much freedom in patient interaction I want to give my students. You really are searching for ways to get ticked off at the nurses. How 'bout giving us benefit of the doubt? Is that possible for you?

Introductions. Do you realize how much we need to get done in the first hour of our shifts? My guess is that you don't. Patient care first, student nurse feelings second. Thanks.

Forgot one: getting up to go do something with the patient. Sometimes new information needs to be acted on immediately. If you see me walking fast (or in some cases running), don't ask questions, just follow. You'll see for yourself as soon as we get in the room. Guaranteed. Even if it's not emergent, at any given time, I have five or more tasks being constantly shifted in priority in my mind. You don't. Just follow. Or not.

springchick1, ADN, RN · Nov 9, 2013

Maybe you were the fifth student she has had assigned to her this week. I am a nursing student but I am also a preceptor at my job. It's exhausting having someone with you and having to explain EVERYTHING you are doing and why you're doing it. It's made 100 times worse when the person you have with you has a know-it-all attitude or a sense of entitlement. Cut the nurse some slack.

JesusKeepMe · Nov 9, 2013

What advice was given? Maybe 2 people have advice. The rest told her she seemed entitled.
So students asking for help are lazy, entitled, and make you wanna vomit? How do you know students don't actually TAKE The advice? And just because an old head is an old head, doesn't make their word or experience gospel. Just saying.
It's not what you say, it's how you say it. Did you read some of these responses? Yours included. It's NASTY. Again. No advice was given. None.

Thanks alot for your response, as I knew there would be some who didn't like my post, but again, it doesn't bother me.

Did I read the responses? Yes, I've read each response to the thread here. If you've read the responses, you would see that I posted a response earlier in which I offered advice on how the student may go about handling his/herself in the situation, perhaps you should go back and review that response.

To see people (whom appear to be students) stating the responses (most which were posted by licensed LPNs/RNs) were defensive, makes me wonder what planet some of these students are from. It has nothing to do with being defensive, it's us giving advice since we've been students, it's us making yoh accountable for your clinical learning experience instead expecting nurses busy with many tasks all at once, to hold your hand.

Before you get to thinking I hate students, I don't. The best part of my career thus far has been talking to students, stretching their ability to think critically, and making them accountable for their clinical experience.

So if my truth came across as "nasty" as you say, okay, well, perhaps you and a few others see it that way. My opinion is mine, and maybe a few other nurses share my thoughts, if you don't, fine.

Have a great day.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Nov 9, 2013

You guys replying sure are on the defensive. Smh but some hit dogs will holler.
OP I've seen everything you've mentioned. So what I do now, is not bother my nurse. If she doesn't want to be bothered with me because 'she didn't know she was getting a student" and now is mad at me for the whole day, I just do patient care, do vitals, and shadow with my classmates nurse who doesn't mind having a student and let's us do skills and teaches as she's doing whatever she's doing. (My instructor doesn't mind and encourages this) The nurses I'm assigned to never introduce themselves to me either. I introduce myself, tell them what I can help them with, and look at their badge for their name. *shrug* I just laugh to myself and say 'grown people are really acting like this?" I just think to my self 1:15 pm must come. Cause that's when we report off and get outta there! Lol Yes, I've had nurses just leave and not say anything as I'm standing right next to them. I just follow them even though they seem annoyed. OH WELL! Lol Also if I'm doing my clinical paperwork I sometimes lose my nurse. So it's possible that you can lose them. Doesn't mean you don't want to learn and we're playing around that you didn't notice them leave. I've been told clinical you learn some, but you will learn more on the job. Just continue to be nice and smile. That's what I do. I kill em with kindness. Sometimes when you're so nice, they break and end up being a little nicer. Good luck.

We're not mad at you. We don't think enough about you to be angry with you. We are taking care of our patients! And we don't "break" and be nice to you. We get a few minutes of breathing room from our duties and have a chance to talk. Benefit of the doubt again.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Nov 9, 2013

What advice was given? Maybe 2 people have advice. The rest told her she seemed entitled.
So students asking for help are lazy, entitled, and make you wanna vomit? How do you know students don't actually TAKE The advice? And just because an old head is an old head, doesn't make their word or experience gospel. Just saying.
It's not what you say, it's how you say it. Did you read some of these responses? Yours included. It's NASTY. Again. No advice was given. None.

There was a LOT of advice here. A lot of insight into what's going on inside a nurse's head to explain the scenarios given. You don't see that?