Dealing w/ rude RNs

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  1. This is a discussion on Dealing w/ rude RNs in LPN to RN Nursing Student, part of Nursing Student ... How do you guys deal with RNs who hate having students? I had this one nurse who said maybe 10...

    by Mar 11, '12
    How do you guys deal with RNs who hate having students? I had this one nurse who said maybe 10 words the whole night, disappeared frequently, would give me one word answers when I had questions, would not let me pass meds, etc!!! I was so frustrated I just ended up not even bothering with her. Another student had this same nurse who was the same way with her. What do you guys do in these situations?
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    by PlumeriaSun Mar 11, '12 12:37 am
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  3. 51 Comments so far...

  4. Mar 11, '12 by
    It has been my experience, the one's with the most knowledge and clinical skill, are the same one's who are most willing to assist not only student, but other nurses. So, don't worry about the rude RNs, they are worth a fart.
    kenyanese, azcna, WildOne, and 4 others like this.
  5. Mar 11, '12 by
    Quote from plumeriasun
    how do you guys deal with rns who hate having students? i had this one nurse who said maybe 10 words the whole night, disappeared frequently, would give me one word answers when i had questions, would not let me pass meds, etc!!! i was so frustrated i just ended up not even bothering with her. another student had this same nurse who was the same way with her. what do you guys do in these situations?
    how do you know she hated having students? maybe she felt unprepared or ill equipped to teach a student and was taken by surprise. maybe she's just shy. did you have a conversation with her about what you were and were not allowed to do and what you felt your learning needs for the shift would be? if you just ended up "not bothering with her," it's your fault you didn't get the education you needed.
    nursel56, wooh, Seas, and 5 others like this.
  6. Mar 11, '12 by
    Thanks guys. I know she didn't like being w/ students bc another student heard her in the breakroom saying "she hoped she didn't have any that day." It is not MY fault I didn't learn a thing from her, thank you very much. I ended up working w/ another nurse who was willing to show me the ropes. You don't need to be rude.
    kenyanese, azcna, Not_A_Hat_Person, and 5 others like this.
  7. Mar 11, '12 by
    Quote from PlumeriaSun
    Thanks guys. I know she didn't like being w/ students bc another student heard her in the breakroom saying "she hoped she didn't have any that day." It is not MY fault I didn't learn a thing from her, thank you very much. I ended up working w/ another nurse who was willing to show me the ropes. You don't need to be rude.
    Not wanting to have a student that day hardly equates to hating having students.
    I have days where I hope I don't have any admits, have to do a Remicaide infusion or that it doesn't rain doesn't mean that I *hate* any of those thing, it just means that I hope I don't have to deal with it THAT DAY.

    What did you do to take responsibility for your learning that shift?
    What did you do to clarify the situation with the staff nurse that day?
    What did you do that may have made the situation better for BOTH of you?

    Your not liking a response because it doesn't support your opinion doesn't make it rude.
    Nurse Leigh, lindarn, nursel56, and 7 others like this.
  8. Mar 11, '12 by
    Wow! Ok I just know for a fact she doesn't like having students. Just get that part through your head. To answer your questions: I took responsibility by focusing on my patient, and their needs and conditions. Secondly I clarified the situation with the charge nurse who understood my position as she knows this particular nurse doesn't like having students follow her. anyways my patient ended up being transferred out. After that I just helped the floor and the CNAs with anything they needed. I just avoided that one nurse the rest of the shift. That's why I originally posted this post wad to get advice on how to handle this situation more appropriately if this ever happens again. I just didn't like how you guys disregarded my knowledge on how she felt towards students when I can clearly SEE she dislikes them.
    LVNtoBSN, azcna, Not_A_Hat_Person, and 4 others like this.
  9. Mar 11, '12 by
    Wow... it seems that this forum has "rude" RNs...
    LVNtoBSN, kenyanese, azcna, and 2 others like this.
  10. Mar 11, '12 by
    Quote from plumeriasun
    thanks guys. i know she didn't like being w/ students bc another student heard her in the breakroom saying "she hoped she didn't have any that day." it is not my fault i didn't learn a thing from her, thank you very much. i ended up working w/ another nurse who was willing to show me the ropes. you don't need to be rude.
    the fact that you called me "rude" for disagreeing with you lends a lot of insight into your difficulties getting along with the nurses at your clinical site. not wanting to have a student today does not translate into not ever wanting to have students, or not liking being with students. unless you talked to her and actively attempted to outline your learning needs and goals for the shift, you haven't done your part.

    it would be truly wonderful if everyone who was assigned to precept loved to teach and was warm and welcoming to students. unfortunately, that's not how it is, and it's up to the student to ensure that their learning needs are met. "not bothering with" your preceptor all day might lead the preceptor to conclude that you are rude and unwilling to be taught. if she conveys that idea to your instructor, you really have no leg to stand on if you didn't at least try to engage her.
    kids, wooh, Aurora77, and 3 others like this.
  11. Mar 11, '12 by
    Quote from plumeriasun
    wow! ok i just know for a fact she doesn't like having students. just get that part through your head. to answer your questions: i took responsibility by focusing on my patient, and their needs and conditions. secondly i clarified the situation with the charge nurse who understood my position as she knows this particular nurse doesn't like having students follow her. anyways my patient ended up being transferred out. after that i just helped the floor and the cnas with anything they needed. i just avoided that one nurse the rest of the shift. that's why i originally posted this post wad to get advice on how to handle this situation more appropriately if this ever happens again. i just didn't like how you guys disregarded my knowledge on how she felt towards students when i can clearly see she dislikes them.
    since your purpose in posting was to get advice on how to handle the situation more appopriately if it ever happens again, you've gotten some decent advice.

    talk to the preceptor and clarify your learning needs and your goals and objectives for the shift.
    clarify what you can do independently, what you need help with and what you're not allowed to do at all.
    ask to participate if anything interesting or exciting is going on.
    ask how you can help out the preceptor.
    do not assume that you know for a fact that the nurse "just doesn't like having students" because you think you can clearly see that she dislikes them. talk to her about it. perhaps her father just got diagnosed with cancer, her roof was squashed by a tree, her dog died or her son got arrested . . . maybe she has other things going on in her life that she's thinking about rather than you and your needs.

    if you had a patient that didn't seem to want to converse with you, barely said ten words all day and answered your questions with a monosyllable, i'd hope you wouldn't just avoid her all day. hopefully, you'd investigate further to see what was going on. was she in pain? withdrawn because she had other issues? missing her family who lives too far away to visit? i can tell by your post that you think the preceptor "owes you" . . . but perhaps you owe your preceptor something, too. at least talk to her before you dismiss her and avoid her for the rest of the day.
    kids, wooh, Aurora77, and 2 others like this.
  12. Mar 11, '12 by
    Quote from ruby vee

    if you had a patient that didn't seem to want to converse with you, barely said ten words all day and answered your questions with a monosyllable, i'd hope you wouldn't just avoid her all day. hopefully, you'd investigate further to see what was going on. was she in pain? withdrawn because she had other issues? missing her family who lives too far away to visit? i can tell by your post that you think the preceptor "owes you" . . . but perhaps you owe your preceptor something, too. at least talk to her before you dismiss her and avoid her for the rest of the day.
    it wasn't the patient. it was the nurse that didn't want to converse with her.

    reading comprehension for the win.