Advice to Students: say "thank you"

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

I am a new nurse and not so long ago nursing student. I just have some advise for those of you that are still students. At the end of your clinical day, say "thank you" to the nurse you are working with for the day, "thank you for letting me work with you today, I appreciate it!"

Many students I have read on here with the "nasty nurses mean to student" type thread write things like "they should be nice to us, after all we are doing their work for them!" Actually, you are making work for them...although you are doing assessments and giving meds; your nurse is still responsible for her patients and still has to do assessments on all her patients (even the ones you are caring for) to ensure you, the student without a license, have done it accurately; she has to access narcotics for you; answer all your questions; ect all while she is taking care of her other patients.

I am precepting right now and I thank the nurse I work with EVERY SHIFT for allowing me to precept with her. Because although we are both RNs, I am learning a lot from her and for that I am thankful and she needs to know that.

Many students feel that the nurses should appreciate them for being on the unit "helping out" maybe the student nurses should be thanking the nurses as well. After all, students are guest in the hospital. Just a thought, maybe if you expressed graduated to your nurse she would be a little nicer next time.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

A thank you from today's student means tomorrow's student will get a warm reception.

[Sowinsis]

thank you for sharing this information concerning showing appreciation to the mentor nurse. i am really gaining so much information in this website that i feel i am going to have a really great start. i will remember to say "thank you" to the nurses each day. i hope in the process, they will want to continue to serve others as mentor nurses.

[ShantheRN, BSN, RN]

Not to mention.....when you're applying for jobs, those extra thank yous might make you stand out in the staff's mind.

I'm planning on sending thank you notes to each facility at the end of every term. It's the polite thing to do, and it can't hurt! I took a class about professionalism in health care and my teacher focused on that for a while. It makes sense. Take advantage of any advantages in the job market that you can.

[OCD_Mom]

What wonderful message to post! You are very insightful! I will be carrying this tidbit with me as well.

[BanoraWhite]

Great thread

I always make sure I say thank you to the nurses teaching me, and at the end of my clinical placement made sure I told the D.O.N that I really appreciated the facility letting us come in and practice.

When I was working as a personal carer in a nursing home teaching other personal carers it was always a bit more work having a student to teach, because you are trying to get your work done fast and also helping the student learn . Saying 'thank you' or 'is there anything you would like me to do' is very welcomed and I would always tell my boss or the students clinical teacher how courteous and willing to learn the student was. :-)

[kat von b]

great thread.....i just think it's sad that people need to be reminded to have basic manners. obviously you should be saying thank you to the rn that you were assigned to and to the techs that may have helped you out and to anyone else on staff that helped you to learn that day. thank you to the op for starting this and shedding some light on something that people may not always think about

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

I always make a point on thanking anyone that helps me regardless on the job. I used to have a manager that always made a point on thanking her staff at the end of the shift for the work everyone did and it did make a small difference and a lovely thought

[Penny.Lane]

I always found that it made a difference to my nurse for thanking them when they helped me and at the end of the shift. Also I found that Thank You cards are great for the end of the rotation. Even if I didn't feel I was welcomed very warmly, I always learn so much from my clinical rotations and my nurse makes that possible for me. :)

[Mommycakers]

I always make sure I thank the nurse as well as the patient for letting me take care of them when I say goodbye to them at the end of my clinical day.

[tracyd77, RN]

Thanks for the simple reminder. I consider myself a pretty polite and grateful person and do try to thank anyone who has helped me in any way... but I am starting my first round of clinicals in less than a month and if not reminded, I may have been so focused on all the technical things to remember that I may have forgotten the simple things like this. I'd like to think I wouldn't need this type of reminder but you never know... I'll be sure to remember now though.

[yellow_26]

Thanks. That's great advice. I'll make sure to remember it and pass it on when I start my clinicals in 3 weeks. :)