Advice to Students: say "thank you"

[HeartsOpenWide]

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.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Yeah manners have really gone down the drain it seems. It's amazing to see the reactions of people when I hold the door or let the car come out in front of me. It's a sad day when people start getting surprised when you SHOW common courtesy's or manners.

[plastic_cow28]

Good advice! I start my clinicals on Thursday and I've been scared that I'll annoy someone, but you're right, gratitude and a good attitude can go a long way. :)

[JulesRN10]

i love this thread! as a student nurse, we were expected to say thank you, it was just the way we were taught in our program, but as a working nurse, it is amazing how far a thank you goes. i love not only hearing thank you from the student nurses that i work with, but also thanking them for all of their hard work. i know that a lot of them go above and beyond what is expected of them routinely, but being in a small town, everyone knows or is related to everyone, so it really is a family affair. i'm also a float nurse, and it is so appreciated when the floor i am floated to expresses their gratitude for my help in a day...and i am always thanking them for helping me--i learn something everywhere i go. so, for the dying art of thank you, we are doing our part...another reason to make me proud to say "i'm a nurse!"

[ICAN!]

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.

My thoughts exactly Tracy! This is a good reminder.

[dede1956]

Thank you's work both ways. Yes, the student should thank the nurse before they leave the floor, and the nurse should also say thank you to the student. :yeah:I have had students pick up serious changes in their pts and notified the primary nurse about those changes that have prevented more ominous situations. I also thank the nurses, as the instructor, as we leave the floor.

[rockenmomRN]

Recently I had a student write me a "thank you" card. That is whats called networking at its finest. You bet I'll remember her when she graduates and needs refrences as to her clinical experiences. Lesson: don't just say thank you...write it, it lasts longer. BTW, the card went into my personnel file so she did me a favor as well as helped her odds later down the road.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

In my previous job, I made it a point every day to go to the desk of each person under my supervision, to welcome them to work and to thank them for coming. I would spend just a minute or 3, asking about their family/how they were doing/whatever was going on in their lives. It wasn't a great time sink, but it was one of my most valuable tools.

If a meeting or something prevented me from doing this, my email would be inundated by my staff, wanting to know what was wrong, why had I not come by?

The point is, they appreciated that I acknowledged their presence at work, and when that acknowledgment wasn't forthcoming, it was missed. I was well aware that the people under my supervision had a choice whether to come work for me. It was a barely-above-minimum-wage job, and they could have found a dozen more like it. I appreciated the fact that they chose to continue to work for me, and to do excellent work while there.

I am a big fan of MBWA (Management By Walking Around). People appreciate being appreciated.

[shescoolie]

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

:yeahthat:i totally agree. isn't is second nature to say thank you when anyone has shown any act of kindness towards you? shame on those students and nurses who need to be reminded.

[mom25]

I agree, I always say thank you after the end of my shift. I also make sure that I thank the CNA's for all their wisdom during the day. It is important to remember that respect is important and really makes people feel better!

[Sarah Hay]

thank you. [=

[Hopeful3]

What a wonderful post and I learned a lot from the responses.

I am just starting out (34 years old, and 3 kiddos) and I am so nervous. I need all the advice I can get.

Thanks again!

Robin

[BonesCo]

Each thank the other and then thank our higher power for BEING the nurse and Not the patient today. Case closed, Thank you!