I need some honest opinions from people outside my circle, as all of my fellow students share my same opinion and all the faculty blow sunshine up my you know what, when I even hint that the situation isn't right. So here is the deal...
Me: Adult senior student in BSN program at local university
Preceived problem/issue: Clinical assignments
History:
Fall semester junior year - 10 wks clinical mostly focused on CNA duties w/some assessment
Spring semester junior year- 7 wks med/surg where I passed meds 3 times, then 7 wks mental health where I observed patients (not shadowing nurses) in different settings (eating disorders, adolescence, geriatrics, etc)
Fall semester 2011 -
14 wks med/surg at a nursing home, where I (a BSN student) shadow an LPN whose primary duties is to administer medications to 30-45 patients in their 8 hours shift.
*LPN's, please don't be offended or turn this thread into an arguement of LPN's vs BSN"s. I fully appreciate that I can learn a lot from an LPN and these people bust their A** all day, every day. My issue is that my university placed me in a clinical situation where I am shadowing a nurse who 98 % of the time is handing out PO meds to long term residents, who are primarily stable (because they take 17 meds 3 times a day...OMG).
Community clinical-public health nursing- 7 wks at a local health dept whose budget has been desimated, so we spend our time watching CD's, observing employees in the Lead Poisoning program, or shadowing health inspectors. One was lucky enough to do an at home visit w/an actual nurse meeting w/an at risk mother.
My feelings- I am ANGRY. My primary complaint is that I feel like I am paying a ton of money to learn how to do everyone elses job. My mental health clinical taught me the job of behavioral health specialist (the counselors), my current med/surg clinical is teaching me what it is like to be a full-time CNA (as when I am done assessing and medicating my patient I answer call lights all day, as there are never enough CNA's to help the residents and my community clinical, where I am learning the jobs of health inspector and other misc health dept personnel.
The final thing I will say is I appreciate that all of these people are part of the health care team and I need to have an understanding of what they do, but I have a finite amount of time to learn NURSING, and it feels like I am learning anything but. While I think every student nurse would do well to be exposed to a nursing home setting, I am spending the greatest chunk of my clinical experience there, while my classmates in other clinical groups are one on one w/ICU nurses, in IV clinics, and in hospitals with acute patients, experiencing hospital nursing.
Am I wrong? Should I believe my instructors who give me the party line of "it's a good opportunity to learn____" fill in the blank. I feel like the clinical portion of this nursing program is substandard and I keep getting sunshine in an attempt to deflect the fact that I am in fact right. Please tell me what you think, as I am about to lose it!
Awful waste of your time and your money. You have had such poor education and training that I would hate to have you as my nurse. Since when did watching DVD's become education. Good luck on the NCLEX, you are going to need it. This is so sad on so many levels.
Well nurseclm if you are speaking to me (the original poster of this thread) I will agree that some of my time and a lot of my money were wasted, however I believe it is a mistake to be so quick to dismiss the abilities of anyone in my situation, as quality clinical time doesn't automatically produce a caring, competent nurse. And while I have complained about the quality of my training, i.e. my clinical assignments, I have yet to bemoan my didactic experience, so your opinion that my education has been poor would be an assumption on your part (again, only if you are speaking to me). I don't recall saying I watched DVD's as part of my educational experience, and as far as my needing your luck on the NCLEX exam, I don't think that will be necessary as I am an above average student and the universities NCLEX pass rate hasn't dipped below 98% in the past five years. Thank you for your kind words none the less!
Well nurseclm if you are speaking to me (the original poster of this thread) I will agree that some of my time and a lot of my money were wasted however I believe it is a mistake to be so quick to dismiss the abilities of anyone in my situation, as quality clinical time doesn't automatically produce a caring, competent nurse. And while I have complained about the quality of my training, i.e. my clinical assignments, I have yet to bemoan my didactic experience, so your opinion that my education has been poor would be an assumption on your part (again, only if you are speaking to me). I don't recall saying I watched DVD's as part of my educational experience, and as far as my needing your luck on the NCLEX exam, I don't think that will be necessary as I am an above average student and the universities NCLEX pass rate hasn't dipped below 98% in the past five years. Thank you for your kind words none the less![/quote']
Hang in there, kiddo. You are almost done. With an NCLEX pass rate that high, don't worry about clinicals any more than you have to! I am counting down my time, too.....
Sorry I pushed the wrong button on this. I never said you were a poor nurse, just having a poor education. Guess I was too quick to judge. Thought you wanted my opinion as you were the one who said something was wrong. Just agreeing with you about this, not saying about you the person or you the nurse. At my age I know how to say I am sorry, and again, never meant to offend you in any way. Sorry I upset you so. Best wishes for you for a successful career.
Well nurseclm if you are speaking to me (the original poster of this thread) I will agree that some of my time and a lot of my money were wasted however I believe it is a mistake to be so quick to dismiss the abilities of anyone in my situation, as quality clinical time doesn't automatically produce a caring, competent nurse. And while I have complained about the quality of my training, i.e. my clinical assignments, I have yet to bemoan my didactic experience, so your opinion that my education has been poor would be an assumption on your part (again, only if you are speaking to me). I don't recall saying I watched DVD's as part of my educational experience, and as far as my needing your luck on the NCLEX exam, I don't think that will be necessary as I am an above average student and the universities NCLEX pass rate hasn't dipped below 98% in the past five years. Thank you for your kind words none the less![/quote']
I hope you got something out of this long winded thread. Regardless of what will have you'll graduate get your license and get you'll get your experience by heck or highwater and we will all be here on allnurses when you need some advice.
Honestly, the first time I read your post I almost thought you were responding to a different thread, because it didn't seem to connect w/the main topic of this thread-my crapy clinical assignments. Additionally, it came off as somewhat nasty, which is why I replied in the manner I did. I however could have taken a deep breathe and given you a little bit of grace; I apologize for reacting in such a forceful manner. 99% of people who have responded have been great, but unfortunately there are just a couple of people out there who have gone out of their way to be nasty, and I believe that, when appropriate, people should be called out for their unacceptable behavior. I appreciate your apology and I hope you will accept mine. Best to you.
Awful waste of your time and your money. You have had such poor education and training that I would hate to have you as my nurse. Since when did watching DVD's become education. Good luck on the NCLEX, you are going to need it. This is so sad on so many levels.
Yep. I saw this in nursing school the most. Everybody ripping each other apart and jumping down their throats with every comment the common refrain being "What kind of nurse are YOU going to be or I'd hate to have you as my nurse" Nasty Nasty Nasty. It's like people think there is a job for ONE nurse only and they want to be that one.
I think is what it all boils now to is more and more the schools are transferring the responsibility of learning to the student and the employers who then have to orientate them. Of course as we now know the employers are pushing back leaving the burden entirely on the student.
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nurseclm
63 Posts
Awful waste of your time and your money. You have had such poor education and training that I would hate to have you as my nurse. Since when did watching DVD's become education. Good luck on the NCLEX, you are going to need it. This is so sad on so many levels.