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!
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Experience on this board tells me if there is a fraction of friction to be found, there are those who will find it. OMG indeed.
I think you are indeed being short changed in what you are being exposed to and I think it would be frustrating and worrisome. I hope you are able to find a good internship and a patient preceptor after graduation. I wish you the best of luck.
OP, if you had not obtained some resolution I would be suggesting checking state statute. There are req. of clinical hours in ea area, I believe.....good luck. At least YOU know and can admit what you don't know!
evry person that u trained with is showing you something that u need to know because as a nurse u will have to do all of those duties- i personally think that anyone who is considering becoming a nurse should be made to work as a cna for 3 to 6 mths before being able to begin the semester of nursing school; i can tell you that if u r feeling that way right now, u should go ahead and change your major. good luck to u !!
yet another person who is completely missing the point...
experience on this board tells me if there is a fraction of friction to be found, there are those who will find it. omg indeed.
i think you are indeed being short changed in what you are being exposed to and i think it would be frustrating and worrisome. i hope you are able to find a good internship and a patient preceptor after graduation. i wish you the best of luck.
dang, isn't that the truth? anything, and i do mean anything can turn into a ridiculous argument here.
Welcome to the wonderful world of primary nursing care or bedside nursing. You as a new nurse should be provided a preceptor who you will follow depending on your facilities policy. Primarily your duties will include taking vital signs, changing linens, administering medications and if lucky start ivs', drop an ngt, place a foley or change dressings, but most definitely changing soiled diapers. If your lucky you may have a CNA but not for all your patients. Be patient do your duties, don't gripe or complain but show that you are a team player. with experience comes more responsibilties and duties which brings many rewards. Nursing isn't for everyone and if you are becomming a nurse for the money you are in the wrong buisness.:)
Welcome to the wonderful world of primary nursing care or bedside nursing. You as a new nurse should be provided a preceptor who you will follow depending on your facilities policy. Primarily your duties will include taking vital signs, changing linens, administering medications and if lucky start ivs', drop an ngt, place a foley or change dressings, but most definitely changing soiled diapers.
The OP is in nursing school, but when she does become a nurse, there is more to her orientation than what you are describing. Or, at least there should be. Most orientees handle everything for a full patient load by halfway through orientation, and the preceptor is following us and giving verbal guidance.
What you are describing is what nursing school clinicals should be, and the OP is upset (rightfully so) that her clinical experiences are not as you described.
with experience comes more responsibilties and duties which brings many rewards.
As soon as a new nurse is off orientation, she has all the responsibilities and duties that any other nurse would have for her patients.
evry person that u trained with is showing you something that u need to know because as a nurse u will have to do all of those duties- i personally think that anyone who is considering becoming a nurse should be made to work as a cna for 3 to 6 mths before being able to begin the semester of nursing school; i can tell you that if u r feeling that way right now, u should go ahead and change your major. Good Luck to u !!
A little off-topic, but...
I see a lot of people saying that nursing students should work as CNAs prior to nursing school. I'm on the fence about it, but I do know this. One of the CNAs I work with who is also going to nursing school doesn't have the slightest idea what being an RN is like, as evidenced by the eye-rolls and huff-n-puff when asked to do something. She apparently thinks that the RN is being lazy. When that happens, I think to myself, "You just wait. You'll see."
The eye rolls and huff-n-puff when asked to do something is a sure sign of immaturity. Doubt this person is too interested in expanding their viewpoint about RN responsibilities, even though they are in nursing school.
I understand what you are saying, and that SUCKS! I am in my first semester junior year I have passed meds, changed dressings, given g-tube meds, trach suction and trach care, and also followed CNAs and learned all the basic stuff as well. I would definitely feel cheated out of the money you've spent and the experiences you are missing! I am sorry that happened to you, but I'm sure you will be a great nurse despite this.
So now she's saying LPNs are retards? Sounds like someone is rather defensive without cause.
And by the way? We are EXPRESSING our OPINIONS of our crappy clinicals on a PUBLIC forum.
YES DEFENSIVE of cna's & nurses LPN's in particular why? because of the work they do. Everyone called nurse went to pass the board exam. Got it on the first attempt ( speaking for myself here) . Therefore even on a public forum it will be appreciated that expressing opinions be done mindfully minimizing any words , statement that could be perceived to be condescending . i.e " I BSN student shadowing LPN " " OMG all they "lpn " do is pass meds to the resident 98% of time " meaning what ? they could be doing some other better things or important than helping residents take their 17 meds a day ????? anyway i noticed this was corrected with the new update giving more respect and realizing the hard work LPN do . There is no point going back and forth on this subject , at this point everyone spoke their mind .
By the way ! EVERYONE is here EXPRESSING their OPINIONS on a PUBLIC forum.
yes defensive of cna's & nurses lpn's in particular why? because of the work they do. everyone called nurse went to pass the board exam. got it on the first attempt ( speaking for myself here) . therefore even on a public forum it will be appreciated that expressing opinions be done mindfully minimizing any words , statement that could be perceived to be condescending . i.e " i bsn student shadowing lpn " " omg all they "lpn " do is pass meds to the resident 98% of time " meaning what ? they could be doing some other better things or important than helping residents take their 17 meds a day ????? anyway i noticed this was corrected with the new update giving more respect and realizing the hard work lpn do . there is no point going back and forth on this subject , at this point everyone spoke their mind .
by the way ! everyone is here expressing their opinions on a public forum.
thank you captain obvious, that's exactly what i said.
anyway, the bottom line here is that you have missed the point of the original post and you continue to miss the point. the end.
I see a lot of people saying that nursing students should work as CNAs prior to nursing school. I'm on the fence about it, but I do know this. One of the CNAs I work with who is also going to nursing school doesn't have the slightest idea what being an RN is like, as evidenced by the eye-rolls and huff-n-puff when asked to do something. She apparently thinks that the RN is being lazy. When that happens, I think to myself, "You just wait. You'll see."
I am for both your opinion and lilmarcha's below here to whom you replied . 1st -Why on her side ? because some nurses those who tend to look down on cna's ( Yes we know they exist) so these nurses who like to rub their title in ppl faces and carry themselves with their nose high above their ears ... yet when faced with an opportunity to do a task usually performed by cna the nurse goes uuh.....So lilmacha's point may be that learning and knowing the job in this field starting form bottom up may be best because you know and make sense of what you are doing. i felt on specific occasions that working as cna for just a brief time before becoming a Nurse could have benefit me more with regard to ADLs for residents .I was clueless for the most part on task i had to delegate for cna's .It was not a good thing or feeling for me being in a leadership position yet i was struggling to make sense of simple task when a question is asked & i couldn't answer i.e using the lift for transfert . I got all the test question right in school about when or why lift is to be used but never seen it being done so until i was Nurse in charge helping a new Cna in orientation who is calling me for help because she does not know how to operate the lift was challenging . i found myself :confused:finally i had to call for a rescue from other cna and decided to come in the room to learn along with the new girl and after ....each time a lift was used i will ask cna's to let me try the machine so i could know too lol....
another i.e will be diaper change ,i didn't have to do but did not like a resident waiting either if i happen to be in the room or around when the pt did their bathroom. i will grab any cna going down the hall no matter if she was assigned or not to this specific pt and we will change . But i come to realize once again the many things ( positions, technique ) i didn't know when doing this task. SO relying on cna help for simple stuff i could have known if i had been one before is one reason why i agree to such comment working step by step as Cna -Lpn -Rn -Bsn and going further is the best way actually had some experienced Nurses and Dr told me the same .
Now i also agree with you because time and time over the cna's in team on a particualr shift often time told me they wish they could be me so they could be seated and JUST charting . Just charting ???? i would ask and say work your way up and wait until you get here to deal with all the critical thinking & accountability that goes with this huh!!!!:rolleyes: As matter of fact i wanted to be them every now and than & be able to clock out 5 min before the shift end but no i found myself staying regularly if less time it was 1hr delay to complete charting, incident reports and pharmacy orders .
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:confused:finally i had to call for a rescue from other cna and decided to come in the room to learn along with the new girl and after ....each time a lift was used i will ask cna's to let me try the machine so i could know too lol....
:rolleyes: As matter of fact i wanted to be them every now and than & be able to clock out 5 min before the shift end but no i found myself staying regularly if less time it was 1hr delay to complete charting, incident reports and pharmacy orders .
Nurse SMS, MSN, RN
6,843 Posts
Experience on this board tells me if there is a fraction of friction to be found, there are those who will find it. OMG indeed.
I think you are indeed being short changed in what you are being exposed to and I think it would be frustrating and worrisome. I hope you are able to find a good internship and a patient preceptor after graduation. I wish you the best of luck.