Awful Clinical Experience

[caligurl1]

Hi,

This morning was my last mental health clinical (thank goodness). My partner and I walked onto our unit and did not see any staff because they were in the morning report. We saw an agitated patient, kicking her legs up and mumbling to herself. My partner and I walked around her, giving her space. Once we passed her, she turned to follow us and spit on me. Her spit landed in my hair and in my mouth. I was disgusted. I immediately went to the bathroom, then told 2 staff members (literally 10 minutes after she spat). I asked for mouthwash. They stated "she spits all the time and we do not have mouthwash." I told my clinical instructor, who sought help from the unit manager. They tested her for Hep B and C and HIV. The staff made it seem like it was my fault! I was so upset and tried to keep my composure. They told me I should of yelled for the staff (which they would not of heard me) and that I should of washed my hair off in the infectious control sink (which we were never shown where that was). The director of nursing told me I have to "be more careful." The staff was awful and rude.

I am not sure what to do at this point. I emailed my instructor. I want to contact the head of the nursing dept or the manager to let them know their staff handled this situation poorly. I feel since I am paying for this clinical experience, I should get the best out of it. But I also want to protect myself and not have this situation influence any future experiences at school. I am getting so tired of being treated like dirt at clinicals.

Any advice?

[aussiemom]

First of all, I am very sorry you had such a negative experience in an area in which many people are uncomfortable. Now, here's a bit of insight into their world. Much of it is not that different from ER experience (where I had to hold a combative person down for what felt like an hour on my "observation day" so they could start an IV and draw labs) I'll bet if you ask the staff who work there, they've been spit on, kicked, bitten, head-butted, and worse. They see two students who know next to nothing about those patients, while they are with them day in and day out. Of course they know the signals that the person is going to have a "behavior"- and can stand clear. But I guarantee you, before they got to that point, they were probably spit on as well. Sort of a twisted initiation.

There are actions you can take. I am surprised your CI didn't take stronger actions while (s)he was there with you, but they act as liaisons between the students and the site. However, you can go to your dean and report this matter. I agree that telling their DON might be a good move, but their attitude does travel through the ranks. If they don't care...you can see where their staff pick up the attitude. You can write it in your site evaluation, and hopefully conditions will improve for next year's students. I know that isn't much recourse for you personally, but at least you're helping to change conditions for your colleagues.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

Really? I've worked at several teaching hospitals- the traditional definition of that is they have a Residency and/or Fellowship programs for doctors. I imagine some have integrated nursing schools into a program, but those that don't are still teaching hospitals.

The hospitals I've been rotated through for clinicals have all been teaching hospitals, and they have students from all stripes of the allied health fields in the hospital, the vast majority of which are from institutions that are not a part of the hospital. My current clinical site specifically includes nursing students in the "this is a teaching institution so other people may be in the room for your procedure" section on the consent forms. My experience may be biased in that I'm in a major metropolitan area with a high concentration of allied health students, but my understanding remains that teaching hospitals are not just for instructing residents.