bad day at clinical- feedback from RNs/CNAs/Nursing Students Welcome

Haunted · Apr 7, 2005

You sound like a very, VERY caring and conscientious soon to be nurse. PAT YOURSELF on the back my dear for getting thru a very crappy day where you were expected to behave more like an unpaid laboror than a supported student.

That said, the behaviors you describe on this unit sound frantic, frustrating and rather unsafe for all concerned. If tomorrow is worse, just concentrate on covering your butt and know that you are just "getting through" and putting in your time. I am sorry it has not been more vuluable for you, except to reiterate that you will never behave that way towards students when you have the opportunity.

I am SUPER PROUD OF YOU!!!!

BETSRN · Apr 7, 2005

Hi,
I'm posting this question in "general forumn" to get feedback from RNs and CNAs as well as any other nursing students out there.
I'm due to graduate this May and just got home from clinical on a med-surg/w. monitored beds floor- that left me so frustrated and angry.
I am very nervous about graduating and doing this thing for real. I feel like I've gotten a good education (ADN program)- but there is so, so much I don't know. I think a lot of it will come w. experience. I'm slow w. assessments in part because I don't know what I'm looking/listening for (the difference between "yellow" sclera and "bloody"- no check box for simply "off colored". I listen to someone's lungs and I don't know if it's rhonchi or "wheezes" or what the heck. There's something there, but untill I listen to lots and lots of lungs I'm not going to get it right away.
I'm still learning drugs and I.V.s and how to read Dr.s handwriting on charts- etc.
I have a lot to learn and I am slow doing what I know at the moment, but what really frustrated me today was the fact I (and fellow students) were expected to be CNAs and general "go-fers" (not just for our assigned patients- but for whoever called out- at least it felt that way was as all CNAs AND RNs seemed to disappear from whatever pod nursing students were located in).
When an RN or CNA DID appear it seemed they did so only long enough to give one of us more instruction (the patient in room x had a bowel movement).
I have no problem with poop OR work- but I have got stuff I've got to LEARN! And I'm not there yet!
I had two monitored patients- I did not once get to focus on their strips. I didn't get to look for new dr.'s orders. I was running flat out and ended up leaving 1 1/2 hours after I was supposed to and I didn't feel I did my "job" or any job the way it was supposed to be done (I was a lousy nurse AND a lousy CNA- and an even lousier student.
It makes it hard that we have to run down nurses to get the o.k. on important stuff (we can't get stuff out of the pixus. if the pt.'s BP is too low and she's due for BP meds- I've got to hunt down and then run this past the RN. Which requires waiting until she finishes her little gossip chat with the CNA who told me to be sure to get towels and sheets for HER patient).
It is really not clear to me the degree of my/or fellow nursing student's responsibility. And no one seems to want to get together and clarify. I did once see something written that said hospitals were NOT to schedule less staff when students came in. I don't know if CNAs know this- I'm pretty sure the RNs do- so I'm almost more angry w. them, because they know better.
When I tried to leave today I went to find my nurse to give report and she had gone to lunch (without telling me- but then should she have? I certainly tell the RNs if I'm going to take a break).
The nurse who was covering her patients (and who's patients I had helped to cover when she went to lunch) tried to tell me she wouldn't take report from me because she "didn't know those patients very well".
I do not like feeling played. O.K.- you can play me a little bit, just so I know I've payed my dues.
Basically, I'm mad and I have to go in there tomarrow and I'm afraid I'm going to say something and it will become an issue that I really don't want to deal w. one month before I gradute.
If you made it down here- thanks.
Any insight would be much appreciated

Always chart JUST what you see or hear. Forget ronchi and rales. Just describe what you hear. Just describe what you see. You are NOT there to be a CNA. You are there to learn how to care for your assigned patients.

If you are having difficulty with your assignment, I would assume that all your student group is in the same boat. You need to discuss this with your instructor. Where is she during all of this? It is really her responsibility to be running interference for you students.

You need to pull your entire clinical group together BEFORE you go on the floor and present this entire situatuion to your instructor. This is NOt a good situation.

ICWonderland · Apr 7, 2005

You sound like a very, VERY caring and conscientious soon to be nurse. PAT YOURSELF on the back my dear for getting thru a very crappy day where you were expected to behave more like an unpaid laboror than a supported student.
That said, the behaviors you describe on this unit sound frantic, frustrating and rather unsafe for all concerned. If tomorrow is worse, just concentrate on covering your butt and know that you are just "getting through" and putting in your time. I am sorry it has not been more vuluable for you, except to reiterate that you will never behave that way towards students when you have the opportunity.
I am SUPER PROUD OF YOU!!!!

thank you- now I'm embarrassed for the rant.

I have had wonderful people RNs and CNAs help me/ teach me. There is nothing to take the place of experience. And I have been amazed by their patience. I don't know how one works such a challenging job and also takes on the job of supervising/training others.

The problems I've seen always seem to happen on floors that are understaffed. People are angry and unhappy & don't feel respected. If I were in a position to change this I would love for their to be more communication with RN/CNA/Students.

I would like to say to CNAs - I was one years ago, it's the hardest job ever and I remember feeling like the RNs were not interested in what I was doing UNTIL I got to nursing school and then I had a better understanding of what they were doing.

I know how nursing students must appear- "know it alls" or in someways "privilaged"- there is something about education or "only" have the responsibility/luxury of learning.

I wish I could tell them I am a single mom, I have two small children who have lived the past two years in front of the t.v. while I tried to get through school.

I used to drive to a grocery store outside of my neighborhood to use my food stamps- but w. school and clinicals I don't have the time. Now I smile at the mother of a kid in my kids class while I buy horrible, cheap "convience" junk food for my kids, with food stamps.

I have papers and projects- I have to finish my "therapeutic communication analysis".

I would much prefer to be listening to lungs and getting those sounds right- but I have responsibilities to my instructors and my program.

wah! poor me.

tomarrow I'm going to go in and suggest I work as a "floater". I'm going to put it to the instructor that I do not have that much experience with bathing/feeding patients (it's been a long time)- and if I just do that (I can be like the CNA to the other nursing students) then I won't feel so freaked out about patients being assigned to me (or other students) not getting the care they need.

ok- now I'm really going to stop