Best and worst part of being a nursing student?

NatsFan15 · Jun 14, 2009

I am just finishing my first round of courses so I'm REALLY new to all this. Right now however I would say the worst parts would be the adjustment to coursework like you've never seen before and the lack of sleep and frustration that comes with it. The best part is the new bonds you'll make with your classmates suffering right alongside you and each and every one of the moments when you've mastered a new concept or skill.

One thing I did to prepare for this journey was I went to the graduation of the most recent class of graduate nurses at our school. I can now really visualize myself going across that stage and that really helps when things feel impossible for me to grasp.

Marijane · Jun 14, 2009

What a great question. I can tell you are a very caring instructor. I can remember the qualities of the person that made her my favorite instructor. She still remembers what it feels like to be a nursing student, the stress and late night studying. She gave real life tips to being a good nurse. To be a good nurse you have to take care of yourself first, always take your breaks when you need it. She was not afraid to tell her stories of when she was a nursing student and new nurse and all the mistakes she made. She said do not give up but learn from your mistakes. Even though nursing school is hard and demanding, there are plenty of students that have made it through and are now successful nurses. She told us she was always available if we needed any help and gave us her cell phone number. She was voted by the May graduating class to pin the nursing pin on the students. Even though I just graduated in May, I will definitely keep in touch with her.

TweedleDee · Jun 14, 2009

Great question..wish any of my instructors would have asked this. There is the obvious like time management with the demands of reading, studying, etc. In the very first semester I remember my instructor talking in nursing lingo that I didn't understand. She referred to giving "report" and I, as well as just about everybody else, really didn't understand what she was talking about. Of course that all changed once we got into clinical. Don't assume new nursing students understand the nursing terms/lingo. I had an amazing instructor my third semester who, much to my dismay at the beginning, would include 5 calculation questions on every test. Well wouldn't you know it I became proficient at med calculations and as I study for the NCLEX I thank Ms. K every time a calc question comes up. Explain how to do a calculation question to your students..they will be forever grateful to you for it. A required calculation workbook is no substitution for actually being taught how to do them. Please don't tell me the NCLEX book is wrong just because you need to be right. When choosing NCLEX questions for your tests, use tried and true questions with understandable/explainable rationales. This is where a lot of learning takes place. Even if I get the question wrong, I need you to be able to explain "what I needed to be thinking as a nurse" to have answered the question correctly. The answer "because I say its right" does not help me grow into my role as a nurse. If you don't know the answer to a question I may ask in class, please admit that you don't know. I will respect you more for that, than a load of BS. Case studies done as class helped me to connect the dots. Teach me about all the disease processes and pathos associated with them that you want, but if you don't tell me what I need to do as a nurse with a pt. with a particular disease, it will be really hard for me to pull it all together, hence the case studies.

I think your going to be a wonderful, appreciated instructor simply because you cared enough to ask how to make a difference. I wish you the best of luck.

CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jun 14, 2009

As an instructor, I am interested in means of reducing student stress and assisting with succes. Obviously, much of this is the student's responsibility (ex- things such as time management, diet and exercise, etc) but I am looking for areas in which I can be of assistance to new students. From the perspective of your first two semesters as a student, what was the best and worst part? What are your concrete suggestions for programs, assistance, or even just reassuring words that would have helped you during this time frame? What can your instructors do outside the obvious of teaching with enthusiasm and compassion would have helped you in your journey?

Thinking back to the first couple quarters of my accelerated BSN program, main gripes/concerns seemed to be:

- Communication - if there is a scheduling change for clinicals, or a content change to tests/written assignments, give as much advance notice to your students as possible

- Reassure the students (again, for clinicals) - you will be scared....that's OK. I do not expect you to know everything, or how to do it perfectly at this point in your nursing education. You will get through this - I'm here to help you.

- Offer guidance as to how to best "boil down" the large amount of info presented in classes to pick out the main points. This is mainly important on tests/quizzes. This does not mean to tell the students exactly what will be on the test, but try to help them in learning to skim material to understand what the main points are.

- Some profs offered "study guides". These were typically a set of questions that the student was to research (from textbook & other resources) on their own in preparation for a test. It helps students learn the key points in a chapter - sort of "focused studying."

- WORK with your students so they understand how to read NCLEX-style questions, if they're used on tests in your program. For a person just used to "pump & dump" cram & regurgitate style tests from prereq courses, the first NCLEX style test can be a shocker.

Thank you for asking how to improve the educational process your future students! :bow:

rachelgeorgina · Jun 14, 2009

Don't let your nurses-to-be become isolated. I think that lack of 'team spirit' (for lack of a better phrase) is much of the cause of some of the interpersonal issues across the board (in the clinical setting and the educational setting). Nurture them as a group, as well as fostering their individuality.

notthereyet0 · Jun 14, 2009

Wow, I am impressed with your desire to really reach your students. I am a teacher going back for my BSN and would love to have someone who desires to nurture her/his students like you!! We have power points that our school gives us for our content and the instructor will read them, adding extra content to fill in the cracks. The narration is really boring and unmotivating. The case studies and NCLEX practice questions we do at the end of class sometimes hit the material more than listening to the drone, but this only works when the students have preread and are on top of the content. Another method that I appreciate that one of my instructors does is not quibble over test questions taking up class time. If someone has a beef with one of them, they can fill out a form, citing a source they can prove their answer with, and submit it to her for consideration. So much time is wasted sometimes in a 6-7 week class.

cursedandblessed · Jun 14, 2009

after year one is over, here's my list for you:

1. the greatest thing before a test: our instructors show some short seriously stupid youtube video's. our cardio instructor showed up the pump, pump, a pumps your blood from happy days. it loosens up stress. a box of tissues in the room that you can give one to the student who invariably has sneezes during the test, and if you don't allow students to bring their own a basket of mints or cough drops, to prevent that coughing and hacking through the test. (this way you know they're not cheating since you supplied it)

2. we have a nursing resource center supplied from a grant from duke. our instructors have reviews before the tests there, study skill workshops, tons of extra study guides, computers, a fridge. a nice place to eat lunch. peer tutoring/counseling (i'm the one who is available for those with problems with abusive husbands, or alcoholic husbands/spouses-first one was a wife beater, second one is now a sober alcoholic-i can't solve their problems but i have been there)

3. interactive learning: my maternity instructor, got someone to lie on table stuck a doll underneath her shirt, and showed us how to do leopold's. for the cervix thinning, she gave us all lifesaver's and had us suck on them and then stick our tongue through the thinning hole in the middle. we've had who want's to be a nurse and make $22/hour (think who wants to be a millionare) games with the winner getting a drug book, reviews and rationales or something else when we have some nclex questions at the end of the lecture for the last 10 minutes. the i-clicker for nclex questions at the end of each lecture.

4. playing the video "legs" and watching the instructors doing the rockettes kick before the discussion on dvt's.

5. instructor's who remember that we all don't learn at the same pace and the same way. i'm one who can be showed once, then if you talk me through it while i do it the next time, i will 99% of the time always remember it. -- my worst instructor expected me to remember how to insert an ng tube after doing it once on a mannequin 6 months ago, she did things like this to everyone. she cut her eyes at us all the time, threatened to fail all of us daily, told us we were stupid and threatened to quit if we told anyone, and said if she did quit we'd all end up failing.

6. instructors who know when to be understanding. when my hubby had a wreck the night before a test i emailed my instructor immediately, she was kind, understanding, and gave me two options besides a 0 on the test. when i phoned them, as i was stuck on the interstate even though i'd left an hour before class for my 20 minute commute, and it was ten til class started, they said they'd leave the door unlocked, and thanked me for calling as they didn't know about the wreck.

7. the best things a nursing instructor can do is expect our best, and remember what it was like when they went through nursing school. being understanding and caring, but keeping a professional distance. always treating all students equally until they prove themselves to either be slackers or the ones who really try hard.

8. and please don't let the slackers get away with being unprepared for clinical, showing up late all the time, and giving them special treatment, those of us who worked our tushes off making drug cards for our 20 prescribed & prn meds , did our care plans managed to get up get a shower at 4 am and then drive the hour to the hospital to get there by 6:30 so we could check for new orders and be ready for report, really resent it even if we don't ever say anything.

LiveZen · Jun 15, 2009

Great question!

I just graduated (BSN) yesterday!

Some thoughts for you:

Be approachable! The teachers I enjoyed the most and learned the most from were open to talking to students after class and answering questions.

Be on time. The teachers that showed up consistently late for class or took well over a week to answer emails (or just never did answer them!) frustrated many a student in my class.

Be upfront with your expectations. One teacher introduced mandatory case study questions week 5 (out of a 10 week course) without mentioning them at all up until that point. On week 6, Another teacher was still trying to decide which day of finals week (maybe wed afternoon, maybe friday evening, maybe something else) she would give our final exam!

Be creative Just the other day, my classmates and I were reminiscing back to last year when our med-surg teacher passed around a urinal full of apple juice with cups and a bedpan full of hershey's kisses (clean, of course!) as she introduced the syllabus- what a fun way to help nervious students have a laugh and relax! Another teacher insisted that we must have candy before each exam and brought a delightful assortment of fun size candy bars, mints, etc. My OB prof made a cervix hat out of paper plate and pretended to be the fetus in different presentations/lies/etc.

CuriousMe · Jun 15, 2009

Great post OP.

I do need to disagree with some of the posts though....just goes to show you that different folks have different learning styles. I HATE doing case studies in class. I'd much rather have a lecture on the material, I just learn more in the structure of a lecture. Make us responsible for the case study....that's fine. That way the folks who need to do it in a group can, and those of us who don't can just get it done.

I think the best thing you can do for new nursing students is to be up front with them and let them know that your goal isn't to "weed them out" but to support them as they learn to become nurses. That since they were accepted into the program, you're confident they have what it takes to be successful in the program. We hear so many stories of programs/CI's that are looking to weed out the class. It makes an already nerve wracking time, even more stressful.

Additionally, try to consolidate your syllabi. I know for one nursing class, we can have three syllabi (Theory, Lab, & Clinical)! We spent the first few weeks double-checking with each constantly. We were all paranoid that we were missing something. Having one master schedule (maybe an online calendar) could be an easy way to decrease stress.

pharmgirl · Jun 15, 2009

Some of my best moments this last year were the lectures that included the insturcotrs "real life" stories. It seemed that when they would say "I had a pt once......" I always seemed to remember the point she was trying to make.

The worst moments of this last year were tests. Some of are tests were out in left field and not what was lectured on, all book. This would have been fine had there been some discussion about it AFTER the test. Generally we would go over the answers to the test but when we would want an explanation they would claim they had no time to review, thats what the answer key said and that was it. Be flexible, there is a chance human error was made during the keying process, there is a chance that if a good majority of the class gets a question wrong, they didn't understand. Yes, that test is over but the NCLEX is yet to come and we need to learn from our mistakes. Try to "make the time" to review the tests afterward or during the next class time.

You will be a great instructor, just the fact that you are posing this question speaks about how much you care. Can you come teach at my school??????

LaughingRN · Jun 15, 2009

Wow, you must be a really thoughtful instructor to pose this question. I'm at the end of a long 4 year BsN program and I think that I can offer some thoughts. You didn't mention if you were a clinical instructor or a lecturer so I'll share some thoughts on both. These are all my personal observations, and obviously don't speak for every student.

Lecturer:

There is a huge difference between faculty who come to class with a PowerPoint presentation and simply read off the slides. I find that this always resulted in low attendance (because we can all read ourselves) and the faculty that go beyond regurgitation. If you use a PowerPoint, use anecdotal stories, fun examples, tips etc. It makes 3 hour lectures interesting to attend, and the information is more easily retained.
Try to keep class as simple and meaningful as possible. I know that some teachers like to try to spice class up by adding extra group work activities and case studies ect. I found that for the most part it, the learning from such activities were very low, and participation was not high. Most people would sit and talk and half heartedly work (if the activities did not count towards marks). I had one teacher that would make us type up case studies (2 pages) while in class, but not graded. This just created low attendence since we already had loads of assignments and it felt like punishment to go to a class that didn't have mandatory attendence, while the people who didn't go would not have the extra workload... I hope that makes sense.
Always be open. Some of my favourite instructors were upfront, honest and compassionate. They gave us information that we needed to succeed. As someone also posted, the gave us the impression that they wanted everyone to do well as oppossed to the "weeding out" mentality. They would provide all the tools, help and direction that they were able to give us (extra resources, study guides, review classes, open door policy...)

The clinical instructor:

First year nursing students are infants on the floor. This is not because they are incapable of learning, it's because there has been so much information thrown so quickly, that it is difficult to be perfect. Patience is the only thing that describes a good clinical instructor. I look back to my first clinical and laugh at myself over some of the things I struggled with. I'm sure I'll be looking back at myself an laughing for many years to come, but that first year is the hardest for students.
I know that some people will say that a strong and "cold" instructor teaches them the most, but it comes at a prices of embarrasment, low self confidence and humiliation. You can have just as strong of an impact on a student by being firm, supportive and having patience. For example, if you ask a student a question about the diagnosis of a patient and they stumble and can't answer. You can either respond by belittling or threatening the student, or you can request that they look it up before continuing care. Both methods will reach the same end, but one preserves esteem and promotes confidence.
Warn students that some nurses may not be cooperative in the learning process and that's why You are on the floor. (Some nurses are fantastic, but in reality it is not their job to teach)
Encourage questions.
Make sure you reinforce good practice with kind words. This actually means more than instructors realize. The first clinical is confusing and scary for all students.

Hope that gives you more Ideas!