Clinical Day Horror Story !!!!

[EXOTIC NURSE]

First of all I was up till 2am doing a concept mapping of my patients medical diagnosis plus my instructor wanted 3 chapters of our workbook done and all my drug cards for my patient along with a plan of care. I got up with a bad head cold both of my nostrils were stopped up and I was breathing through my mouth. I took some Thera flu tablets (non drowsey) hoping to feel some relief before I arrived at the hospital. I got to the hospital and I could not find a place to park so I drove around and around for about 20 minutes trying to find somewhere to park........ughhhhh then I finally parked and made it to the clinical area met for pre conference and was released to do my patient care....Before I went into the conference room for pre conference I yelled out to everyone at the nurses station "Good Morning" and the nurses just stood there and looked at me as if I cursed at them or something....after I was released to do patient care...I went to the nursing station to see who my primary nurse was to get report so I said to the charge nurse on the floor...."excuse me could you please tell me who ____ is? and she yelled at me "Did you say Good MOrning!!!! I said yes I did so now could you tell me who ____ is? She threw her hands up and said somewhere!!!

I located the charge nurse after asking two other ppl who she was and I got report she told me she gave the medications already because she did not know if the students were giving meds. I just continued with my patient care and the whole time my nose was dripping and then my nose started bleeding all over my uniform. I tripped and fell in the hallway on my way to the bathroom and the charge nurse yelled out to me " You are so stupid." I just turned and looked at her and I wanted so badly to just slap her but I went to the bathroom and took off my apron that covers my uniform top and I tried to use the bathroom and my hat fell off into the toilet and yep you guessed it...it fell into the toilet after I used it..........sooooooooooo......I had one heck of a clinical day as you can seee.........geesshhhhhhhhhh

[BrandyBSN]

I agree, that comment was a bit disrespectful.

My screen name is BrandyBSN, although I will not have my BSN until May. I am a STUDENT NURSE, as well as a NURSING STUDENT. Anyone who provides care to another is a NURSE.

Webster's Dictionary defines the word "nurse"as

one that looks after, fosters, or advises, or a person who is skilled or trained in caring for the sick or infirm.

as STUDENT NURSES, we do that. No where in that definition does it specify that a test is required to fit that definition.

We are Nurses, many here are already LPNs, many are already RNs, many of us don't have a license yet, but that does not mean that we are not nurses. Please keep in mind that Florence Nightingale never passed the NCLEX, niether did Lillian Wald, or any other historical nurses. Would you claim that they were not nurses because they never took a test? How silly.

My heart goes out to all student NURSES, for it is our hearts that make us nurses, our hands that touch lives and make a difference, with, or without a passing test score.

[MRed94]

And my 2 cents:

And NOBODY is JUST a ANYTHING.........

It takes one hell of a person to go into this dastardly profession, with all its warts.......

We are all striving to do something, anything, to better a person's life, no matter how small a something it is.

Student, CNA, LPN, ADN, RN, BSN, MSN. Don't matter the designation, we are ALL nurses.

Some of them are just trolls. :)

Keep up the good work, everybody, and sooner or later the REAL torture will begin..............REAL jobs as nurses......no more school and hiding behind anything..........

You can hide IN the linen closet at your job...... :)

Marla

[jschut, BSN, RN]

Marla~

I had to smile when I read your reply... and I have to admit, I have ALREADY seen times I want to hide!

Julie:)

P.S. Do they have "linen closets" in college?

[JennieBSN]

.

[EXOTIC NURSE, RN]

I appreciate all of your support. I had a good laugh reading some of the responses and it really made my day to come here today to see the unity and support of everyone.....WOW.....and by the way to KELLY:: I am a nurse I have successfully passed my state boards and I practice as a nurse at a hospital on the tele unit....so I am THE INFAMOUS EXOTIC NURSE but to you that will be MRS EXOTIC NURSE.............LOL

[micro, RN]

Hey, exotic nurse, peaceful2100 and semstr!!!!!!!! And everyone else that replied to exotic nurse's bad day!!!!! Boy, have we all been there and there again even when we aren't students!!!!! Semstr---------I am going to take your advice myself and next day after someone has been rude to me to make an even bigger effort to be nice. Nothing ruffles a "mean person's feathers than someone continually being nice!!!!!

Micro:rolleyes:

[Cdn student]

O.K. O.K. I hear you. This is Kelly.

In class though, we have been taught by our nursing professors that the Nursing Organizations of Canada do not want us calling ourselves student nurses. We have been told that legally we can only call ourselves nursing students. A student who will be going to do her consolidation in the States, in Wisconsin, talked to the employers at that hospital, and they told her that that rule was the same in the states, but wasn't followed very well by students. One of my professors was born and raised in Florida, and just transfered here 4 years ago, and he too said students in the States cannot call themselves nurses till they've passed the NCLEX, but that as it couldn't be reinforced, students didn't follow it. I'm very surprised at the backlash to my original e-mail. I didn't make any disparaging or disrespectful remarks about her day, and wasn't rude in my note. I went to a job fair early in October, and received some information from an American recruiter, and on my application I put (Student Nurse), and he crossed it out and told me, "You're not a nurse yet,legally you can only put down nursing student" and he wrote down Nursing Student. So can you see why I thought to remind her of the designation? There's nothing disrespectful there. It's part of our job to help or remind fellow nurses and students of things, not attack them. :)

[micro, RN]

cdnstudentsaid nicely and can't speak for anyone else. chill and relax on yourself also. of course technically on a job application or actual work setting, your exact title does matter, but here on bb......... i see here that we all come to learn, destress from tough days, give support to others and chill!!!!! :p so, no you were technically not wrong, but relax sometimes. nursing is too stressful and life is too short. take a breather and relax on yourself also. big hug!!!!! micro:eek: :eek:

[pixxel]

Kelly,

Thank you for clarifying what you meant. I'm very sorry to have jumped the gun like I did.

I too, have heard of the legal difference between "student nurse" and "nursing student"... but in the context of these boards I rarely think about the "legal" aspect unless it is part of the topic. I must admit that while I know not to call myself a nurse of any kind in front of a patient (if they ask if I'm a nurse I just say that I'm studying for it)- I don't make habit of explaining it when just in casual conversation - so I hope it makes sense as to why I defended exotic nurse like I did. I see no reason why she can't use a screen name like that - unless of course she's passing out medical advice. Then that would just be a whole new issue.

Ah... I think we can all feel better now.

Oh - and please don't think we're all spiteful people - cause at least now you know you've found a group that sticks together for support.

[jschut, BSN, RN]

Kelly~

Apology accepted.... and please accept mine too.

Friends?

Julie:)

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

Kelly (CDN student), sometimes we say things without knowing the intent of a first post and it usually take a person to re-word what they were trying to say before it is clear. Personally I am sorry if you feel like I was jumping down your throat. I just wanted you to realize that their are many, many students who are already nurses and licensed who go back to get more education.

I am called a nursing student and a student nurse. Every time I document something whether it is on the medical administration record or whatever I have to sign my name Tonya________ S.N. (which stands for student nurse) So I am legally signing that I am a student nurse.

Canada and the U.S. is still different on certain issues. With different laws and it even is a little different in the U.S. from state to state.

IF you have learned one way then do it the way you have been taught so you don't get into trouble.

Confusion happens and we all must realize that we come from different places, different schools and things are not going to be EXACTLY the same but we are all striving for one common goal or should be and that is to become the best nurse possible and learn as much as we can to provide good safe patient care

Take care

[BrandyBSN]

Thanks for the clarification Kelly. the legal distinction is not made in all states here. My name tag that I was issued by my school for clinicals says "Student Nurse", while I guess up in Canada they dont allow that. each area is different, and its easy to get confused, dont stress :) all is ok

Thanks

BrandyBSN