Clinical Nursing Student Needs Advice 5 patients

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Hello All, I am finishing up my ADN with 9 weeks to go. I'm in my mid fifties. In my current rotation we care for as many as 5 patients on a cardiac tele unit. I am overwhelmed to say the least. I have to make it through 5 more of these shifts and should be home free as my last rotation will be less intense. We are expected to do two assessments per patient, IV assessments every two hours,start IVs, all skills, and pass all meds. The med orders change frequently on this unit and there are many unstable patients with codes etc.

I don't mind working very, very hard and forgoing a break but as a student this is a bit much. If we make a mistake depending on the severity we are out of the program :( . My first concern is for my patients I'm just not sure I can do this and am looking for any advice that anyone would kindly share.

Some of the challenges are we do not have immediate access to the med room, have to wait for our instructors for IV pushes and skills, we have not been orientated to the floor...this is tough!!!

Thank YOU!!!

8 patients is ridiculous no matter the unit. 3 in the ICU is unsafe.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg.

No matter what you do "in the real world" of nursing, jumping into it as a student without... how can I put it? Titrating up in number of pts can be difficult and very stressful. I would think especially so if you still have to have the CI shadowing all of your meds etc and the CI also has other students.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Perinatal, Endoscopy, IVF Lab.

I agree with Chrisrn24. What the heck is wrong with you people? It's NOT SAFE for a student to have that many patients, not knowing the unit, or where stuff is, or being able to do anything without an instructor there.... That's crazy. What they are asking you to do is CRAZY. Sure we handle a lot of patients in "the real world", but common... this is a nursing student with no real world experience. Did they hand YOU 8 patients your first day on the job and say "have at it"? I sure hope not. Typically you go through a training time or preceptorship where you learn the floor and how to be a nurse... THEN they can load you up with patients. Let's have a little compassion. Do you remember how you felt when you were out there the first time on your own?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

If she is nearing the end of her program she should be building up to a full work load.Employers will give you orientation to the floor but they don't expect to have to teach you how to do your job.The OP may find this tough but when she gets out of school she will be ready to hit the ground running. More schools should prepare students this well.Where I work new grads get a few days orientation and then they are on their own with a regular patient load. Of course help is always there if you need it. Just ask.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I agree too Bezoars.

Lots of *** posters on this thread :sarcastic:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you bezoars.

I'm very disappointed how the majority of the posters here are treating the OP. Can I quote some comments you've all made?

Sorry, OP. You are very near the end of your education and this is make-or-break time. This is actually less than you may be expected to do in your first job. I don't see this as being "set up for failure" at all, unless you enjoy the victim role, and you don't sound like the type.

And what is your point? In the real world you will work much harder than this. If you think this is too much for you, maybe you should have pursued a different career....and you're not even working nights, weekends, and holidays for 12+ hour shifts yet, as ou will do as an RN.

So many new grads today expect a long, lengthy orientation.

If you really like making people feel like crap well congrats you've done it.

This is a STUDENT. She isn't experienced, she hasn't handled this many patients before. Sounds like there is no support from the floor nurses and her clinical instructor is stretched thin.

You negative Nancy's sound massively burned out. Do yourself a favor...take a few vacation days and take some deep breaths, have a cocktail or ten, go out and dance your butt off at a club, sit on the beach, or wiggle your toes in the grass in your backyard. Build a snowman with your children and then drink some hot chocolate with them. If you're single, make an online dating profile and chat with a few people. Go out and treat yourself to a personal toy and have fun! If you're in a relationship, sit down your GF/BF/spouse and just talk, reconnect...and then roll around in the sheets. Go to see a movie or stop off at Barnes and Noble and buy a new bestseller and spend the day reading. Be crazy and go buy a plane ticket and spend the weekend in a big city or a sunny place, or go on a weekend road-trip!

OP, again, please don't listen to these people. Your experience is too much, too soon. You need to build up to that amount of patients, and ideally that should be done in your first job setting where you will have proper support. You have lives in your hands and you should feel supported and encouraged by the other staff.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

This isn't her first clinical. She is 9 weeks away from graduating.When she gets out there she needs to be ready to function on the floor. We aren't suggesting she shouldn't have support when she starts working, but carrying an assignment will be a reality.Where I work new grads get a full assignment.

We aren't being negative and we aren't burned out. Just realistic.Nursing is tough. Being babied isn't going to prepare you for the real world.Why do you think we need a vacation just because we know what the job is really like? Good heavens, that's quite an assumption.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

She is near the end of her school.....while it is a lot....it is very challenging. I know that many nursing students graduate and are totally unprepared for what nursing really is......it is sad we don't try to prepare our students better.

However....I don't think it should be a pass/fail process for that is not fair.....and there is not a proper support system.

OP what you need are some good brain sheets.....

.here are a few.

doc.gif mtpmedsurg.doc

doc.gif 1 patient float.doc‎

doc.gif 5 pt. shift.doc‎

doc.gif finalgraduateshiftreport.doc‎

doc.gif horshiftsheet.doc‎

doc.gif report sheet.doc‎

doc.gif day sheet 2 doc.doc

‎critical thinking flow sheet for nursing students

student clinical report sheet for one patient

Imade some for nursing students and some other AN members(Daytonite) have made these for others.....adapt them way you want. i hope they help

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Wow! That is unheard of where I'm from! A seasoned nurse should be assigned those patients, you should be doing the work with him/her right beside you! Access to the meds/supplies should be handled with the nurse assigned to those patients with you right next to her. Then you pass the meds/do the dressings etc. Let me just say that I would be highly upset if I had a loved one in a hospital being cared for solely by a student nurse! This is completely unsafe. I really feel for you. I cannot stress this enough... ASK FOR HELP when you need it!!!!! Do not give up. You can get through this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Thanks, Esme. To the OP - hopefully having to wait for your instructor to arrive before you can do some skills and the IV push meds won't throw too much of a wrench in your time management. On the plus side, you may thank your lucky stars your school has such an intense clinical experience once you start your first job. Best wishes!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Thank you bezoars.

I'm very disappointed how the majority of the posters here are treating the OP. Can I quote some comments you've all made?

If you really like making people feel like crap well congrats you've done it.

This is a STUDENT. She isn't experienced, she hasn't handled this many patients before. Sounds like there is no support from the floor nurses and her clinical instructor is stretched thin.

You negative Nancy's sound massively burned out. Do yourself a favor...take a few vacation days and take some deep breaths, have a cocktail or ten, go out and dance your butt off at a club, sit on the beach, or wiggle your toes in the grass in your backyard. Build a snowman with your children and then drink some hot chocolate with them. If you're single, make an online dating profile and chat with a few people. Go out and treat yourself to a personal toy and have fun! If you're in a relationship, sit down your GF/BF/spouse and just talk, reconnect...and then roll around in the sheets. Go to see a movie or stop off at Barnes and Noble and buy a new bestseller and spend the day reading. Be crazy and go buy a plane ticket and spend the weekend in a big city or a sunny place, or go on a weekend road-trip!

OP, again, please don't listen to these people. Your experience is too much, too soon. You need to build up to that amount of patients, and ideally that should be done in your first job setting where you will have proper support. You have lives in your hands and you should feel supported and encouraged by the other staff.

Your advice sounds warm and cozy lol :)...

But I agree. I WISH we could've taken a whole assignment. We took up to three...at least I did, and did a charge nurse assignment with the charge nurse.

I think having a feel if the floor will decrease your anxiety once you get onto the floor as a licensed nurse. I don't agree with the "pass/fail-yourrrre OUT!!!" mentality, especially when you are this close. I say advocate for yourself if you need help, are swamped, etc...find out if you can delegate and collaborate if you have techs on the floor, especially if you have a big patient who has a mental status change and on a bed alarm. You have help and you are on a team! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
This isn't her first clinical. She is 9 weeks away from graduating.When she gets out there she needs to be ready to function on the floor. We aren't suggesting she shouldn't have support when she starts working, but carrying an assignment will be a reality.Where I work new grads get a full assignment.

We aren't being negative and we aren't burned out. Just realistic.Nursing is tough. Being babied isn't going to prepare you for the real world.Why do you think we need a vacation just because we know what the job is really like? Good heavens, that's quite an assumption.

If any new grad thinks he or she is ready to function on the floor after nursing school, I would be severely worried for their patients. Nobody should be that cocky. New grads need proper support and training. They have the tools, they need to learn to utilize them but in a safe and proper manner (starting slow, plenty of help, etc). You learn these things in theory, you need to learn to use them in real life, but at a reasonable pace.

I think you all need to remember what you felt like the first days on the floor and then read my above post and take a vacation somewhere and remember that we're all in this together.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment