Dealing w/ rude RNs

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2012

To the OP --)

had a few nurses like that during clinicals. Actually did my critical care clinical at a facility that was notorious for having nurses that just didn't want anything to do with nursing students.

MY way of dealing with the issue is to put on a happy face, be energetic, offer to help out (esp. with tasks like bathing patients)...understand that the nurse may not be comfortable with you passing meds (it's her license, after all) and don't get defensive.

In general, people like talking about themselves. My rule for a nurse who wasn't, like, OVERTLY hostile but didn't want to talk much/disappeared a lot was to try to break the ice by asking them a lot of questions about themselves. How long have they been a nurse? Worked on the unit? Where did they graduate from? Are they married? Have kids? I think sometimes nurses see taking students as a "task" that they have to perform and have little say in. And a student can slow down your whole day, which can be frustrating. Opening up a more personal line of conversation makes EVERYONE seem more human.

A little humor also goes a long way.

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2012

so you're expecting the other nurses to engage with you and use good communication skills but you're not expected to do the same?

and speaking of rude . . . .

i don't actually understand what you're trying to say with that first half of your post.

PlumeriaSun · Mar 11, 2012

Ruby Vee get over yourself, I'm not even bothering to read your posts bc all your trying to be is a negative Nancy. You obviously don't understand the situation. Everyone else, thank you for your comments and insight!

rninme · Mar 11, 2012

Here we go ....

PlumeriaSun · Mar 11, 2012

And for the record, I get along great with all of the other nurses that I've worked with PRIOR. My people skills are excellent and I've gotten numerous positive comments from patients AND their families. SO Ruby, I really don't think MY attitude/behavior is the issue. This is why I came here for ADVICE, as this is the first time in my 5 years in the medical field that I've had to deal w/ such a horrible nurse. Get your facts straight before you start spewing such BS!

Merlyn · Mar 11, 2012

How do you guys deal with RNs who hate having students? I had this one nurse who said maybe 10 words the whole night, disappeared frequently, would give me one word answers when I had questions, would not let me pass meds, etc!!! I was so frustrated I just ended up not even bothering with her. Another student had this same nurse who was the same way with her. What do you guys do in these situations?

Go to your instructor or supervisor and ask for someone else. You time as a student should be educational not confrontational. And tell the supervisor why. Life is too short to wast on Zombies.

diligent-trooper · Mar 11, 2012

You tell it how it is ....Sister!

Trauma Columnist · Mar 11, 2012

Okay - lets keep this on topic.

I will say that I think staff nurses should be asked by the instructor prior to being paired with a student. I was a staff nurse for years before becoming an APN and would have students often. I'll be honest: there were some days I just didn't have the extra oomph in me to deal with the questions/concerns, supervising them, etc.

So, in fairness to this nurse, maybe she was having a bad day? Maybe she had a very busy assignment and felt quite stressed?

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2012

Okay - lets keep this on topic.
I will say that I think staff nurses should be asked by the instructor prior to being paired with a student. I was a staff nurse for years before becoming an APN and would have students often. I'll be honest: there were some days I just didn't have the extra oomph in me to deal with the questions/concerns, supervising them, etc.

Yeah. It seems like, at least on my unit, that there are certain nurses who have been flagged as liking to take students (or precept new grads) -- so they automatically get the assignment dumped on them, usually by the UC who tells the nursing instructor "oh so and so LOVES taking student nurses" even though the nurse in question might be having a bad day, etc.

PlumeriaSun · Mar 11, 2012

Okay - lets keep this on topic. I will say that I think staff nurses should be asked by the instructor prior to being paired with a student. I was a staff nurse for years before becoming an APN and would have students often. I'll be honest: there were some days I just didn't have the extra oomph in me to deal with the questions/concerns, supervising them, etc. So, in fairness to this nurse, maybe she was having a bad day? Maybe she had a very busy assignment and felt quite stressed?

I totally agree with you. However, I've been on the unit for 4 weeks, and this nurse has been there everytime and she was like this everyday towards the students. That's why when I was assigned to her that one and only day, I was just cringing BUT tried to make an effort but it just didn't get any better w/ her.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 11, 2012

OP: I'll admit that some days I didn't want to have students. Why? Often because I knew that day the workload for that shift was going to be so much that I knew I would not have the time, energy or patience to work with students to give them the clinical experience that they deserve. Unfortunately if I don't have enough resources I will have to chose between meeting patient needs and meeting student needs, and the patients will win every time.

Some days, nursing students are great. Other days, even the best nursing students are a burden.

That being said, it's not OK for me--or any nurse--to take my frustrations out on the nursing student assigned to me. It is not the student's fault if I've got a heavy workload or if I am stretched too thin. Whether I wanted students that day, I still treated them the best that I could and did whatever possible to help them with their clinical, and I wouldn't ever tell them that I didn't want to work with them that day. I might tell them that their experiences may be limited today due to my workload or that they can't do something due to patient/safety concerns, but I'll never say "I don't want you here, now scat!"

If this nurse who "hates" nursing students really doesn't want any assigned to her--either that day or forever--then IMO it should be on her to make that known to her charge nurse and the clinical instructors. It's not fair to the nursing student to be assigned to a nurse who truly doesn't want to work with them. And it's not fair to the nurse to be assigned students when she truly doesn't want them.

KTeacher2Nursing · Mar 11, 2012

@Original Poster.... I can sympathize and empathize with your current situation. As a recent graduate, I came across great nurses and horrible nurses. Some nurses love having students others don't. Some nurses remember what it was like to be in nursing school and others think they came out of the womb as a nurse. I had a similar experience that you had, and I didn't waste my time because the nurse saw me as a burden. I ended up helping the CNA's and this gave me the best opportunity to do full Assessments and practice writing them up, of course with the instructors permission. I had a nurse that one of my classmates claimed didn't like students but when I was on her cart taking over her patients she let me know that she didn't want that particular student because she didn't "know what she was doing, didn't know the meds, and was too slow", which is why she gave people the impression she didn't want a student. All I could do was sit there and listen as I was double checking my MAR and patient. Since it seems like you are still in clinicals (going to school), I would go to the instructor that is there with your group and let them know what is going on. Please do not take it upon yourself to confront any nurse as a student as that is the quickest way to make enemies and make a smaller problem a much bigger one. If you are in the last part of your program and are doing your Preceptorship, then really at this point you should be relying on your skills and knowledge and ask the nurse if you have any questions/need clarification. If for whatever reason you feel uncomfortable with this nurse today then all you can do is make the best of it, take something away from the experience, and talk to your instructor and they will and should find another nurse for you the next time you are at clinicals. Clinicals are suppose to be a learning experience to practice your skills and knowledge not a popularity contest to try and win nurses over. Remember you are paying to be there the nurses are paid to be there, therefore, approaching situations and people in the appropriate manner is always going to work out in the long run. If this particular nurse doesn't want a student, that is fine, let your instructor know and move on. At the end of the day the only actions and reactions you are in control of is your own. Sometimes you just have to cut your loses and keep it moving.