Dealing w/ rude RNs

Nursing Students LPN-RN

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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?

Then get through the day and move on. Unless you apply for a job on that unit, you'll never have to see her again.

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You go PlumeriaSun! I feel you completely. I graduate in May and it cannot get here sooner. Being a student=bottom of totem pole. Unbelievably rude nurses at clinical sites! Being ignored, one word answers and at times it feels like some actually try to lose you on the floor. Oh, well. I decided this battle is unfortunately bigger than me and talked to my instructor about it. He said unless something is done from the higher-uppers and it trickles down and is accepted by staff nurses, we just have to deal. Only thing I have promised myself is to NEVER make a student feel how I have felt over 90% of the time during my clinical rotation. LET'S BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD!

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Specializes in none.
Don't take it personally.......Im not a big fan of having students.... It takes more time, and 75 percent of the times they aren't even passing meds...... The students I love and will bend over backwards for are those that take initiative to seek me out and are pro-active in telling me what they are envisioning they will do that day. When i went to nursing school our program had us doing everything from day one but i was in a different type of program so when different programs come in the rules are totally different and i never know 'what ' they are going to be doing, by being pro-active it really helps me know how to support you as a student.

Like wise, but mine was an LPN program. We worked for eight hours. I don't think that we had any preceptors. Just the instructors. I may be wrong it was over 42 years ago.

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I have seen this this happen quite often. I worked with several nurses that actually treated me like dirt when I was a CNA, made me a better RN cause I vowed to nevre become like them, They treated students like crap, and talked in the breakrooms about them. Again I was given wonderful examples of what not to become, then when I passed NCLEX it all changed I was an equal and the ones the snubbed me now was all friendly. I smile and in my mind ..... well I'll just leave it in my mind. Some nurses are great with students, and some are not.

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Working in med/surg in hospitals has really shown me a bad side to humanity among RNs. It is a nightmare trying to get into the healthcare field in Northern CA, so just to get my foot in the door and get my hours to apply to the PA program, I did the crash course CNA class, got my certificate and applied anywhere I could that wasn't a SNF.

As a NA I hardly sit down for my 12 hour shift. I get that RNs have to do a lot of charting and med recs, but really, you need to sit and chart for hours on end and then complain when a pt needs something? Heaven forbid you have to get up! And the attitude that 80% of them seem to have in that they are so high and mighty is ridiculous. What happened to the principles of care and "nursing compassion" they have beaten into their heads in school?

I have a BS in Biology from a California State University, which was my pre-req for Medical School. Yes, Medical School. So when an RN treats me like crap I just have to tell myself that I have more education than they do. I took 4 chemistry classes, not 1, I took 3 calculus classes and 3 physics classes. My electives were virology, immunology, pathology, pharmacology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and the list goes on and on. And it took me 7 years because not only did I have 3 hour lectures a week, but 10 hour labs as well. Seeing as a lot of them have ADNs, I just have to laugh and move on. I'm not putting ADN's down or BSN's but really its so ignorant to treat someone poorly simply because they have a lower position than you do on the hierarchy of patient care. A "please" and "thank you" once and awhile can really go a long way. In my department, the pts seem to think the NAs are the nurses because we are nicer and heaven forbid actually listen to what they have to say!

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Working in med/surg in hospitals has really shown me a bad side to humanity among RNs. It is a nightmare trying to get into the healthcare field in Northern CA, so just to get my foot in the door and get my hours to apply to the PA program, I did the crash course CNA class, got my certificate and applied anywhere I could that wasn't a SNF.

As a NA I hardly sit down for my 12 hour shift. I get that RNs have to do a lot of charting and med recs, but really, you need to sit and chart for hours on end and then complain when a pt needs something? Heaven forbid you have to get up! And the attitude that 80% of them seem to have in that they are so high and mighty is ridiculous. What happened to the principles of care and "nursing compassion" they have beaten into their heads in school?

I have a BS in Biology from a California State University, which was my pre-req for Medical School. Yes, Medical School. So when an RN treats me like crap I just have to tell myself that I have more education than they do. I took 4 chemistry classes, not 1, I took 3 calculus classes and 3 physics classes. My electives were virology, immunology, pathology, pharmacology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and the list goes on and on. And it took me 7 years because not only did I have 3 hour lectures a week, but 10 hour labs as well. Seeing as a lot of them have ADNs, I just have to laugh and move on. I'm not putting ADN's down or BSN's but really its so ignorant to treat someone poorly simply because they have a lower position than you do on the hierarchy of patient care. A "please" and "thank you" once and awhile can really go a long way. In my department, the pts seem to think the NAs are the nurses because we are nicer and heaven forbid actually listen to what they have to say!

I get your frustrated and your venting but by saying your smarter/better then the nurses you work with- your showing the same attitude that your colleagues are supposedly showing you.

Also this thread is like 2 years old, most of the students who posted here have probably all graduated by now.

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Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

She doesn't have to like you. Your not there to be new best friends forever.

Focus on the patient, the learning, the nursing process all of which you are responsible and accountable for to your instructor. Get over your self and your opinion of her. It's immature and won't help you any except for focusing on things that ultimately do not matter.

Please don't get offended....just being real. :yes:

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Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.
I get your frustrated and your venting but by saying your smarter/better then the nurses you work with- your showing the same attitude that your colleagues are supposedly showing you.

Also this thread is like 2 years old, most of the students who posted here have probably all graduated by now.

Ha ha! Just read the date!

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Specializes in OBGYN.

The main deal is: the nurses on the floor are working and had a lot going on to having to teach students. This is why you have instructors, they are the ones that are suppose and expect to be teaching you..I just don't understand why nursing students think that nurses on duty have to teach to them. Just try to be helpful and friendly to all the nurses and they may be willing to teach you something on their limited free time...

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Working in med/surg in hospitals has really shown me a bad side to humanity among RNs. It is a nightmare trying to get into the healthcare field in Northern CA, so just to get my foot in the door and get my hours to apply to the PA program, I did the crash course CNA class, got my certificate and applied anywhere I could that wasn't a SNF.

As a NA I hardly sit down for my 12 hour shift. I get that RNs have to do a lot of charting and med recs, but really, you need to sit and chart for hours on end and then complain when a pt needs something? Heaven forbid you have to get up! And the attitude that 80% of them seem to have in that they are so high and mighty is ridiculous. What happened to the principles of care and "nursing compassion" they have beaten into their heads in school?

I have a BS in Biology from a California State University, which was my pre-req for Medical School. Yes, Medical School. So when an RN treats me like crap I just have to tell myself that I have more education than they do. I took 4 chemistry classes, not 1, I took 3 calculus classes and 3 physics classes. My electives were virology, immunology, pathology, pharmacology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and the list goes on and on. And it took me 7 years because not only did I have 3 hour lectures a week, but 10 hour labs as well. Seeing as a lot of them have ADNs, I just have to laugh and move on. I'm not putting ADN's down or BSN's but really its so ignorant to treat someone poorly simply because they have a lower position than you do on the hierarchy of patient care. A "please" and "thank you" once and awhile can really go a long way. In my department, the pts seem to think the NAs are the nurses because we are nicer and heaven forbid actually listen to what they have to say!

Do you think maybe nurses are showing a bad attitude toward you because of your bad attitude toward THEM? And perhaps those nurses you're putting down for having just an ADN have graduate degrees in other fields.

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