Dear Nurse, What would you like to see from us Student Nurses????

[MCNS2B]

It is my first semester of my Alternate Entry Master's program. It is our first time in the hospital and me and my classmates have come across a variety of nurses who we have shadowed.

I know each nurse does their own thing and has their own system, but many of my classmates have come in the line of fire for not following what a certain nurse wants us to be doing (I've only witnessed this and not been the subject of it). In defense of the nurses, some of my classmates deserved to be disciplined as they kind of stood back watching.

I am in no means perfect and would like to get better so I can build good rapor with the nurses I work with and to help me become efficient, especially since next semester we have longer shifts and will be having 2 patients instead of one.

So to my "overseeing nurses"...for my future as a student nurse, what are certain things that you would suggest I always do to help YOU out?

This is how I go in for the day (Note: we're only at the hospital for 4 hours currently and assigned to 1 patient):

- Information from client chart from day before. We go home and research pt's diagnosis and current plan of care

- be there for report

- as report ends, state what I will be doing and what we are and are not capable/allowed to do as our current status of nursing students

- pass meds (only PO, subq and IM now... we'll be able to do IV next semester), do AM care (help with feeding, bed, sheet change)... we have to do a meds check off with our instructor.

- if my patient wants to rest/refuses AM care, ask if you need anything from me... if not, go see if my classmates need help.

Anything else you can suggest for me to do to make YOUR day go more smoothly?

[dskrninpa]

Most of us appreciate what you are going through, we've all been on both sides. When you take report understand that the Nurses need to communicate with each other. Occasionally we will not be able to wait for you as the outgoing Nurse has to get home and the incoming Nurse needs to start their day. If that is the case, don't hover around and listen to report on all the other patients, it is distracting and probably a HIPAA violation. Ask the Nurse you are taking report from to give you report when they have an opportunity. If you are not comfortable doing a skill, make it clear to the Nurse so that they can do the skill and show it to you if your instructor is not available. Understand if we are not able to let you do everything because of a patient's condition, or need a little space because we have a heavy assignment. Like I said, most of want to help and be a resource for you but this is our job and we are ultimately responsible for the patient you are caring for as well as the rest of our assignment. Most of all be there to learn and understand that it is a learning experience for you. Good luck.

[fiveofpeep]

one thing I noticed about the OP was that she went straight to passing meds before assessing the patient for his/her schedule of the day. I am a student, but I feel that it's important to assess your client ASAP to make sure they do not have any pressing needs to be addressed. I have picked up this practice from many nurses and initially had gotten talked to for not assessing first. good luck :)

[MCNS2B]

Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't include that...

We do a FULL physical assessment before we can do ANYTHING else... asll vitals, ausculate anything and everything... check peripheral pulses, skin condition, wounds etc etc.

I need B/P's and pulses and all that info, esp for meds such as dig and any BP meds...

I guess I kind of have gotten into the routine that I left it out... I do that right after I get report.

[MCNS2B]

meaning "I left it out of the original post b/c I do it as almost autopilot"

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Perhaps this is more for instructors than students, but please have some goals specific to the unit other than just passing meds or starting IVs!

Thank you! When I was a student, all I did at most of my clinicals was change, bathe, ambulate, do vital signs, and occasionally pass meds. We learned skills in the lab, but we didn't get to use them until the last semester, when we would get dinged for not knowing skills.

[mrscoozy]

Please don't turn off the IV pump because it is beeping and annoying you, and then not tell me. That's very bad. Oh and please don't be snotty and act like you know everything...that's not the way to get the nurses to teach you. Probably will have the opposite effect.

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

This is not meant to sound sarcastic or mean. My tone is very even as you read this:

What I want is for GN's/students to worry less about "does my co-worker like me", or "I think that nurse hates me" and more about pt care.

Everyday simple manners will be enough as far as the other nurses are concerned. And if it is not, phffft, do you really care if they like you or not?

Worry about pt. safety and management of care first, peer acceptance second.

[miwachiru123]

Not trying to hijack this thread....

But what about some things students would like from their nurses?

I just finished LPN school and earned my License, and looking back on clinicals I feel it could have been alot better.

I know the Nurses are busy, and students are there to help AND learn.

One of the biggest problems I had during clinicals was LACK of things to do.

8 Students each assigned to 1 patient... There were times where there really was NOTHING to do with my patient, most of my clinicals were on the weekends so most treatments weren't done on the weekends on as well (RT PT OT, etc) Even after helping my classmates, and even answering call lights and rounding on the WHOLE unit trying to find something interesting, I still found myself idle alot.

Need a specimen hand delivered to the lab? Patient needs water, but you have something more important to do? Please let me know. Off topic, but, I will never forget the one time I hand-delivered CSF to the laboratory as a student, and got lost, and walked right by a code blue, and got pulled in by a nurse to watch (the badges at this specific site stood out very easily if you were a student) and was able to observe. Yes I got in trouble by my instructor later, but.. hey, I got to experience it.

[CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I am not here to learn to be an aide...I do not...clean, feed, or bathe..."

OK, so you don't want to be an aide - here's an important nursing skill for you, then. Manual disimpaction!

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

I would expect you to do that full assessment after report, but before that ask me questions about my report to you only if I just told you something you don't understand. If you need me to slow down, tell me. If you find abnormals on your assessment, tell me(even if I told you already or am aware)...it's possible that I missed something or forgot to mention it.

Let me know if ur passing all morning meds, doing sugars, all meds while you're there(including prns), tell me if the patient refuses any.

Clean up after yourself, empty garbages, assist your patient to bathroom or change them if needed, answer lights on the unit(if you can't help, say "I'm a nursing student, and am not aware of your care...I will find your aide/nurse and either get them to help, or I will ask them and come back to take care of you, ok?" AND COME BACK quickly!

ask me if I have anything cool or different going on, ask if I have any additional skills you would like to do want to do again, or another classmate needs. Just because you are checked off on it, doesn't mean you should NEVER do it again the rest of the semester.

If you committ a med error, forget to get a sugar, forget to tell me something....tell me ASAP! It's not a huge deal usually, unless you don't talk to me.

Have a positive attitude, don't be standing or sitting around the station all day, don't be on your cell phones, ask the aides if they need help, help your fellow students.

and the number 1 rule: IF you bring food, you will be LIKED!

[geekgolightly, BSN, RN]

For the alternate masters program, will you gain your MSN without experience as an RN?

[pednursedeb]

Most everyone has had good suggestions. I like for the student nurses to show some eagerness to learn. If you don't know what LAVH stands for, ask. Some nurses are just better teachers than others, some overdo it a little. If someone is starting an IV and you're not busy ask if you can watch. Do go to procedures with your patients or others if possible. You will not only learn more about the procedure, but have more compassion for what the patient is going through.

Don't tell me like one student I had did that "I didn't get vital signs because I counld not find a blood pressure machine." Learn how to take manual BP, apical heartrate or radial heartrate. I like the students. They help me and I try to help them. If you are this concerned and asking questions you will do fine.

Good luck.