disapointed over nursing school support

33762FL · Nov 8, 2011

I'm guessing you're young, early 20's at the latest? Your school sounds completely normal. It's a school where you're a student, not a Carnival Cruise where you're a guest. Schools don't let students pick & choose clinical placements. Why would you expect to be able to choose if none of the other students are? You're going to find out that most things in life don't happen as quickly as you'd like them to, and that sometimes you don't have input.

DixieRedHead, ASN, RN · Nov 8, 2011

I think you might get better results from you requests for assistance if you backed off from tooting your own horn so much, did less trying to control the ins and outs of nursing school, and don't expect an "extra effort" for yourself because you are a "go getter", and are a "student that professors would want to support", toot, toot.

No, you can't have input into picking your preceptor because in the nursing career that you seek so ardently you will have to learn from all types of nurses with all types of personalities. It will be up to you to make it work not the preceptors.

And if your harangue the nursing school staff non stop, hardly with a pause the way your post looks, don't expect things to improve anytime soon.

Nerdiestudentnurse · Nov 8, 2011

Thanks for the input! It is reassuring to hear that this is normal and that I need to get over it and work with what I've got! :)

Cuddleswithpuddles · Nov 8, 2011

I agree with the other posters. I can understand your enthusiasm and frustration but I definitely see a sense of entitlement in the statement, "i think i am a student that professors would want to support." You may be an excellent student but you are a student among a few dozen others. No professor can give individualized support to each and every single student's needs and preferences.

For example, securing a preceptorship is often very difficult. It would be unreasonable to expect student involvement in the process. You are not wrong for being concerned about getting the best preceptorship possible but you can't just point your fingers at a nurse and say, "I want that one." Preceptorships are contingent on faculty approval, approval from the management of that facility and the willingness and availability of the staff RNs. All of these factors are out of your hands. It's best to learn to roll with the punches now. You don't get to pick and choose your colleagues and work assignments in terms of what's best for you.

Sometimes the best teachers are the ones you never knew you could learn from.

In addition, no faculty can mitigate all the consequences of graduating in a tough job market. They are not responsible for making you marketable. They are responsible for making you a safe, competent new graduate nurse, a behemoth task in of itself.

Nerdiestudentnurse · Nov 8, 2011

Thanks cuddles! I needed some nursing wisdom on how things work!! You guys know better than I do and I appreciate the advice!!

Nurse Kyles, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2011

I agree with the above posters. I am right now in my Senior Preceptorship. I can confirm the statements of the other posters that it is a COMPLICATED process to establish slots for every student who is doing a preceptorship. This is further complicated if you also have another college in your area. Consider that college is ALSO looking for preceptors.

The process at my college was that we wrote down our number one and number two facility on an interest sheet. On that sheet we put our picks for number one and number two department. If you were to be able to pick your preceptor, that would be completely unfair. Whatever placement you get, just remember this is a UNIQUE learning experience that you will never have again.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Nov 8, 2011

I went thru the same thing because I am a control freak. It can be infuriating to others, so back off. Give yourself permission to control only what is in your domain. As I age this is easier, but not easy. You do not want to come off as a know-it-all

Cuddleswithpuddles · Nov 8, 2011

The process at my college was that we wrote down our number one and number two facility on an interest sheet. On that sheet we put our picks for number one and number two department. If you were to be able to pick your preceptor, that would be completely unfair. Whatever placement you get, just remember this is a UNIQUE learning experience that you will never have again.

You're lucky to even have the option to state your preferences. :up: My RN program is relatively new and fought tooth and nail to secure preceptorship spots. There was definitely a mixed bag and plenty of students had horrible commutes and night shifts.

I know that if students had completely free reign over their preceptorships, most would make choices out of ease and convenience. Not exactly the most conducive to learning.

Also, students don't know what they know. That's why we're students. In many cases, it is best to hand it over to the teachers for them to fight with the facilities and play phone tag with the nurse preceptors. They know more about what we need and how to fulfill it.