Disinterested lab partner

[aish, CNA]

Hello,

I am a nursing student. The way my instructor set our lab partners up was at random and we are not allowed to ask for a change. I am paired with someone who is not interested in going through all of the steps during our lab sessions.

This is extremely frustrating to me because I am not interested in cutting corners and I want solid practice.

Every lab session they have had their phone out and the last lab was especially infuriating because we had a very limited amount of time to go through a tremendous list of new skills that I prepared for HOURS at home.

I read, outlined, reviewed, and looked up words I didn't know the meaning to and my partner just didn't seem to give a..... at one point I actually snapped and asked them to put their phone away because it was so distracting, only to have them reach out and grab for something else to read instead of just being "the patient" and letting me practice my skills (maybe they were nervous, but to me it was disrespectful of the time we are allotted). I had my own phone on the overbed table but only used it as stopwatch for vitals.

I can't ditch them because the pairing is set. Do I just deal with this and continue to come off as a stiff person because of how uncomfortable I am with the attitude or ask this person to step aside with me and tell them what is frustrating me? If so, what is the best way to do this? I have been a CNA for 2 years and have had difficult conversations with coworkers but it's different in a classroom setting.

I'm behind this person's success as much as I am on my own because they are my partner. I'm invested and not in the habit of cutting corners because that simply isn't how nursing works. I'm not taking patient safety, my education or my career lightly. I've been working to get into a nursing program for about 4 years and I don't want to fail because someone else isn't serious about the practice and isn't going to pay attention to the mistakes I make during lab because they are on their phone or not interested. My lab partner isn't a dummy, they are a whole person who should be guiding me and I don't feel the same amount of guidance coming in compared to what I have been giving out.

Advice would be appreciated.
Thank you.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

Please talk to your instructor and also to your academic advisor about this.

[AnnieNP, MSN, NP]

11 minutes ago, FullGlass said:

Please talk to your instructor and also to your academic advisor about this.

Yes, definitely talk to your instructor.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

Sorry, I want to elaborate on my previous short post. You need to talk to the instructor because even if she won't change your partner, she needs to be aware that this is impacting your ability to learn. The instructor can then talk to your lab partner and keep an eye on him/her. You should also make sure your academic advisor is aware as she may also talk to the instructor. It is not fair to you to be put in this situation and your learning should not suffer as a result.

When I was in nursing school, for my first skills lab I was put in a group with 2 students who had been CNAs and were quite mean to me because I had a steeper learning curve with some of the skills than they did. I complained to the instructor and they got a firm talking-to and then behaved themselves. (And to my satisfaction, I did far better in nursing school than they did and went on to become an NP).

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

The problem you are going to face is the "test out" of those skills. If she is not allowing you to practice on her, then your ability to pass the "test out" will be compromised.