Do as I say, not as they do

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

I'd just like to hear how other educators handle this. When you instruct a student to do something a certain way, and the staff nurse comes along and does it another way, or even worse, the wrong way. And I'm not talking about things that are objective, rather things that we all know are incorrect (like opening a SR capsule to put in the tube when you know there is a liquid equivelant, or pouring all the meds into one cocktail and flushing them down the tube at once). And yes, I have been a staff nurse, and I will not say I've never done that. but a) I need to teach it to them the right way, and b) I have learned my lesson as to why not to do that, and have suffered the consequences. There are many other things that I can think of, theses are just cursory examples.

I feel like the students look at me as if to say "Aren't you going to say something to them?". No, I'm not...unless it is putting the patient in grave danger. The reality is, they were taught the right way, and as stated in a related thread, need to do what they need to do to get their job done. And even if I do tell them they are not doing it correctly, are they really going to stop? Yeah right :icon_roll It is not my job to police RNs, they are not my students. I know many RNs feel they wish their instructors would have taught them more 'reality' nursing, and more shortcuts. but I have learned the hard way, that all students are not able to differentiate shortcuts from the real thing. I teach first year students. they need to get the basics down pat before they can learn the 'modified' way to do things.

Any thoughts... anyone agree with me here?

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

I'd just like to hear how other educators handle this. When you instruct a student to do something a certain way, and the staff nurse comes along and does it another way, or even worse, the wrong way.

I feel like the students look at me as if to say "Aren't you going to say something to them?". No, I'm not...unless it is putting the patient in grave danger. The reality is, they were taught the right way, and as stated in a related thread, need to do what they need to do to get their job done. And even if I do tell them they are not doing it correctly, are they really going to stop? Yeah right :icon_roll Any thoughts... anyone agree with me here?

I'm not an instructor but I totally agree with you. I have precepted GN's and I really appreciate seeing that they have been taught the correct way to do things. Far too many nurses create shortcuts that are not safe. As for me I don't know what my instuctor did some 33 years ago to instill a sense of "do it right" in me, I'll have to think back on that, but sometimes when I'm tempted to take that shortcut I think this is not what Mrs _____ would want me to do. The woman died of breast CA some 30 years ago but I still remember clearly the expectations she had of me and I still strive to hold to them and think I'm doing a good job of just that.

[lynswim]

I also agree with you :) When a situation like that happens, I don't mention it in front of the staff nurse. Later, with the student, I talk about possible consequences of the "shortcut" (i.e., tubes stopping up, etc.). I tell the students I am there to make sure they know the correct way.

[nightmare, RN]

Many moons ago,under the 'traditional' on the job training,I got my first introduction to NG tube feeding.The nurses in that particular ward all inserted the plunger and forced the feeds down!:nono::omy: I,not knowing any different ,did the same. Needless to say,when I did the same thing on another ward,the ward sister wiped the floor with me!It is a lesson that stayed with me to this day.Always teach the right way.If that nurse then chooses to take shortcuts after she is qualified then it is her license on the line ,not mine!

[puggymae]

I always tell students: When you aren't working under my license you can do things however you want to - until then you will do it the way we teach it in the program.

At the clinical site if they see some travesty occur and call me on it I always tell them: I am your boss, not theirs. If their boss doesn't care if they give unsafe, sloppy care that is betweem them.

[rgroyer1RNBSN, BSN, RN]

I agree with Puggy and thats how Im going to do it with my students.