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I know this has been discussed here several times and I thought I would add my opinion. I am currently in a program that has class and clinical all year. It is a great program that allows you to earn your BSN on a part time basis, (2-3 days a week). As my first clinical approached, I couldn't help but to think about all of the horror stories I have heard. Now that I have a little time under my belt, I felt it necessary to write something in defense of the nurse.
When you are in a clinical environment, you can't help but notice all of the responsibility and work that nurses are faced with on a daily basis. Yes, some of the nurses working there did not want anything to do with the students. However, I was fine with it. They gave us the courtesy of letting us know in one way or another how they felt. I did not think that was horrible at all; not everyone has the patience to teach new people. I would rather know right up front how someone feels.
I may get flamed by my fellow students but, most of the "eating their young" interactions I have noticed was brought on by the students. Picture this: A patient suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, experiencing command hallucinations. The student asks the nurse something like,"What skills have you lost being a psych nurse?" Same nurse dealing with a different patient and student is asked," Is it true that anesthetists make $120,000/yr? That is what I am going to do, so none of this stuff is really that important." "Will someone hire me if I go to grad school with no experience?" I saved the best for last..."I have a tough time because I am sooooo good looking..." Sorry for being critical of my fellow students. I know there are some nurses who can be nasty but, every case I have seen of someone "eating their young" was brought on by one of my fellow students frustrating a nurse that was trying to teach them something for the here and now. Half the class is serious and half the class interrupts, makes statements similar, if not identical to the ones listed above, (In many cases, right in front of the patient), or acts like a know-it-all. In conclusion, we have to remember we are there to learn and ask appropriate questions. I hope everyone can see where I am coming from. Take care and have a great day, Frank.
I haven't responded to anything in a while but I felt the need to respond to this one. I'm a 4th term student and I think I have seen my fair share of "situations". I have seen students do the same kind of things and then some. The bit about the student being too good looking is no joke. I seen that on here a long time ago and I thought it was the biggest bunch of bull I had ever heard. I actually heard that comment in the elevator by a 3rd term student last week. I asked her if she was kidding. She was the age of one of my daughter's. There are nurses who eat their young but I can sure understand why. So far I haven't had a problem with any of the nurses I have worked with (cross my fingers). My thing is, the nurse has to feel comfortable with me before I can expect her to let me take care of HER patients. It will be her license on the line if I mess up. I also won't do anything I wouldn't want a student nurse to do to my family members unless my nurse tells me she feels comfortable with me doing it and will be there with me. I'm not about to harm someone's family member. I try to help my nurse as much as I can while there. Karma goes a long way as far as I'm concerned.
I graduated in 1994 and worked as a nurse extern in school and then started working as a new grad on a 36 bed ortho/neuro unit where the nurses did eat their young. In their defense - they were overworked and I didn't stay there long after graduating. They usually had 7 patients with meds to pass on 2 of the nurse extern's patients. It was not uncommon for the nurse extern to have 9 patients. The PCTs knew that the new grads and externs probaby weren't staying so we were either not helped at all, or very little. I was told by the LVN's that I probably already made more than they did before I graduated, so they were unfriendly. If I asked a question such as how to set up a Kangaroo pump or a PCA pump they would get mad/irritated. I was and am a very hard worker. I did not make comments that people would take offense to. This place was just a nightmare place for anyone to work. So I personally know that there are places where nurses eat their young.
The ocean is a nice place to visit. Wouldn't want to live there though, hurricanes and all.
West Coast =) earthquakes aren't too bad... yet!
OP- I can't believe the nerve of some of your classmates! In my program, all of the people with attitudes that poor were weeded out, or nursing school changed them (me included!). Our clinical instructors felt very free to speak with us about attitude issues, and I feel very blessed to have had instructors who took the time to care so much about me as a person and not just my grades and medication knowledge.
I've had some nurses that clearly didn't want to be with students, but I always tried to chalk it up to them having a bad day, or a bad experience with other students. It sounds like some of the nurses you've experienced have the same story.
pashark
22 Posts
I really don't care what you believe, especially calling me a troll.