Experienced nurses: What do student nurses do that drives you nuts?

LuckyinKY · Oct 22, 2010

I have had a few weeks of clinicals now and I am starting to feel so bad for the nurses where we do clinicals. We are given stacks of assessment sheets to fill out and our clinical site uses computerized records, so we have to share computers with the nursing staff. We always jump up to give the computer back to a nurse when they need, but I still feel like we are in the way. I love giving baths, taking vitals and doing nursing tasks, but we have limited time on the clinical site.

We spend so much time standing around "waiting," for various things. Either to go over our care plans, do a skills check off, or do required facility training. All of these are drastically limiting our time with patients, I feel like I am being deprived of actual clinical time. The nurses have been great at our clinical site and have gone out of their way to teach us, it is a VA hospital and teaching facility. I felt bad because I wanted to change my client's sheets but between going over charts, lunch (no choice on the time), and a skill check off, I didn't make it back to my client's room in time. We never seem to know when we are going to pulled out to go a meeting or do a check off or to go observe something, so it is difficult to manage time still. I guess it is something we will learn as we go.

aehart · Oct 22, 2010

I am pretty sure I didn't say I demanded it. I'm just saying my job there is not to bend over backwards to make a group of nurses who do not want me there, happy. I'm sorry you don't get paid more, but that isn't my fault either. I just don't think its fair for student nurses to have this stigma that we're lazy and unwilling when it really isn't true. The large majority of my fellow students (and me) WANT to be there and WANT to learn, but the attitudes we receive from the staff nurses makes us reluctant to approach them and to even be there. No one wants to go where there is hostility against them just because of what they represent. I'm sorry that it seems a lot of people on this thread have had poor experiences with student nurses, however, you shouldn't assume we're all bad. Perhaps I have had more bad experiences than good, but I don't think all nurses are mean. I've seen terrible nurses and I've seen amazing nurses. If all nurses are allowed to vary, why can't all nursing students? Maybe some people have forgotten the fear, the anxiety, the shyness, the inability to think on one's feet because of nerves, the lack of knowledge, the lack of experience, the stress, the terror of being on a new floor for the first time, or the large amount of work required of nursing students, but most of us are going on just a few hours of sleep every night because we're up doing loads of work and we're tired too.

I wasn't trying to irk anyone even though it seems I did. I was just trying to point out that there are things nurses do that annoy nursing students AND vice versa. I just think people need to realize there are always two sides to a story.

Scrubby · Oct 22, 2010

Students on their last clinical placement should NOT assume they know everything. I had one last year when asked if they have any questions about OR nursing reply with 'I learned everything when I did anaesthetics last week'. I felt tempted to reply with 'ok, then since you're an expert you can get out for the next days cases'.

Always ask questions. It shows that you're interested and have a good attitude towards learning. I dislike it when students just stand there and don't ask anything or show no interest. It's a waste of my time. I don't expect students to be super confident or anything but there is always something to learn even if you don't want to work in an area.

DO NOT refer to my patient as 'sweetie' or 'lovey'. This isn't just a student thing, I see nurses do this all the time. Some patient get really annoyed with it and quite frankly it's not professional. The hairdresser called me lovey today and it was all I could do not to tell her off.

The thing that ticks me off the most is students who breach asepsis constantly. I had one who actually went up to the scrub nurses trolley and picked a sterile bowl off the field. This is after me and another nurses patiently explaining the principles of asepsis to him after he contaminated the field. We had to write on his report 'not suited to the operating room environment'. He actually told me and this another nurse that we were 'very naughty'. :eek:

I sympathise with students that they aren't paid for their clinical placement I really do. But I went through it and thousands of nursing students every year have to do them as well. Clinical placements provide students with extra support that you simply don't have when you become an RN. I've noticed so many students just want to go home early everyday and give fairly weak excuses. It becomes fairly obvious after a while that they are just trying to get out of it. We're not stupid, we can usually pick the genuine reasons from the fake.

themoreyouknow · Oct 22, 2010

I did not say I wouldn't do them. I do not mind, but please do not give me problems if they do not get done. I am not here only for bathing patients. I am here to learn how to be an RN which involves a lot more than bathing, changing, and obtaining vital signs. I want to do a foley or an IV, hang some bags, learn some meds, practice my assessment, learn about disorders and my patients, interact with the care team, finish my care plan, blood draws, understand my pathophys better. I am NOT there ONLY to do basic things. When I graduate I want to be able to say I feel confident in my skills and that I will be able to fine tune the things I learned in nursing school BECAUSE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THEM, NOT that I'm a really excellent bather. I am not paying thousands upon thousands of dollars every semester for that. I'm sorry, but I am a STUDENT and I understand that we get annoying and in the way, but I am not there just to make your day easier, though I certainly do not mind helping.
.

WOW! How rude. Seriously. How very rude. "Don't give me problems if they do not get done"?? When you are a REAL nurse, I would love to hear you tell THAT to your boss. "Yeah, I didn't do the hands-on patient care stuff. I'm more interested in pathophys." Much of what we do as nurses IS the hands-on stuff. Learning to bathe a patient may sound menial to you, but it is one of THE best ways to assess skin condition and look for concerns. A pressure sore can develop rapidly and if your patient develops one while in the hospital, insurance doesn't pay for it. Giving a bath is so much easier (and less embarrassing for the pt.) than telling your patient "I need you to strip naked so I can view all of your bony prominences." It also gives you time to TALK with your patient and build the nurse-patient relationship.

Also - don't accept the assignment. You heard me. DON'T ACCEPT IT. If you aren't going to do it, don't say you will and then say "Don't give me problems if they do not get done. I was hanging an IV med or doing a blood draw." THAT is no excuse. Just tell us you are refusing the assignment. We'll discuss it with your professor. If she truly feels you do not need the field experience in the "menial" task we have asked you to do, then that is fine. But do not nod and walk away to go hunt for more "exciting" experiences. That leaves our patient uncared for and we trusted you to do it.

"I am not paying thousands upon thousands of dollars every semester for that." Well... here's the deal. If we ask to you to help with patient care and you FAIL to do those duties, OUR license is on the line. Our money. Our livelihood. If we ask you to walk Ms. Walters to the bathroom because she called out and you say you will, then do it. If you walk off to go watch another student put in a foley and Ms. Walters falls, we can get sued. As her nurse, I can get sued. I can lose thousands upon thousands of dollars for trusting that a student would actually do what she said she would do. Your attitude that you are somehow above hands-on patient care can affect MY money.

"I'm sorry, but I am a STUDENT and I understand that we get annoying and in the way, but I am not there just to make your day easier". Having students NEVER (get this: NEVER) makes our day easier. NEVER. You are in our charts. In our chairs. Rolling your eyes. Making comments such about how tasks are somehow "beneath" you. You expect us to be pleasant, educational, and willing to accommodate your every questions while you disappear for hours on end because something "exciting" was happening down the hall so you didn't get the vitals for Mr. Jones. Then you can't understand why we are irritated. We needed those vital signs to determine if he is going to get his next dose of his b/p medication. We need them to assess him. When we are irritated that you ran off and failed to perform your duties (which you would get FIRED for if you were at an actual REAL job), you make comments such as "I am not your b*tch." That statement right there - that off-color, rude comment - shows just how much you have to learn about being a PROFESSIONAL nurse.

This type of attitude that you have exhibited is not productive and does nothing to enhance the student nurse/nurse relationship. We realize that you want to see cool things. We would like for you to see them. But patient care comes first!!! There are times when I would love to go down the hall because I hear we have an interesting case on the unit, but I can't abandon my duties because my interest is piqued.

Again, we realize you have a limited amount of time to "see" things. That is fine, but you are assigned a patient to care for. THAT PATIENT (no matter how boring to you) COMES FIRST. I do not care if there is a zombie patient bleeding from his eyeballs two doors down - YOUR PATIENT is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Everything else comes AFTER you have assessed and cared for your own patient.

Your comments to a great disservice to the many, many fine student nurses I have had the privilege to work with. Students who were eager to learn, eager to help, and willing to "be there". Students who realized ALL patients are of value. There is something to be learned from every patient. Take a hard look in the mirror. Perhaps there is a reason these nurses are treating you this way. I'll bet your better-than-thou attitude has something to do with it.

~Sherri

"The new nurse thinks like a mom. The experienced nurse thinks like a lawyer." And with all these responses... I'm starting to think the student nurse thinks like a spoiled teenager.

OCNRN63, RN · Oct 22, 2010

WOW! How rude. Seriously. How very rude. "Don't give me problems if they do not get done"?? When you are a REAL nurse, I would love to hear you tell THAT to your boss. "Yeah, I didn't do the hands-on patient care stuff. I'm more interested in pathophys." Much of what we do as nurses IS the hands-on stuff. Learning to bathe a patient may sound menial to you, but it is one of THE best ways to assess skin condition and look for concerns. A pressure sore can develop rapidly and if your patient develops one while in the hospital, insurance doesn't pay for it. Giving a bath is so much easier (and less embarrassing for the pt.) than telling your patient "I need you to strip naked so I can view all of your bony prominences." It also gives you time to TALK with your patient and build the nurse-patient relationship.
Also - don't accept the assignment. You heard me. DON'T ACCEPT IT. If you aren't going to do it, don't say you will and then say "Don't give me problems if they do not get done. I was hanging an IV med or doing a blood draw." THAT is no excuse. Just tell us you are refusing the assignment. We'll discuss it with your professor. If she truly feels you do not need the field experience in the "menial" task we have asked you to do, then that is fine. But do not nod and walk away to go hunt for more "exciting" experiences. That leaves our patient uncared for and we trusted you to do it.
"I am not paying thousands upon thousands of dollars every semester for that." Well... here's the deal. If we ask to you to help with patient care and you FAIL to do those duties, OUR license is on the line. Our money. Our livelihood. If we ask you to walk Ms. Walters to the bathroom because she called out and you say you will, then do it. If you walk off to go watch another student put in a foley and Ms. Walters falls, we can get sued. As her nurse, I can get sued. I can lose thousands upon thousands of dollars for trusting that a student would actually do what she said she would do. Your attitude that you are somehow above hands-on patient care can affect MY money.
"I'm sorry, but I am a STUDENT and I understand that we get annoying and in the way, but I am not there just to make your day easier". Having students NEVER (get this: NEVER) makes our day easier. NEVER. You are in our charts. In our chairs. Rolling your eyes. Making comments such about how tasks are somehow "beneath" you. You expect us to be pleasant, educational, and willing to accommodate your every questions while you disappear for hours on end because something "exciting" was happening down the hall so you didn't get the vitals for Mr. Jones. Then you can't understand why we are irritated. We needed those vital signs to determine if he is going to get his next dose of his b/p medication. We need them to assess him. When we are irritated that you ran off and failed to perform your duties (which you would get FIRED for if you were at an actual REAL job), you make comments such as "I am not your b*tch." That statement right there - that off-color, rude comment - shows just how much you have to learn about being a PROFESSIONAL nurse.
This type of attitude that you have exhibited is not productive and does nothing to enhance the student nurse/nurse relationship. We realize that you want to see cool things. We would like for you to see them. But patient care comes first!!! There are times when I would love to go down the hall because I hear we have an interesting case on the unit, but I can't abandon my duties because my interest is piqued.
Again, we realize you have a limited amount of time to "see" things. That is fine, but you are assigned a patient to care for. THAT PATIENT (no matter how boring to you) COMES FIRST. I do not care if there is a zombie patient bleeding from his eyeballs two doors down - YOUR PATIENT is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Everything else comes AFTER you have assessed and cared for your own patient.
Your comments to a great disservice to the many, many fine student nurses I have had the privilege to work with. Students who were eager to learn, eager to help, and willing to "be there". Students who realized ALL patients are of value. There is something to be learned from every patient. Take a hard look in the mirror. Perhaps there is a reason these nurses are treating you this way. I'll bet your better-than-thou attitude has something to do with it.
~Sherri
"The new nurse thinks like a mom. The experienced nurse thinks like a lawyer." And with all these responses... I'm starting to think the student nurse thinks like a spoiled teenager.

This said exactly what I was thinking but couldn't articulate.

linearthinker, DNP, RN · Oct 22, 2010

And speaking as a student, I wish you would tell your charge nurse or the clinical instructor that you don't want a student. I wouldn't want to be paired with someone who didn't want me paired with them. It's not helping either of us.

Believe me, I have. Students belong with their faculty, the ones that are trained specifically in pedagogy, and who apparently like it. I've said it 1000 times. I work in a CCU, and I'm the only person there. If there is a student in the unit, I'm stuck with him/her. It's a PITA, I don't appreciate the intrusion, and I could give a bugs ear about the $1 an hour they throw me to put up with it.

OttawaRPN · Oct 22, 2010

Believe me, I have. Students belong with their faculty, the ones that are trained specifically in pedagogy, and who apparently like it. I've said it 1000 times. I work in a CCU, and I'm the only person there. If there is a student in the unit, I'm stuck with him/her. It's a PITA, I don't appreciate the intrusion, and I could give a bugs ear about the $1 an hour they throw me to put up with it.

You get a whole $1/hr?? I get zip, zilch, nada! Harrumph.....

linearthinker, DNP, RN · Oct 22, 2010

Yup, $1. The students usually leave at 11, so for the pleasure of being 3 hours behind, I get $4. Sometimes I get a candle or bagels from the student too. :whoop:

Seriously, I have nothing against students. I was a SN once, and I'm a student FNP now. The NPs who precept me volunteer and are paid approx $2000 a semester to mentor me. I do not volunteer, in fact I am coerced, and I am not impressed by the $4. When I was a SN, I didn't know there was any other method than to have my instructor hover over me like a bad rash, lol. I don't know when that changed, but I never even see the school faculty, they aren't even in the hospital when the students are. It's farking ridiculous. So, if I were giving advice to prospective SNs (and I guess I am) it is this: when you are looking for a suitable school, interview them and ask if they have paid, professional faculty in clinical w/ you at all times. If the answer is no, that they rely on facility staff to precept you, run. If you choose a school that uses this unacceptable and unprofessional style, be prepared for me to resent being put upon. And either help or stay out of my way. That is all.

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Oct 22, 2010

There is something to be learned from every patient.

This is a very valid point!

CBsMommy · Oct 22, 2010

Yup, $1. The students usually leave at 11, so for the pleasure of being 3 hours behind, I get $4. Sometimes I get a candle or bagels from the student too. :whoop:
Seriously, I have nothing against students. I was a SN once, and I'm a student FNP now. The NPs who precept me volunteer and are paid approx $2000 a semester to mentor me. I do not volunteer, in fact I am coerced, and I am not impressed by the $4. When I was a SN, I didn't know there was any other method than to have my instructor hover over me like a bad rash, lol. I don't know when that changed, but I never even see the school faculty, they aren't even in the hospital when the students are. It's farking ridiculous. So, if I were giving advice to prospective SNs (and I guess I am) it is this: when you are looking for a suitable school, interview them and ask if they have paid, professional faculty in clinical w/ you at all times. If the answer is no, that they rely on facility staff to precept you, run. If you choose a school that uses this unacceptable and unprofessional style, be prepared for me to resent being put upon. And either help or stay out of my way. That is all.

Here's my thinking though. If you can't refuse a student, then it must be in your job description to help teach students. And if you are getting paid extra, which I think is very nice by management because most nurses don't get paid extra to have students, it's an extra added bonus, whether it be 4 cents or $4. There is no reason to have a bad attitude towards the student about it. The ONLY thing to be accomplished with a bad attitude is keeping yourself in a bad mood and potentially putting the patient at risk because as a student, I wouldn't want to ask you questions about patient care. You accepted this job, with all of it's positives and negatives (which having a student is in your eyes). It's just part of your job.

You may not agree with me, and that's okay. It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round. But, hopefully, you will think about your attitude and the way it affects YOUR day and your mind set. Good luck!

linearthinker, DNP, RN · Oct 22, 2010

My patients are not at rick b/c under no circumstances is a student going to so much as fluff their pillow w/o me making sure they don't extubate them in the process. This is a ICU. No, it is not in my job description and educating student nurses is most certainly not any part of my job.

GHGoonette, BSN, RN · Oct 22, 2010

Ahhh...STUDENTS!

I LOVE students!

They taste so nice and they're not fattening............

Har, harrr-just kidding....

It's been years since I had the pleasure of precepting a student; we used to have a regular stream of them, but these were "bridging" students who already had a nursing qualification. Sadly, we haven't had nurses studying further for about 7 years. Those that do, usually resign and join a company that has a proven track record in nursing education.

Our students always loved working with us, and it was a real pleasure teaching them the ropes in our PACU. I appreciated their eagerness to learn, their willingness to jump in and help wherever they could, and above all their good humour.

The only time I ever had a problem with a student was one particular lady who had a negative attitude towards the entire perioperative experience. She did it because she had to, but was determined before she even got there that she wasn't going to enjoy it. Unfortunately for her, it was an essential component of her training, but we were all quite glad when she moved off to her next assignment. Ah well, not everyone is cut out for the theater and PACU environment.

So here's my :twocents: : Don't walk in with a face that could curdle milk; be interested in what you've been sent to learn, if only because it's in your best interest; remember that one day you may be working full time in one of these environments, so you might as well get the feel of it now; but most importantly, try to enjoy what you are doing! SMILE while you are doing it! (ok if it's emptying a bedpan, we'll understand if the smile appears a little rigid...) And be nice to your preceptors! You may find yourself working alongside them one day....

And...er...um....preceptors....ahem, that works both ways....