Experienced students, good teachers

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Jul 25, 2003

1)Hmmm, this question is a toughie..... I guess I was suprised by how much patients enjoyed having students. I expected patients to give us a hard time because we are still learning, but most of my patients were great and really appreciated the extra time I could spend with them.

2) Some of my clinical instructors have been absolutely wonderful (and others not so wonderful). There are probably about 4 professors that I will stay in touch with after graduation.

3) I would not have bought all of the required books because several of them I did not even use and it was a waste of money.

4) My biggest fear is about being prepared to start work in an ICU. There are still several skills that I have not had the opportunity to perform and I still feel like I don't know enough!

JuicyJem · Jul 25, 2003

I became really close to four of my classmates. They are best friends now.

PJMommy · Jul 26, 2003

1) What was the most pleasant surprise about nursing school?

I agree with EmeraldNYL. I was not just surprised...but shocked...at how most patients loved the students. They are often scared and sometimes alone. I've had patients say "I never told anyone this before but....". We had one lady in a clinic a couple of weeks ago who not only agreed to have a student put in an IV but offered to be a pin cushion if any other students wanted to practice on her.

My other pleasant surprise was to find kindred souls in my classmates. Nearly all are wonderful and just love people. It's like finding all the neatest people you can and putting them all in one room.

2) How close did you become with your classmates & instructors?

Very close as classmates. You'll be surprised how quickly you are bawling to someone in the bathroom or openly discussing your life. Guys...girls...doesn't matter - everyone is close. It's something about the friendship that develops when you realize you have to clean a horrible bm up which is all over a combative man...and a classmate walks in the room and says "can I help?"

3) If you knew then what you know now, would you do anyting differently?

Ditto again. I have books I literally have not even opened. It is so aggravating to buy all these and never use some. Definitely ask the class ahead of you which books they didn't use. On the flip side, I have books I refer to over and over again (e.g. Patho, Nursing Diagnosis book, Drug Guide, even A&P).

4) Based on experiences of classmates ahead of you (graduates), what are your biggest fears about graduating from school?

The fact that I'll likely be some old biddy nurse's breakfast. As sad as it is, there are those nurses who hate us young(er), idealistic grads and want nothing more than to make life miserable for us. True story: Charge nurse (late 50's?) on a floor would tell any nursing student she came into contact with "can you PLEASE go somewhere else" or "you are IN MY WAY". She even shoved a classmate one time when she felt like my friend was in the way. Funny thing was that she flirted...yes, flirted!...with the young new residents. None of us could stand her. It's terrible but by the last week of that rotation, we were deliberately standing near her and when she'd snap at us, we'd sweetly say, "oh, I'm so sorry. was I in your way??". After that happened about 20 times in 2 days I think she started to get the point. heh heh :)

I'm sorry I rambled there... key is to get a thick skin and respect yourself enough that you demand respect from others.

francine79 · Jul 26, 2003

I haven't started nursing school yet, but I did want to comment on the magic students seem to have with patients. When I did my CNA clinicals we were on the oncology floor. Our first day, there was a patient whom we were told wouldn't get up and bathe or walk or anything. He was a middle-aged male with colon cancer. The first day we went in, he was very negative and didn't want to be bothered. However, as the week went on he seemed to snap out of it and he was more positive and wanted to get up and walk and shower. He had said that he hadn't been up and walked for a whole week. Only got up to go to the bathroom.

The funny part was, the last day of our clinicals, our CNA had told us,"He won't get out of bed for you, walk or shower." Apparently the few hours before we got there he was very negative with the CNA and was acting like he did before we had started our clinicals there. The other student I was working with and myself walked into the room a few minutes after that and he spoke up and said, "When can you help me walk."

It had made me feel so good that as students we made a difference in that man's life for the week that we were there. However, I wonder what happened with his attitude after we left.

debralynn · Jul 26, 2003

My biggest surprise!

When we started clinicals in school, it was in nursing homes. I hated it. I thought it was depressing, and I remember saying"this is not where I want to be"!

But now that I am out of school, my most favorite patients:

geriatrics. The elderly are the most sweetest, compassionate, appreciative patient you will ever have.

As far as for the students: I am now best friends with one of my fellow students. Out of 27 graduates, I can only think of two that I wouldn't call.

The only thing I would have done differently, is go to a different school!

My biggest fear when my temporary comes in:

Feeling and looking like the biggest idiot on the floor. I feel like I know nothing except: tech work, passing meds and giving most shots. Other than that, I feel like I know nothing about lab values; and I need to know classification of drugs better!

Rena RN 2003, RN · Jul 26, 2003

Originally posted by PlanetCaroline
Experienced nursing students, tell your stories!

It is amazing how little I know about nursing school. When I picture it, I know that I am probably wrong about a lot of things. So I'm asking senior nursing students to share a little & let us newbies learn from your experiences. A few questions...

1) What was the most pleasant surprise about nursing school?

that i would actually make it through without losing my relationships or my mind.

2) How close did you become with your classmates & instructors?

my 2 best friends in the world came out of me going to school. they were nursing students also. i have, however, developed a great relationship with 3 of my former instructors. since i have graduated, it is now "okay" if my former instructors and i have a social relationship. we all get together about once a month for dinner and drinks.

3) If you knew then what you know now, would you do anyting differently?

i think i would have read an nclex review book from the very beginning. the test taking tips in them are wonderful and would have helped me on my tests while in school. i also think i would have started remembering the basics a lot sooner such as lab values. it was hard to know what the basics were in the beginning though. :chuckle

4) Based on experiences of classmates ahead of you (graduates), what are your biggest fears about graduating from school?

i'm there now. i graduated in june so i realize how little i actually learned in nursing school. don't get me wrong, school prepared me as well as it could and i did great, graduated with honors, etc. but there is just so much to learn in so little time that a person can't possibly know it all.

Anything you can offer would be wonderful. Thanks.
:)

---
Caroline