How many patients do student nurses have?

[Katlin1315]

Currently I'm overwhelmed at my hospital as a tech. I average 12-20 patients a night. All the techs and nurses say how good of a nurse I'll be. But I'm afraid if I can't make it through this tech job I won't be a good nurse or student nurse. I'll do the work and put a smile on my face through it but I'm being paid worse than I ever have(I took a paycut to get hospital experience) I worked with children and now I'm working on med surg and I don't think I can take it. I have an interview at a hospital in the nicu and they seem to really like me. Should I wait to judge if I'll like nursing by getting experience at another hospital in a different department? How many patients do student nurses usually have? I'm sorry if I sound ranty I'm just overwhelmed and I know everyone has to start as an overwhelmed tech. Thanks in advance for advice💕

[Persephone Paige, ADN]

We had two, maybe 3 at the most.

[Heylove, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

You've already gotten many responses that echo my feelings, that the work you do as a tech IS overwhelming and very different from what the nurses do. I have had to work a few shifts as a tech (I work psych) and it gave me a new perspective of their job. I'm glad I'm an RN!

Regarding nursing school, I would take that time to not worry too much. You are there to learn and take in information. You are not there to be ultimately responsibility for the total care of the patient while the patient is still the nurse's responsibility. Basically, I'm suggesting that you relax about patient load in nursing school and instead, focus on passing your tests.

[Nurseinprocess]

Are you a nurse assistant? Where I live techs are usually nursing students working as nurse assistants. I can't imagine working as a nurse assistant and having 20 pts on a med surge floor, that is nuts. When I was a nursing student I don't think we ever had more than 3 pts during our last med surge clinical rotation. It was not overwhelming. Then when I was hired as a RN on a surgical floor during orientation on days I never had more than 4 patients. When I went to nights and was handed 7 pts almost right out the gate it was a little overwhelming. It looks like you are being overworked, I have never seen that many pts be assigned on that type of floor, on a bad night nurse assistants would have 10 (usually have 7 or 8 to start shift).