Random vents

netglow, ASN, RN · Oct 31, 2009

I agree and usually the post starts with, "I need you to give me this info right now!." LOL :yeah:

So I respectfully add to the hijack student vent, the following:

I agree that there are obnoxious nursing staff at some clinical sites. How about those with just a few years out of school. ROFLMAO!!! I've felt like taking them by the ear and saying, no, now you listen to me, grasshopper! You have only 4 years in your first real job ever, to my 20+ in my previous career. Drop the attitude. When you can get over yourself after a few more years (if you last... FYI a few years does not a successful career make) then lets talk. Respect is a earned thing.

Always_Learning, BSN, RN · Oct 31, 2009

LOL @ 2ndwind -

"I need this info ASAP!"...and I'm not posting because I waited until the last minute to do my homework or anything...I promise! :yeah:

nyteshade, BSN · Oct 31, 2009

I am a student and so far have been having a great experience so I don't have a lot to vent about yet, one thing I have seen though-
To some of the nurses (at least half at the LTC facility we are doing clinicals at) please stop being so b***chy to the students and treating them like crap, especially when we are going out of our way to be polite and learn. It's obvious you have a great big chip on your shoulder and believe me we try our best to stay out of your way but when our CI forces us to go shadow you it wouldn't kill you to be Semi Polite and not treat us with such disgust. It would also be great if you let us learn other opportunities not ONLY CNA tasks, especially when later on you will proceed to complain about how we don't know how to do this or that and Nurses will need to know that but you kept us from doing those exact things. As for the rest of the nurses, the charge nurses and the NP thank you so much for your encouragement and guidance and patience.
All my other vents would be about fellow students lol

I'm sorry you get treated this way. I love to teach and help students at my job. I used to stop the instructors and ask them what the students were allowed to do. Then, I'd let them pass some meds, or hang an IV, give meds thru the PEG, and all that good stuff. I'd quiz them too. It's funny you metion the CNA tasks, I was talking to a co-worker (foreign trained) and their nursing schools kick our schools behind in term of hands on nursing care. It's a shame.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2009

Thanks to all posters. I have wanted to say something, but don't want to start the "eating their young" conversation.

I have a feeling this is also one of the reasons that young, new grads don't get hired.

Administration is a little tired of their "tudes."

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2009

especially when we are going out of our way to be polite and learn

You know, the more I think about this line the more it bothers me. Why should you be "going out of your way" to be polite. You should be polite matter what. And you should be learning no matter what.

The way I see it, I am not there to teach you - that is your instructors job. She gets paid very well - in fact, she probably gets paid more than me - to teach you. I am happy to give you opportunities to give you learning opportunities, but it is not my job to 'teach" you. I have often said to instructors "my pt needs this done today - do you want a student to do it". And it is often accepted. But I do NOT have time to teach you. I'm sorry - but it takes a student at least 3 times longer to do something that me. I don't have the time to stand there and walk you thought something. Either you do it with your instructor or you don't do it.

So if you aren't getting the skills you want, perhaps you should be looking at your instructor, not the nurses on the unit.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Nov 1, 2009

I'm sorry you get treated this way. I love to teach and help students at my job. I used to stop the instructors and ask them what the students were allowed to do. Then, I'd let them pass some meds, or hang an IV, give meds thru the PEG, and all that good stuff. I'd quiz them too. It's funny you metion the CNA tasks, I was talking to a co-worker (foreign trained) and their nursing schools kick our schools behind in term of hands on nursing care. It's a shame.

That is great you do that, their are a few nurses that graduated in the past couple years at my clinicals that have been great and really friendly and let us know anytime their was an opportunity for us to watch or do something. I don't let the rude nurses get to me, they seem bitter about something, I dunno what, but whatever it is it isn't my problem or my fault so I just stay out of their way or kill em with kindness if I must.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Nov 1, 2009

You know, the more I think about this line the more it bothers me. Why should you be "going out of your way" to be polite. You should be polite matter what. And you should be learning no matter what.
The way I see it, I am not there to teach you - that is your instructors job. She gets paid very well - in fact, she probably gets paid more than me - to teach you. I am happy to give you opportunities to give you learning opportunities, but it is not my job to 'teach" you. I have often said to instructors "my pt needs this done today - do you want a student to do it". And it is often accepted. But I do NOT have time to teach you. I'm sorry - but it takes a student at least 3 times longer to do something that me. I don't have the time to stand there and walk you thought something. Either you do it with your instructor or you don't do it.
So if you aren't getting the skills you want, perhaps you should be looking at your instructor, not the nurses on the unit.

In response to your post, I will say you or your in general, please know I am not speaking about you. When I said I am going out of my way to be polite, I am talking about to someone that is being nothing but rude. I am polite to everyone, when someone is being rude and nasty then it becomes me going out of my way to be polite because I was taught to treat people with the same respect they treat me. Someone being rude and nasty is not treating me with respect, BUT because of the circumstances I will still go out of my way to continue to be polite. When you say "You should be polite no matter what" that goes for everyone, so their shouldn't be any nurses being rude and nasty to us. But of course their are always people that seem to lack manners and common courtesy in life.

As far as teaching and learning, we are told to shadow different people, their are skills we are able to do that the CNA's are not. Yet certain nurses at our facility rather then let us do those tasks or watch when they go to do something will just tell us to go help the CNA's yet this one nurse in particular will talk about one of the other students couldn't get a Foley done and how we know nothing, even though she never allows a student the opportunity to try one, I was there to help hold a leg for the student that attempted it, it was an extremely large patient with extreme genital warts, and very hard anatomy. But at least that nurse saw the opportunity and let one of us try and was very nice about it all and went on to tell us how hard some of them can be for even the most veteran nurses. Other nurses will tell us how nice it is to have us to these things and let us go do them or simply watch and learn. I *vented* about some of the issues I have encountered which I thought I was allowed to do. I mean I am always reading about how vent threads are just that and to let people vent. I have no idea why you responded as if I was talking about you specifically???

My instructor is well aware of the ***** nurses and we all just do our best to avoid them. I am getting the skills I want because thankfully a lot of the other nurses have been great and allowed us to do or watch and learn. Our instuctor just tells us how their are bitter rude people anywhere you go and not to let them ruin our day :)

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Nov 1, 2009

I am NOT making excuses for 'not-so-nice-to-students' RN preceptors. However...

It is more work to have a student than not. We still have to check their work, meds, etc, and have to assess our patients, etc. Although students feel they are 'helping', in reality, they oftentimes are not. Students work UNDER our RN license which makes us ultimately accountable for EVERYTHING they do. So yes, it is more work to precept.

Just something to think about.

Best,

Diane

allnurses Guide · Nov 1, 2009

The way I see it, I am not there to teach you - that is your instructors job. She gets paid very well - in fact, she probably gets paid more than me - to teach you. I am happy to give you opportunities to give you learning opportunities, but it is not my job to 'teach" you.

Actually, I get paid less than 2/3 the hourly rate I make working at the hospital, when I'm teaching. In my hospital, precepting and teaching are part of the clinical ladder. Thank you for the chance to do things, but showing my student how is a major help to both the student (and the nurse you may be working with in the future). Having only 8 hours (minus report and lunch, and debriefing) and 8 students, comes out to less than an hour a day to spend with each student. And when those opportunities come all at once, there is only one of me.

And none of my students better show up with a "tude"! You are there to learn by doing, so do it! There will be no hiding in the break room to get your paperwork done, because "I finished with my patient"- there are 20 or so more out there that need things done!

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Nov 1, 2009

I am NOT making excuses for 'not-so-nice-to-students' RN preceptors. However...
It is more work to have a student than not. We still have to check their work, meds, etc, and have to assess our patients, etc. Although students feel they are 'helping', in reality, they oftentimes are not. Students work UNDER our RN license which makes us ultimately accountable for EVERYTHING they do. So yes, it is more work to precept.
Just something to think about.
Best,
Diane

We have not done our clinicals in the hospital yet, only the LTC and the only things that goes on there for us to have opportunities really is Blood Sugars, and Foley's which the CNA's can't do and watch and maybe take part in wound care depending on the type of wound. We don't do med pass yet until second semester only stand and watch. The nice nurses have told us how helpful it was for us to go take care of all the blood sugars for her so I do believe we have been helpful in that aspect. I can see where students can get more in the way. I make it a point to always thank the nurses for allowing us to watch and learn (even the rude ones) and apologize for any inconvienance it is for us to be there. In fact I made cards for them for Monday because it is our last clinical.

Bottom line though IMO and I don't care who it is, their is no excuse to be rude and nasty to others that have been nothing but nice to you and if you do happen to have an "off" day and are rude and nasty to someone that did nothing wrong to you, you should aknowledge it and apologize. It's just how I was taught and how I teach my children.

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Nov 1, 2009

Bottom line though IMO and I don't care who it is, their is no excuse to be rude and nasty to others that have been nothing but nice to you and if you do happen to have an "off" day and are rude and nasty to someone that did nothing wrong to you, you should aknowledge it and apologize. It's just how I was taught and how I teach my children.

Mi,

If you re-read my post, you will see that the first line reads "I am not making excuses for not-so-nice nurses.." I'm Just explaining WHY you may have experienced what you did.

Best of luck to you in your career.

Diane

PS And I'm not one of those not-so-nice nurses...

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Nov 1, 2009

Mi,
If you re-read my post, you will see that the first line reads "I am not making excuses for not-so-nice nurses.." I'm Just explaining WHY you may have experienced what you did.
Best of luck to you in your career.
Diane
PS And I'm not one of those not-so-nice nurses...

I saw that part I was just going off on my own after responding to your post. Sorry about that.