Are student nurses valued within nursing teams.

[karen38]

Hi everyone.

I am preparing for a seminar, the debate is on wether or not student nurses are valued within the nursing team. I am on the side that is arguing that students are not valued and am struggling to find evidence to suggest that this is true. Can anyone help.

[AmberNoelle]

It has been my experiance that some nurses are really helpful and some wish you weren't there. When I go pick a patient the night before clinical--I try to pick a patient of one of the more helpful nurses. It works well and most of the nurses are glad to have us there.

[debbyed]

We love having students in our ER. I really can't think of a down side. Not only are they learning but we are also watching. Since we are a smaller hospital in a big metro. area we have to be inventive in ways to bring new nurses to the hospital. One of the best ways is to get them when they are students. We watch for the ones who fit that ER mold. Smart, Quick on the feet, assertive and a sence of humor. When we single out someone we go on an all out recruitment campaign. We have actually had several become Emergency Room Techs during the summer, return as Nurse associates prior to passing their boards than stay on a new grads in the ER.

And it's not just us, all of the departments within the hospital do the same thing. We look on students as potential co-workers, and if there is one thing nurses can agree on, it's that we all want more co-workers.:)