I have a question for any maternity nurses out there--or for that matter any working nurses out there!
I just finished my Maternity rotation. And I was excited about going because of how different it would be, and the whole baby thing, etc.
Now? I would NEVER work in the Maternity Center in this hospital!!
Why? Because of the RNs. They literally told us we would not do anything while there. They said things like, "I don't want students following me. They don't know anything," and "What can you do? You can sit at that table and not get in the way," or upon seeing us eneter the unit in the am, "Oh, Sh..! We have students again today don't we." Some of the RNs just ignored us and wouldn't let us do any care on our patients. Our clinical instructor is part of the staff there and only teaches during this rotation. She was NOT willing to hear our problems or help--we tried!
Why are these nurses like this?! :angryfire They even told patients that they (the RN) wouldn't let a student care for them cause students don't know anything about nursing. And that was said with the student in the room!!!
ALL RNs were once students!! RIGHT??? So why are they so rotten to us?? We really wanted to learn from them!!!! We had to wrok hard to keep our attitueds good, but man it was hard not to slap some of them!!!
It really depends on where you are and who you talk to. I have had a great experience in Labor and Delivery. Yet some other students in my clinical group always get the 'bad' nurses.
You just really have to shrug off people that are not cooperative with students. Find someone else to help you or make the most out of a bad situation. We as students need to have these kinds of experiences so that when we are nurses, we can remember how we were treated, and try to break that cycle.
I know exactly what you are talking about though. I have heard nurses tell students not to change babies diapers, because they didn't "know how to." What you have to do in these situations is just go in there and prove that you are competent and capable. They'll leave you alone after that.
And I also need to note that it is not just L&D nurses. I have found nurses like this in every area I have had clinical in, and also the units that I have worked as a student nurse tech.
I often feel like I'm the bottem of a totem pole. The only thing we can do about it is not become one ourselves.
Agree with everyone who says this isn't unique to maternity nurses. You just had the misfortune to have your rotation in a unit where this unacceptable behavior is unfortunately accepted.
When I was in school, we had 2 rotations where the nurses were horrible to students. At one hospital, my school actually pulled its nursing students off a surgical floor because of the nursing staff-- and refused to schedule them there again. Apparently this was quite embarassing for the floor nurses and for the nursing administration, and I think some butts got chewed over it. And rightfully so.
At another hospital, we had a surgical elective and had the option to work in short stay recovery for a day. Our instructor warned us that the nurses there were renowned as b*tches, and stated we could opt out, but they continued to offer it simply because they felt it was a valuable clinical experience. I chose to take the experience and did okay. (The nurses were abrupt but not horrible, and since I'd been forewarned, I didn't take it personally.)
I also agree that your DON needs to know about your experiences. The hospital, and more importantly the school, should be protecting you from treatment like that.
My OB experience was great!! I am sorry to hear that yours was not so great. Rest assured that the problem is not everywhere like others mentioned. Maybe it was a bad day or maybe it is just that particular maternity unit. However, I was at a pretty good maternity unit for my rotation and if I don't do NICU then I would definitely do the OB unit. Some of the nurses we had were not so friendly towards students but most were not.
Try not to take it too personally, some nurses do get territorial and I find that most of them are like that because they don't want any mistakes to happen. In labor and delivery from my understanding things happen very quickly and it is vital that one acts very quickly to prevent bad things from occuring.
CJStudent
61 Posts
It really depends on where you are and who you talk to. I have had a great experience in Labor and Delivery. Yet some other students in my clinical group always get the 'bad' nurses.
You just really have to shrug off people that are not cooperative with students. Find someone else to help you or make the most out of a bad situation. We as students need to have these kinds of experiences so that when we are nurses, we can remember how we were treated, and try to break that cycle.
I know exactly what you are talking about though. I have heard nurses tell students not to change babies diapers, because they didn't "know how to." What you have to do in these situations is just go in there and prove that you are competent and capable. They'll leave you alone after that.
And I also need to note that it is not just L&D nurses. I have found nurses like this in every area I have had clinical in, and also the units that I have worked as a student nurse tech.
I often feel like I'm the bottem of a totem pole. The only thing we can do about it is not become one ourselves.