Have you ever had fellow students make you feel really stupid and incompetent?

Nursing Students General Students

Published

I'm a Jr in a BSN program. I was in open lab today and was trying to help students a year below me insert a foley catheter. I have not done this skill since fundamentals, which was over a year ago, and so I was a bit rusty, and couldn't remember everything 100%. No, this isn't good but I've been so busy just trying to keep up with my Jr Level classes (Med surg etc) to keep up with every single skill I've learned so far.

I haven't gotten to insert one in clinicals yet, either. :/ I know this isn't an excuse but I was in there for the purpose of practicing, so it's not like I wasn't trying to amend the fact that I haven't done it in so long.

Anyways... when I went to set up my sterile field I was a bit awkward with it & one of the students looked at me like I was a complete idiot and was like... so how long has it been since you've done this? I was like, it's been a while. I'm humble enoguh to admit that & would never try to pretend to anyone that I'm not perfect- that's why I'm not a NURSE yet.

It made me feel horrified and very stupid. I said later that I was tired and she was like, why are you tired? And I was like... umm maybe because I was up most of the night writing papers? She just looked at me like "You're an idiot why are you here?"

When I know for a fact that a lot of the people in my class would have been the same way if they had been put in that situation. We have IV skills etc to learn and can't be constantly practicing every skill we learned in fundamentals.

Here, these students are a year below me and are making me look like I don't know jack crap. I feel really horrible about myself now. Yes, I need to work on my skills. That's what I was THERE for. Do people really expect nursing students to remember skills 100% that you learned over a year ago?

I just need some reassurance. It just really bothered me, and I guess it hurt my pride. I don't like how people think that because you're not perfect, you obviously don't know what you're doing, and she acted like I shouldn't be in nursing school.

Has it ever happened to you? Nursing students can be so brutal. :(

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

some people confuse smart with smart-aleck. Ignore that person. They will have trouble getting along with others at work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hematology/Oncology.

When you graduate you still dont know anything. lol, when you start working that when you start brushing up on your skills. Dont let it bother you

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That has not happened to me, but I know how you feel about being rusty in fundamental skills. I have never done a foley and at the moment couldn't tell you exactly how but I can draw blood great and know the steps to an IV like the back of my hand, because that's where I'm at in my education. When you first learn its fresh and you have to remember it for tests, but you don't get practice in as much as nurses do so how could you remember every step perfectly? My nurse at clinical today had to ask about how to do an enema because she hadn't done one in so long...don't feel bad. That student who made a fool out of herself, not you, will understand when she's in your shoes. And if she doesn't then I hope she realizes it before she graduates because if not she will have a hard time on the floor. .

Up Vote Up Vote ×
When you graduate you still dont know anything. lol, when you start working that when you start brushing up on your skills. Dont let it bother you

lol that's what everyone says! makes me feel better, thank you :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
That has not happened to me, but I know how you feel about being rusty in fundamental skills. I have never done a foley and at the moment couldn't tell you exactly how but I can draw blood great and know the steps to an IV like the back of my hand, because that's where I'm at in my education. When you first learn its fresh and you have to remember it for tests, but you don't get practice in as much as nurses do so how could you remember every step perfectly? My nurse at clinical today had to ask about how to do an enema because she hadn't done one in so long...don't feel bad. That student who made a fool out of herself, not you, will understand when she's in your shoes. And if she doesn't then I hope she realizes it before she graduates because if not she will have a hard time on the floor. .

wow, thank you :) I feel so much better now after having had read that! I'm glad I'm not the only one and someone understands! It's not that I was clueless, I just wasn't sure about some things since it's been so long. Thanks for helping another fellow nursing student out, I appreciate it. She had a bad attitude, it was almost like she was laughing at me. Of course if I was being evaluated on it that day like she was I would have had it down perfectly! But the fact is that I was evaluated on it a year ago and was signed off on it by my instructor. It just made me feel like I total idiot. I'm exactly like you. I was practicing IV's that day and got blood return first time around, but that's because I learned that skill this semester. It just made me feel insecure about my abilities as a student nurse. Thank you, though :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I had something similar happen to me. I am in my first semester of nursing school and we have a few people in our class that are EMT's or work in the medical field. Most of them like to make it known that they know something about the medical profession and some of them like to step on top of others and put them down while doing that. I was partnered up with one of these people and she made me feel beyond stupid that day it was awful.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Who cares what she thinks anyways? Some people do not appreciate you helping them and thats on them. Eventually they will learn.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent......Eleanore Roosevelt

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just had to do a central line dressing change in clinicals, we haven't done this for probably a year in skills lab so I was very rusty. I had my instructor and the nurse in the room walking me through it, because everyone knows we're not going to know everything and practice will make better (not perfect, lol). It's just a matter of doing it over and over again. I haven't done the foley in awhile either and when I was watching them insert one during a c-section I was in awe of how well they performed it then realized they probably do multiple ones every day so they have that practice.

I understand how you might be a little more sensitive because of lack of sleep, frustration, etc, but don't let anyone (junior classmates or not) make you feel inferior

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

While I agree with most of what the previous posters have said, I have a slightly different take on the incident. I believe you DO belong in nursing school ... but maybe you are not the right person to be trying to TEACH nursing right now. When you stepped into the teacher role, you raised the other students' expectation to a level you could not match. They assumed you had mastered that skill and were ready to teach it. As that was not the case, it probably would have been better for you to say ..."I'd be happy to answer a few questions based on what I remember from last year, but I have not performed that skill for a long time and am probably not the best person to be teaching or demonstrating it. For that, you should talk to someone who performs that skill regularly."

If they reacted badly to the above-strategy, then they would be jerks and not something to worry about. This sort of thing happens in nursing all the time. We need to openly acknowledge that we are not perfect in every way and move forward. Instead of "faking it" and doing a half-a** job of something, we need to admit that we are not experts at something or are rusty in the performance of a skill and then take the appropriate steps to make sure that our patients (or students) get what they need. If that means consulting someone else, or asking another nurse (student) to help, etc. .... then that's what you should do. You should not venture in and try to do stuff if you are not the right person to do it.

As a practicing nurse, that "faking it" kind of behavior leads to poor patient care. In this case in a student skills lab, it could lead to poor teaching and the younger students getting with wrong information. There is no shame in not being all-knowing and all-powerful. Admit it and focus on getting your patients what they need from a person able to provide it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but how we react to what happens, not by what life brings us but the attitude we bring to life. Wade Boggs

Just sayin'

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment