Help! How do I survive this!!!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 15, 2004

Talk to your instructors. If you are truly being berated by the nurses who don't want students, then they need to find you proper nurses to work with. We are very selective about who we give students here, they are usually are best and brightest nurses and they are always willing to have a student. If a nurse doesn't want a student, then that nurse shouldn't be given a student.

You shouldn't be berated by the nurses you are assigned to. Obviously there's attitude because students here talk of the nurses on units they are assigned to giving it to them. But the one nurse you are assigned to needs to be top notch and supportive, even if her coworkers aren't.

I too was green when I went to school. I worked in insurance and restaurants and was so nervous. All these years later I remember that when I'm working with new grads (on night shift we don't get students). Now that I'm back on the floor I've been tapped as a preceptor and I remember, as I know you will to. Stay calm, and stay confident and don't let anyone tear you down. Best of luck to you.

RN92 · Sep 16, 2004

Some people need to berate other people to inflate their own egos. What these nurses may not realize, is that you may be working with them someday. There may be a day when you are orienting them to your department. They may need your help - and you will remember.

Many, many nursing students have walked in your shoes. Dont let a few frustrated, burnt out, holier than thou nurses discourage you. You've worked too hard for too long to give in now.

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2004

OK...we don't have enough help so we chase away those trying to help us.

Please give me addresses, I need to talk to these idiots.

Or better, come work with me.....PLEASE.

Talk to your instructor and the recruiting department at the hospital you are doing clinical in.

Unfortunately there are too many burnt out nurses and too few NURSES that are willing to work as nurses right now.

I love nursing, I will happily orient anyone to any department except labor/delivery, postpartum and OR....I have experience in most other areas critical care to LTC.

LadyMadonna · Sep 16, 2004

Even as an LPN student I found that attitudes were plenty (especially the OR at this particular hospital). One of my school peers made the comment one time, "they must think we should have been born in a scrub suit."

On a med-sug floor I asked a nurse if she had time to help me with something and she threw up her hands and said, "I don't have time for that."

There were some really nice nurses though. The nicest one I found happened to be in the OR :chuckle

I think it is easy for some nurses to get puffed up and on a high horse because they know they are what we are hoping to become. But remember they may find themselves on the other side of the nametag one day.

I feel like making sure my SRN nametag reads "you're just another brick in the wall." just to be on the defensive side.

Don't worry about those silly nurses. Just think about how far you've come! Think of the way they are treating you as a character building experience. I think I would still ask the instructor to pair me with someone who wasn't so constipated. Good luck!

pricklypear · Sep 16, 2004

I guess what you guys don't know is that those nurses who treat students badly WERE born in scrub suits!!!! They never had to go to school, duh! they already knew everything at conception! Unfortunately, the rest of us have to learn the hard way. Get through your clinical days the best you can. When you graduate, learn something new every day. And when it is your turn to have a student, or a preceptee, reverse the trend and nurture them!!! If we all did this, think about what the nursing profession could accomplish!

tinkerwomp · Sep 16, 2004

I am also a good student academically. And recently I worked on a floor with some nurses who were downright inappropriate. Trust the inner voice. If you feel that something needs to be said, say it. Tell your instructor about your experiences. Stand proud and try not to worry about others' egos. This too shall pass and you'll get through it. Only the patient matters, really. Good luck. Student in Cincinnati.

talaxandra · Sep 16, 2004

Speaking to your instructor is a good idea. Other than that, I don't think that there's anything you can do differently that will change the behaviour of the nurses you're working with. That said - and I'm certainly not condoning their unhelpfulness - be aware that your priorities and theirs don't cohere. Things that may seem very important to you may, in the bigger picture that the RN's working with, be less vital.

My experience has been that students often have the perspective that their presence lightens the RN's work load, freeing her/him up, and they ought therefore have more time to help out the student. This however has not been my experience - I love to teach, I am aware that students don't have the knowledge or experience that I have, and I love being a nurse; there are still many days where working with students has massively increased my workload. Though this is not the fault (or the problem) or individual students, we are all human, and that means I am not always as receptive, supportive or encouraging as I would like. Just a thought :)

You've only got until December? Congratulations and good luck :) This, too, shall pass.

JacelRN, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2004

If I read your post correctly, you graduate in December. Look to the future, it will not always be such a trial. You will learn the necessary skills to know what you're doing and your first job will teach you plenty. Take the advice of those great posts and talk to your instructors but overall know you are soon to graduate. Then, get a job where they have a good orientation process including a mentoring program. Fight to have an excellent preceptor that you click with and don't just settle for someone who doesn't help you.

This problem will be solved by time but there will always be a few nurses who act this way...unfortunately, its the way of nursing life. Being able to brush it off, grow thicker skin and not take it personally are skills all nursing schools should include in their curriculum.

Many of us have faced this and survived, so will you! Chin up.

God Bless,

JacelRN

Farkinott, RN · Sep 17, 2004

Talk to your instructors. If you are truly being berated by the nurses who don't want students, then they need to find you proper nurses to work with. We are very selective about who we give students here, they are usually are best and brightest nurses and they are always willing to have a student. If a nurse doesn't want a student, then that nurse shouldn't be given a student.
You shouldn't be berated by the nurses you are assigned to. Obviously there's attitude because students here talk of the nurses on units they are assigned to giving it to them. But the one nurse you are assigned to needs to be top notch and supportive, even if her coworkers aren't.
I too was green when I went to school. I worked in insurance and restaurants and was so nervous. All these years later I remember that when I'm working with new grads (on night shift we don't get students). Now that I'm back on the floor I've been tapped as a preceptor and I remember, as I know you will to. Stay calm, and stay confident and don't let anyone tear you down. Best of luck to you.

This is EXCELLENT advice from Tweety!

SCRN1 · Sep 17, 2004

I work nights and would LOVE it if we had nursing students. (Hmmmmmm, not really a bad idea for students to do some clinicals at night since most will start out working nights anyway.) I enjoy working with some of our techs who are in nursing school and show that they are trying to learn everything they can about nursing.

When I was in school, I never really had many bad experiences with the nurses. Our instructors really looked out for us. If there was a nurse who showed her "bad side", the instructor would usually go to the Nurse Manager with it and next thing you know, the attitude problem would go away. Maybe that's what your instructor(s) should do too.

Hang in there! LPNs have to go through the same things too during clinicals...same hospitals, same nurses. Hate to say it, but they may even have it harder because some RNs may look down their noses more on an LPN student than an RN one.

nurscee · Sep 17, 2004

OK, you guys are the reason I posted. I knew there were good nurses out there and just really needed to hear from them.

This is the hardest semester yet with daughter having severe asthma and taking care of her three grandbabies. Think it is all adding up.

I decided to plan a nice vacation when this semester is over as a carrot to dangle.

Once again THANKS for encouraging words...and God bless!