help with interferring classmate

I have a similar situation in my institution - I think the faculty is much more adept in their perceptions than they allow us to realize and it is just their method to not show that these things are being picked up on, or to not address such things in a public capacity. This particular student is already on clinical warning which means they're on the faculty's radar. I'd just trust in the process filtering the weak out.

I don't want to tell my instructor anything. I want to discuss the situation. I have no doubt the student will fail out, one more clinical error and she's gone. In the meantime I don't want her near my patients. She had a huge med error, and put a high fall risk pt on the toilet and walked away resulting in a fall. Should I have faith and patience in the system or mention my concerns now?

That's a tough decision. If I did decide to have this conversation with an instructor, i'd be sure to approach it 100% from the standpoint of patient safety and not allow any personal opinions about the other student to trickle into the convo. Maintaining a professional environment sans cattiness can be overlooked in a clinical setting but I personally think that it is very important to maintain a professional rapport at all times. Tense situations can only lead to error, uncomfortable situations for all people on a unit including patients, and headaches.

This situation will probably serve as an excellent learning tool for your future nursing career. I am sure there are going to be interpersonal conflicts that come about that will result in your having to go to your Nurse Manager and this situation is one that will allow you practice your own communication skills to ultimately get what you want in the professional setting: That woman away from your patients.

Is it possible your classmate was just trying to help? Maybe the classmate noticed the pt walking to the BR without assist and ran in to prevent them from falling? This is may not have been the case, and she was guilty of sloppy work again, but initially I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt.

What is it you think I did wrong?

Ok let me clarify a little. She thought my patient was cute, and walked in to say hello. The fall risk signs were up, fall risk bracelet, we all were at report and it was clear she was an assist of 2. She went in to her room just to chat, my pt told her she wanted to try voiding. The student had the pt get out if bed. the only reason I wasn't there is because my instructor told me to assist a student with her pt.

I'm not trying to be the instructor, if so I would have said "stay away from my patient". I said nothing at all. I sincerely believe I am failing my patient if standby and do nothing. I also do not want to create conflict. That is why I am on here seaking advice (from complete strangers online). I've decided to let it go.

The issue here is pt safety. whether or not this person is on probation in clinical is not relevant. This reminds me of something that happened in my first quarter. The other students were taking the vitals machines in and out of contact precautions rooms and using their stethoscopes on MRSA pts without once taking out a sani-wipe to clean them off. I was passive about it first and tried to get the point across without embarrassing them. e.g walking up to them and saying, "Have you seen where the sani wipes went? I just used this cart/ steth/ whatever and i need to clean it before going to another pt" I know that was not very assertive, but i was a newbie and i was uncomfortable with the idea of correcting my classmates. I went to my instructor and said that we had not gone over contact precautions in theory yet and i could use a lesson on what each level meant the the extent of caution and the rational required for each. We had a mini lesson in post conference and that got the point across.

my point being, make it a learning experience. even if you dont go to your instructor, this is already a learning experience for you.