Helping other students!!

kiszi, RN · Oct 28, 2014

I think maybe you are reading too much into your advisor's comment. No one is going to expect you to help others constantly to the point where it affects your own tasks or learning. The clinical environment allows for the possibility of helping other students AFTER all your work is done. Clinical instructors vary greatly on this and some don't even want students helping each other.

Your advisor is not a nurse or instructor and probably doesn't even know how clinicals typically operate. My advice is to feel out your clinical instructor to see what you are supposed to be doing during downtime. What is expected for you will be no different from the others. Chances are there will be other CNAs in your group as well.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Oct 28, 2014

Your first clinical will most likely be LTC and that is an area that you have some expertise in. Most of the LTC clinical is "CNA" work and you can help your classmates do certain things after you have done your care. After that semester you become just like everyone else. Like the PP stated, it will also depend on the clinical instructor as to how much they want you to help your classmates. Helping too much will make it difficult to evaluate their performance.

Scuba_NurseBSN · Oct 28, 2014

I agree. You are reading into it waaay too much. In clinical the focus is on your patient and your growth as a student. If you have time to help someone who is unsure of how to complete cares then do so. (also it looks good to the instructor when you are working as a team). But it is really good you have the CNA stuff down because then you will have more time to focus on nursing stuff. So don't worry, you will not be expected to help other students.

Jenngirl34RN · Oct 28, 2014

"Helping classmates" does not necessarily mean devoting a ton of time tutoring people. My classmates and I all help each other. If one of us has a question or is struggling with a concept or skill we are all willing to help them out. If someone is behind because their patients are more time consuming, one of us who is caught up will jump in and help them out. It is as simple as that- if you are able, help someone out the way you would want them to help you out if you needed it. Nursing school is hard as hell, so it is really nice to be in a situation where you and your classmates have each others' backs.

RunBabyRN · Oct 29, 2014

I agree that you're reading way too much into this. It's not like she's going to rely on you as an instructor or expect you to help people at the risk of sacrificing your own experience. You are a student first and foremost.

It's quite normal for instructors to ask experienced students to help. You may see this if you have paramedics, military medics, or other experienced people in your class. Having been a Navy corpsman, I helped with certain things like IVs occasionally. There are things I knew, of course, but by NO means what I relied upon to supervise or anything like that. My stuff needed to be done before I could help others. I often roped people in, however, when I could. I seemed to get a lot of really "cool" stuff, so I tried to grab a classmate when they were available to show them or to let them see what I was also seeing for the first time. Sometimes they're game, sometimes they're not. Go with the flow, and if somehow it becomes too much, just say something to the instructor. Ultimately, nursing school is a team sport, and there's a certain amount of give and take. There will be people who have a stronger grasp on something than you, and you'll be grateful if they can give you a little guidance in that area in return.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Oct 29, 2014

I think you are overthinking it. My partner for lab is a friend of mine who is also a PCT. She has been a great resource and help to me on things like sterile field, trach care, and catheters. She helps me and I have reciprocated when she has needed it. There have been several times in check off she may forget something and I help her out. I was able to help her because she helped me to understand in the beginning. Take it as a compliment and stop worrying.