How do Nursing Instructors deal with this? Clinical site RNs don't want us around

[chicagrl]

Hi

I am a first year student. We have clinical once per week and have just started interacting with patients. Today we gave or helped with bed baths. The problem I see so far is that the nurses are definitely not friendly...in fact none of them seem to want us around. We are mostly in the way. I feel that this is an issue my school should deal with, at least our instructor. She finally admitted today that none of the nurses are very friendly. I am not sure what type of relationship she has with them but it does not seem like much of one.

Has this happened to you and how did you deal with it. We were supposed to sit in on report this morning and got "shooed away" literally. "shoo" We ended up talking with the PCT and eventually gave a bed bath . Our clinical instructor came to check up on us and then later told us all the things we "should" have done etc. It just seems like we need to shadow more but our instructor says we will only learn from "DOING" I agree but i had never even seen a heart monitor or leg compression boots until today ...as i was helping a pt get clean.

Any insight would be great . every one in my group is already counting down the clinical days.....we only go once per week ...until DECEMBER . It is obviously our instructors job to teach us - plus we have a skills check off session each week before clinical. It just seems to be very "incongruent"....

[Jules A, MSN]

news flash, dear...the floor nurses are not getting any of your "good money". they are already overworked, underpaid, and don't have time to pee on some shifts. i can see why you have a problem...and unless you change your attitude, its gonna get a whole lot worse.

frankly, that is not my problem. as bortaz said above, i am a grown adult and i do not have to put up with being bullied by the rn's. my school is directly linked to the hospitals we are in. they hire 85-95% of our graduates. if they want the students that they hire to be knowledgable and prepared when they graduate, then i would hope that they had the opportunity to work in a clinical setting that was condusive to learning.

wow.

as someone who has recently been on both sides of this fence please remember that as first year students you are doing only the basic tasks so your cnas will be your best resource at this time. personally i have found students to be extra work, without extra pay btw, and while there are some that are excellent students there are also some that make my difficult job even harder. had one a few weeks ago that was asking for help with nursing diagnoses and after i finally came up with one that suited her she immediately said "now i need another one", sheesh.

for those of you that feel entitled to certain things this will be a difficult experience for you and the staff that are unfortunate enough to have you on their unit. for those of you that are willing to take each experience as it comes, help where applicable, ask appropriate questions at appropriate times and basically act as the guests that you are on the unit you will benefit from most of your clinical experiences.

[vashtee, RN]

Our first semester nurses weren't very friendly or helpful, either. I can understand why - we couldn't do much of anything, really.

Now I am in my last semester, and the nurses don't seem to mind the students, but rather our "intense" clinical instructor who second-guesses everything they do and complains about the substandard care the patients are getting. :lol:

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I agree, nursing students shouldn't cop an attitude that they are paying good money for school and will be the future staffing salvation for the hospital in which they are doing clinicals. That's putting the cart before the horse, in my opinion, and will probably go over like a ton of bricks with established nurses...

[ICU/CCU, BSN, RN]

I just have a couple of comments to make. First, I graduated over 11 years ago and clearly remember what it felt like to be a student, the mean nurses, and the fear of doing even simple tasks I had never done before. I swore that I would never be one of those nurses who said "no" to taking a student or was mean to them.

I can safely say that I have not been mean to students, I understand that they are there to learn, but we don't get any of your hard earned money that you pay to go to school and honestly could care less if the hospital we work at hires most of you....no offense, we would rather have experienced nurses hired, it just makes our days easier. You do have to start somewhere, but humble would be a better place to start miarose.

Secondly, I work in ICU and am constantly orienting new grads that my boss hired in force or I have a student with me. There are some days that I just want to go in and do my job - alone. In ICU there are occassions when speed is imperative to a patient's health and to constantly have patience is difficult. Students walking into a unit for their one day a week do not realize that there were students from two schools there the day before and another school the day before that. I am in NO way saying that it excuses the behavior of the nurses and making you leave report is ridiculous - but when I say "no" to taking a student it is because I know I have been stretched far enough and I cannot even be nice to the people I like that day. Just try to think of the other side too. Good luck to you chicagrl! You will do just fine!

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

you do have to start somewhere, but humble would be a better place to start miarose.

..and who the hospital does or does not hire is a moot point, since students with superiority attitudes rarely get "rn" after their names.

[vashtee, RN]

when I say "no" to taking a student it is because I know I have been stretched far enough and I cannot even be nice to the people I like that day.

I think most of us understand that. In fact, I had an ICU nurse refuse to work with me this week. I wasn't offended - I know she had one of my classmates the previous week (and whoever else might have come in in the meantime). Besides, the nurse I ended up working for was so overwhelmed and busy, she was GLAD to have me, and I was able to help her quite a lot. I'd much rather work with a nurse who WANTS me to help than to be with someone who is (even temporarily) burned out with the students.

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

sadly, all it takes is one arrogant and unprepared student from the xyz school of nursing, and nurses don't want to work with any students from xyz. some nurses are awful to everyone, no doubt there, but even the nicest nurse gets put off by the bad apples in the group.

[Jw1724]

Although I've come across the "unpleasant" nurses, there are 10 times more unpleasant students in my opinion. I am completely understandable of this as nurses are stressed, overworked, and many of them are also in classes furthuring their education. I've run across some who just don't want students but for the most part, the nurses around here love working with us and testing us.

[MaryAnn_RN]

My first ward was a bit like that. I found a friendly health care assistant and stuck to her like glue. She taught me loads. Actually the RNs taught me something as well...to always treat student nurses respectfully.

[truern]

I am a first semester student too. I'm sorry, but I do not think we should have to put up with "those" type of nurses. I pay very good money to go to school and learn, not to be harassed or put off by people in the hospital. We are gonna be there, we are gonna learn. I hate to sound harsh towards them but I am there to learn and get a grade. I am not going to get intimidated by some nurse who was once in my shoes.

You and I would not get along. I don't care how much money you pay for school...guess what? been there, done that AND passed NCLEX.

I happen to love to have students, however nothing in MY job description says I have to. I love to teach, demonstrate, encourage....students ASK for me. Funny thing, though, I've yet to have one with your attitude.

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

most staff nurses are aware that they have a responsibility to mentor and teach others (it's in their written job duties).

i have never seen this in a staff rn's job description, nor have i ever written it into one as a manager. precepting is an additonal duty, and not all nurses are good at teaching....and mentoring is by definition voluntary.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I've never heard of that either. Most nurses don't mind students where I've ever been.

Pushy, foot stomping 'You owe it to me 'cause I have to study so hard and pay tuition' student nurses really would annoy me big time. I would give them the cold shoulder if they acted that way with me.

My primary concern while at work is the patients and their needs. I'm an advocate for the patient. The student nurse should respect that, above all. Sometimes, having to integrate a student nurse into the work day might be distracting.