Is it normal to be ostracized as a student?

[Guest878640]

I was in my last semester of nursing school, and there was one nurse at the the hospital in which I was placed at who really didn't like me for whatever reason. She would ignore me at lunchtime, and other nurses who saw this followed (these nurses didn't ignore me when I first came but after they saw her ignoring me, they did the same). And this went on for the entire three months I had been placed there. Then it was made very apparent that she didn't like me when she made a going away party for her student (she's a preceptor), and she poured praise onto the student and I was going away too and she didn't mention me at all. I even caught her cast a sidelong look at me during the whole thing to see my reaction.

Has anyone else had similar experiences during their last semester as a student? How would you have reacted in this situation? Would you have taken offense or been able to stand it?

[mvm2]

I wouldn't let it bother you in the least!!! Stupid JR High behavior so not worth your energy.

You are graduating and will be moving on with your life and won't even have to think about her again except that she was a snob in school.

Don't give it another thought or waiste your energy. Just be happy and acknowledge all your hard work is about to pay off.

[thefmgirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

There are nurses like that everywhere...and people like that in every profession. At my first job, I deviated from a policy because I felt it wasn't in the best interest of my patient. The oncoming nurse told me I wasn't paid to think and they had that policy for a reason. She was rude and nasty...and wrong. It wasn't best for my patient and the doctor and manager felt the same way. So, just keep being yourself and ignore those who can't accept that. There will be people who act that way for no reason, and that's their problem, not yours.

[caliotter3]

I probably wouldn't apply for a job on that unit.

[Gooselady, BSN, RN]

You are definitely not alone -- sometime, whether during your student days or early days as a new-er nurse, you'll run into a poorly behaved SOMEBODY, another nurse, a manager, whoever. It is inevitable, let's put it that way. My 'inevitable' was my preceptor for my senior practicum. She'd been a nurse for three years, and fit that stereotype of the hard-@$$, high (nay, impossible) expectations, and in general, just knowing she was standing there made my hands shake and my mind go blank LOL!

No, it is NOT funny when you are in the middle of it But this is a very small 'blip' on the radar, considering all the things you'll do, people you'll meet, and all that stuff. Time and perspective will relegate this episode into 'aggravating, but no big deal'. Try to force yourself to remember this is not a forever type thing. We can't all get wonderfully supportive AND firm preceptors (the firm is necessary). And you got a real loser, as far as I'm concerned.

I also wouldn't dream of filing a resume to work there, or anywhere near a nurse with that kind of behavior -- unless I was quite experienced at that particular job and could block him or her out. The more time under your belt, the less this kind of immature junior high behavior gets under your skin. You know good and well this person is acting like a jerk, and you don't deserve to be treated like that. Remember what it feels like and vow to yourself NEVER to behave that way with all the new nurses YOU will someday be orienting or precepting. That kind of helped me, and I've never forgotten how it feels to be a new nurse, so unsure of myself, and then to have someone appear to ENJOY brow beating me.

I probably could not be bullied by a coworker at this point (no matter how hard they tried LOL). You'll be there, too. Good luck, and just get through this. Not all units OR nurses are so pathetic and unprofessional. This is how you DON'T want to be :)

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

First off, I have to say I am extremely proud of you for NOT taking offense. It says a great deal about your character, and you need to be proud of yourself that you had little to no reaction to this.

It is difficult to take everything in at a clinical site as far as patients, never mind the foolishness of another "more experienced" nurse. And that you head held high at the "party" for your classmate--that is something to celebrate for you.

If they ask students for clinical feedback, I would focus on your learning experiences as far as the clinical skills you were able to master, and that it enabled you to develop your nursing character and not to let anything other than the patient be the focus.

The nurse in question should be ashamed of themselves. But some nurses make it their whole lives, get some sort of kick out of their own perceived superiority. Sad, but true.

I would have really, really loved it if the classmate who was being "celebrated" then said something in her "thank you" like "I would also like to acknowledge that hydrochloro is finishing up her time here as well. We made it, and this celebration should be a shared one"

With all that being said, you parents should be very, very proud of you. How you conducted yourself is a fine example of character and integrity. Use it going forward for your patients, and be sure that work is work and your time is your time--filled with stuff that you love, and people you want to spend time with.

Best wishes!