I am furious over my most recent clinical experience. I'm in my last semester of school and graduating in May. Our school waits until 4th semester to learn IV's. Well, the "goals" for this semester is to get as much IV experience, practice on all other procedures/shots, and shadow a real RN. Well, my first clinical night with a new preceptor was a disaster. I was assigned a travel/agency RN from NY. This was her 2nd night in a new hospital and a new state. She is given specific instructions to let me do all IV's, meds, procedures etc on this patient. She happily agrees, but doesnt listen. Next thing I know, she's hanging IV's, giving heparin shots, and changing tubing. All these things were supposed to be done by me and checked by her. When asked, she kept saying, "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot". It was as if she resented me being there and just wanted to get the job done without taking time to teach me. Next thing I know, she is volunteering me to give this hemiparetic, 250+ comatose man a bed bath and mouth care. Not that I think this is not a nursing role by no means, however, this is not something I need to learn again. How is it she forgets to teach me IV's, but suddenly remembers I can do a bed bath? I was furious. I learned how to do bed bath's 1st semester and certainly did not need the practice now. So, I essentially spent the whole evening doing "tech" stuff and learned nothing about IVs or the nursing role. Again, I'm not saying bed bath and oral care are not important, however, I need to be practicing procedures and IVs not bed baths. So, I guess my point was why are some RN's so reluctant to teach students and others so great? I felt she was using me to do the jobs she didnt want to do. The other students were doing caths, NG's, etc and I got stuck with a bed bath and oral care. Just wanted to get some input from the veteran RN's out there.
Specializes in Hospice and Palliative Care, Family NP.
Originally posted by sjoe
The problem is with whoever assigned this preceptor to you. It was a singularly inappropriate assignment for the travel nurse to be given for several reasons, and any competent person would know that.
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I was thinking the very same thing as I read your post. Go to your instructor at your school and discuss this with her. They need to know about this!
And also, all new grads feel a bit or alot, clueless when they first graduate and start to work. I look back at myself and it's truly amazing how much more I have learned and still learn about nursing. :)
opnions of a student are valid....when presented in a mature manner...when sais student then resorts to virtual playground antics, said students opinions cease to hold credibilty.
OBNURSEHEATHER
1,961 Posts
I'm rubber, you're glue.
WTF? Can you make a valid, adult argument here?
Heather