Losing respect for nursing students

Nurses General Nursing

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I've always been one that enjoyed having students. Im not one to eat the young. We were all there once. But I feel like I'm losing respect for some of the new students coming out. I guess I'm old school but we did not sit when we were students and we did not stand at the desk and gossip. You did not see a nurse or a doctor standing and a student sitting. Uniforms that look disastrous and hair hanging down. They are at times loud and unruly. Is the respect for our profession gone? Or is it just me?

Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

I just read the posts on this thread with jaw dropped. I can't believe the gall of some of these students. Thankfully, I have not heard of any students in my hospital do things like this. I was a student not that long ago, but then again I am one of those for whom nursing is a 2nd career. I had a full professional life in my prior career, so I am no stranger to a strong work ethic and dedication to one's task and was very different from a nursing student who has yet to have a full-time job. And I am likely going to start precepting new nurses this summer, I will be damned if I get one of these whiners, they definitely won't stay like that for long under my wing. As for nurses gossiping at the nurses station, this happens way too often where I work, and I constantly wonder what is it that I am doing wrong that allows me less time to have such casual moments on the floor. I am running around for hours yet these other nurses are lounging. And God forbid I ask for help on something, I don't see them jumping up like a Mexican bean from their gossip session to help. Don't get me started ... or rather, don't let me continue ... :no:

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Thank you, LMCCRN62 for teaching! By not feeding them the answers, you're instilling critical thinking skills in them. I'm sure your co-workers and management understand.

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In every program there are going to be duds, but if the whole program is duds it very well might speak of the program.

There were students in my class I wouldn't want to touch me, and ones I would trust with my life.

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Quick question....are these student nurses young or 2nd career types? I ask because I am a 2nd career type and even while in pre-reqs, I have come SO close to losing my cool with people...usually the teeny-boppers who are fresh out of highschool and don't take this as seriously as I think they should.

I agree, I'm a 2nd career person and those that are in my class are more mature. Not giggling, gossiping and not paying attention.

Also, part of it is the school. Our school is super strict on uniform, hair, jewelry, etc. But some instructors require that we have all our paperwork complete before we leave and that is when I'm sitting somewhere off to the side writing up my drugs, labs, procedures, things I need a reference for.

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No, if I ask you why is your patient taking lactulose please don't say, I don't know, why do they? I am not giving you the answer believe me I know the answer.

I'm the student who always has the off-the-wall question, the "what if" questions. All my instructors have been great but the best one doesn't answer me, instead she prompts me through the thought process I need to figure it out on my own.

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Specializes in Pain, critical care, administration, med.

Absolutely Dawn, I try to teach them to think and look it up. I never expect they know everything but figure out how to get the answer then we talk about it and expand on it.

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I'm 27, graduating ADN in September, brand new to medical tho. All the stuff mentioned here... sounds like so many from my program.

Some instructors are super super strict about enforcing rules, others are not. Students as young as 20 and as old as 55 have been blatantly cheating for some time now. As far as I can tell, nothing is being done about it, because they push the envelope, and keep pushing, and no one tells them NO.

We are combined with LPN's bridging. They are some of the worst. They have been a nurse for 30 years, so they know absolutely everything. And they will tell you, or the nurse or the instructor, "that's not how WE do it at my job"....

We had a very rare opportunity to be in the OR during surgery, (a c section) and students who really WANT to be an OB nurse all turned down the chance. Some don't study, and then wonder why they are struggling.

It amazes me what students try to get away with, and it still amazes me what some instructors will tolerate.

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Good point. I am a nursing student, but this is my second career/second bachelors...I am a 32 year old wife and mother of two. I would never do some of the things mentioned in this post. Generally speaking, I think you see a different attitude with the older students.

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Every generation berates the next for being lazy, disrespectful, and generally disappointing.

There are lazy, disrespectful and disappointing people in every generation. Doesn't mean the world is going to crap. But I don't know if it's more media coverage or an actual increase in horrible people, but it does seem like things are getting worse. Maybe I'm just turning into my grandpa.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.
Every generation berates the next for being lazy, disrespectful, and generally disappointing.

There are lazy, disrespectful and disappointing people in every generation. Doesn't mean the world is going to crap. But I don't know if it's more media coverage or an actual increase in horrible people, but it does seem like things are getting worse. Maybe I'm just turning into my grandpa.

I truly believe it is the media, plus we know way too much about way too many other people. Facebook and other social media sites have opened us up to more people than we would ever run into on a day to day basis and alerts us to their every move. In the 60's my mom was almost abducted with her friend by a stranger, I spent all of the 90's running around town and never had any issues. I love reading "new" stories about kids snorting smarties, knowing full well kids did it in my age as well.

But back on topic I think the actions of the students speaks more for the program than the generation in total.

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I agree with what others have said that it sounds like a poor nursing program with poor instructors. I remember my first semester (2011) we had to line up and have our uniforms inspected before clinical. Our group was taught that we were the guests in the hospital and therefore we were to act appropriately or there would be consequences. My instructors didn't tolerate loitering at the nurses station. I'd go from room to room to see if there was something I could help with. I can't imagine the opportunities students miss if they don't try to actively participate.

All that being said, there are always going to be disrespectful, lazy, and annoying students. Guess what? They turn into disrespectful, lazy, and annoying nurses. Ideally, I think it's the job of the nursing school to tighten up and weed them out.

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"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise...They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

- Plato (4th century BC)

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