I totally get it now. As a student, I thought it would be great having students around, but after last week, I don't think I even wan to take students EVER!
Granted, I've been on the floor around 9 months, and shouldn't even take students, the students are assigned to individual pts and not the nurse.
I had a LPN in a LPN-RN program. Within 5 mins, she shares that she has been a nurse for 20 years and doesn't see the point of being here. She helped me do a dressing change on a pt with an stage 4 ulcer on the coccyx. While lifting her, I tell her not to pull on the bottom, but from the shoulders and knees, she scoffs and continues. I ask her to step away. Pt was on tube feeding and I had paused it before starting the dressing change, but I had also spiked a bag of antibiotics and wanted to be sure it was running before I continued and asked her to turn the pole towards me so I can be sure. She presses buttons on the feeding pump and IV pump and the tells me the feeding is off. Im in the middle of the dressing change and say, I need to see it (the iv pump and now feeding pump) and asks again for her to turn the pole and she insists that it is off. I stop in the middle of my dressing change and go to look at the pump. Take her aside and tell her not to come back in my pts room.
This isn't the first time have worked with students like this. I once had a guy nurse that just knew EVERYTHING there was to know about nursing. It was painful talking to him.
I just can't believe how obnoxious some of these students are. I totally get why so many nurses can't stand taking students. We do have awesome students every now and then, but it seems most of them take up space and talk all day.
Okay, so this particular student was frustrating. But don't let it spoil you on all students. Many, many students are respectful and grateful for the learning opportunity and will be more than happy to follow your direction and learn from you what they can. Remember how when you were a student, there were some nurses that you held in awe, who treated you with courtesy and were happy to teach you. You can be one of those nurses. Chin up. Move on. Better luck next time!
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I actually looked for similar threads before posting mine. Is this a common topic?
No, but they usually have hundreds of replies. Luckily your particular student's behavior is not the norm. I think most students genuinely don't understand how even well-meaning questions and/or interruptions can break up the workflow. The behavior you describe is someone who (my opinion) doesn't belong in nursing at all.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I hope you filed an incident report at work and a formal complaint with the instructor and the facility clinical liaison with the school. They need to know of such dangerous scenarios
I've precepted dozens of nurses finishing up their RN program. It does take extra energy but I have the opportunity to help guide and shape a nurse who may be taking care of my or my family someday.
I've had a few pull some bonehead stuff. In each case we sat down, reviewed what happened, considered what should have happened, and hopefully a learning process took place. I've also had some with lots of relevant experience. For those I recognized them for their experience and then re-directed to the care happening with MY patient on this day. I've never had a student quite as bad as yours but please don't judge all students by that one.
Most of the ones I've precepted were excellent and anxious to learn and to give excellent patient care.
I hope you filed an incident report at work and a formal complaint with the instructor and the facility clinical liaison with the school. They need to know of such dangerous scenarios
This. For all you know, this student may be acting out like this in all of her clinicals. She's a danger to the patients and to the reputation of her school.
Everybody keeps repeating that this student was dangerous. What?
I read and re-read the OP. Pulling by the legs, shoulders instead of bottom for Stage 4 sacrals? I've never heard of that. Then she didn't turn the pump around for her preceptor to see it. (Nowhere in the OP did it say she got them mixed up or turned one off and one on....nothing.) Okaaaay. Doesn't seem super dangerous to me.
what I see when I run this scenario through my head is a preceptor who doesn't like her orientee. "I told her to 'stand back'" because she made the life-threatening error of pulling on the bottom? Really?
Everybody keeps repeating that this student was dangerous. What?
I read and re-read the OP. Pulling by the legs, shoulders instead of bottom for Stage 4 sacrals? I've never heard of that. Then she didn't turn the pump around for her preceptor to see it. (Nowhere in the OP did it say she got them mixed up or turned one off and one on....nothing.) Okaaaay. Doesn't seem super dangerous to me.
what I see when I run this scenario through my head is a preceptor who doesn't like her orientee. "I told her to 'stand back'" because she made the life-threatening error of pulling on the bottom? Really?
Failure to follow instructions.
Why wait for her to do something "super dangerous" or super stupid when she has already demonstrated she can't follow the simple instructions of the nurse really responsible for the patient's care.
She was behaving like an experienced LPN and not the student RN role she is currently in. The RN is responsible for this patient not the student.
This is not a preceptor-orientee situation where the RN is responsible for orienting a new RN. A student role is much more limited and in my opinion should be supervised by the clinical instructor, not dumped on a busy staff nurse.
Everybody keeps repeating that this student was dangerous. What?
I read and re-read the OP. Pulling by the legs, shoulders instead of bottom for Stage 4 sacrals? I've never heard of that. Then she didn't turn the pump around for her preceptor to see it. (Nowhere in the OP did it say she got them mixed up or turned one off and one on....nothing.) Okaaaay. Doesn't seem super dangerous to me.
what I see when I run this scenario through my head is a preceptor who doesn't like her orientee. "I told her to 'stand back'" because she made the life-threatening error of pulling on the bottom? Really?
Read between the lines. It was only one day (or less). The student's already showing her colors. The danger wasn't in what happened that day. It is in what will likely follow.
If the student can't or won't follow instruction on the first day, what will she decline to do on all subsequent days? Worse, what will she do that is potentially harmful to a patient just because she thinks she already knows everything?
Performance issues aside, a student with an arrogant attitude and a horrible personality will be a nurse with an arrogant attitude and a horrible personality.
That student can either learn to behave in an appropriate manner or fail clinical.
Since this is a growing problem, I would not give report to a student until he or she gave me the number for the clinical instructor.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
And said students being certain that nurses are paid for taking students. And nurses should appreciate the astounding amount of "help" that a student gives. And students directly arguing against experienced nurses who tried to patiently explain the trials & tribulations that students can potentially bring. And in general displaying the entitlement factor that some (not all) students possess.
"Oh, and how do I report my nurse that I was with today? She TOUCHED a patient without gloves, and my instructor told me that isn't best practice. I'm gonna report her. Just tell me how."
Yeah, she was totally wrong and out of line, and if I was in your shoes I would've went straight to her clinical instructor about it. However, on the other hand I am a student nurse and for the most part we all enjoy working with the experienced nurses, helping out however we can and they also enjoy having us. Try not to put all student nurses in one basket, which it sounds to me like you're doing because remember ....YOU too was once a student! Good luck in your future!
Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN
1 Article; 2,816 Posts
Okay, so this particular student was frustrating. But don't let it spoil you on all students. Many, many students are respectful and grateful for the learning opportunity and will be more than happy to follow your direction and learn from you what they can. Remember how when you were a student, there were some nurses that you held in awe, who treated you with courtesy and were happy to teach you. You can be one of those nurses. Chin up. Move on. Better luck next time!