We have several new grads in our ER. I'm starting to think that most nurses should have at least a year on a more general ward before learning a specialty.
I'm seeing some clueless mistakes, and lack of basic skill in pt care. That includes things like how to clean a pt and roll and change bedding. Basics about IV med administration, dose calculations, prioritizing, and realities of inpatient care. They have no idea how the rest of the hospital functions.
On top of that, some of them seem to harbor elitist attitudes, as if they are already big hotshots. Yet, they themselves seem to lack the above mentioned skills.
grad school, undergrad, they're mostly the same. this link has a list of nursing schools rankings (non-grad school)
my point is that no community college or get-me-thru-your-nursing-program-as-fast-as-possible school is listed here, it's the big name schools that are going to provide you with the best experiences.
my point is that no community college or get-me-thru-your-nursing-program-as-fast-as-possible school is listed here, it's the big name schools that are going to provide you with the best experiences.
Whatever gives you this idea about the quality of community college nursing education?
As a new nurse educator, current ICU night shift RN, and a nurse who started in ICU as a new grad (I'd worked in that ICU as a CNA/unit secretary for 3 years); I find this post interesting.
Remember that nursing schools are different in their focus and their access. We are blessed that we live in a community where we do not have to fight for clinical time. In some areas of our state, nursing schools have to be in a consortium that tells you two years out what clinical sites you get to send students to. Our students complete their clinical hours at clinical sites. Because we are an ADN program we have a 7 quarter nursing program. That means our students get an extra quarter of clinical that the BSN programs in our state do not. We have virtually removed all out-rotations to specialty areas so that students have more hands on clinical time. Our students have voiced displeasure, but the facilities that hire our grads said our graduates needed more experience. We require total care during their time in the nursing program. While I urge the students to advocate for any learning opportunity possible, sometimes we are limited by the policies of the sites we are at. Also as we see a decline in the use of tubes/lines, we also see a decline in the opportunities to learn these skills.
I tell all my students that they are in charge of their learning experiences and to be assertive in their learning needs. Some do, some don't.
If you do happen to encounter a nursing student who isn't meeting your expectations, please give them honest feedback. They cannot improve if you do not let them know. Please give their clinical instructor honest feedback. Students can perform very differently when I am observing them at the clinical site than when the primary nurse is working with them. When I check in with the nurses working with my students I always here that the students are doing great, even if I know the student needs improvement in certain areas and I try to get the nurse to give constructive feedback. If you feel the schools in your area are failing, why not let them know in what areas so they can improve? No student nurse, nurse, nurse educator, hospital, nursing school, person, etc. can improve on the area you believe they are deficient in, if you do not tell them.
I believe nurses can be successful in specialty areas upon graduation. It all depends on past experience, if they made the most of their nursing school opportunities, and their willingness to continue an intense learning journey.
As for school rankings, do you know how they determine school rankings? Is it based on how prepared those nurses will be? How much time they get to spend in actual clinical sites? Or does it have to do with statistics such as how much the faculty publish? Check it out. As with any statistic, you need to look at what it is measuring to know if the value is applicable to what you are looking for.
the "master's programs" in this list are pretty much the same big name schools that are in the undergrad list that I just posted, see above
You know, as someone who want to a school pretty high up on both lists (University of Texas), I don't feel like I'm any better than my preceptor who got her ADN at a cc and did her BSN online. If I become half the nurse she is, I'll be better than a lot of people with whom I graduated. And that's not sucking up. I'm two years out, and she's still a role model for me, even if she hasn't been my preceptor in a long time.
Nursing is up to the individual, not completely up to a program ranking list. I had a student who went to my alma mater who legitimately asked me what the "other tube on the nasal cannula is for?", and when I answered that our crash carts have hookups for capnography, he asked me what capnography was. And I KNOW he's supposed to know and that he's been taught, because he already had his critical care class and has his BLS, if nothing else.
Specializes in OR 35 years; crosstrained ER/ICU/PACU.
Yes Rose_Queen, I agree! As a student in an ADN program in 1976, we had a 6 week OR rotation: we scrubbed, we circulated, we charted. I soon knew I wanted to be an OR nurse, & by 1984 I was a proud part of the team. I became the 3-11 Charge RN, & had to juggle a lot of duties: prioritizing cases, staffing, instruments, supplies. I still scrubbed or circulated when I needed to. My 6 week OR rotation in college certainly helped, but those few years I worked on a Surgical floor gave me the best organization & planning skills, as well as anticipating other potential problems that may arise. I feel badly for today's nursing students: a day to observe in the OR, & it's not even a full day, as they leave @ 1pm for post-conference. Standing on a step trying to see what's happening isn't adequate at all. More time in more specialties could be very beneficial in helping,students narrow down their choice of specialty.
grad school, undergrad, they're mostly the same. this link has a list of nursing schools rankings (non-grad school)
my point is that no community college or get-me-thru-your-nursing-program-as-fast-as-possible school is listed here, it's the big name schools that are going to provide you with the best experiences.
No, it's a different website referencing the same list you posted earlier.
You know, as someone who want to a school pretty high up on both lists (University of Texas), I don't feel like I'm any better than my preceptor who got her ADN at a cc and did her BSN online. If I become half the nurse she is, I'll be better than a lot of people with whom I graduated. And that's not sucking up. I'm two years out, and she's still a role model for me, even if she hasn't been my preceptor in a long time.
Nursing is up to the individual, not completely up to a program ranking list. I had a student who went to my alma mater who legitimately asked me what the "other tube on the nasal cannula is for?", and when I answered that our crash carts have hookups for capnography, he asked me what capnography was. And I KNOW he's supposed to know and that he's been taught, because he already had his critical care class and has his BLS, if nothing else.
Specializes in Cardiac ICU, ER, PICU, Corrections.
I could not agree more. I am so tired of seeing these hot-to-trot new grads who do not even know how to draw insulin or insert a foley catheter! Jeeze-Louise! I did start out as a specialty LPN in Corrections, but I got a lot of my bedside skills as a CNA previously. Now I am happily an RN on the Cardiac unit :)
I could not agree more. I am so tired of seeing these hot-to-trot new grads who do not even know how to draw insulin or insert a foley catheter! Jeeze-Louise!
How are these "hot-to-trot" new grads supposed to learn how to draw up insulin and insert a foley if we don't have the patience and willingness to teach them?
I graduated from a community college and got my BSN online at a big university. I also started out in ICU as a new grad. Anyone can learn - they just have to be willing. Whether or not someone chooses to go straight into a specialty or not is their decision and I don't think it is a bad thing as long as they really want to do what's best for their patients.
If I would have had to get a years worth of experience on the floor before specializing in the ER I would have been absolutely miserable. I worked for 2 & 1/2 years as a tech on the floor and felt that I had already had enough (not experience. Enough of the floor). I needed the change and I'm so thankful the ER gave me my shot when I graduated. I also had many references stating that I was a hard worker and had initiative.
Do I think every new grad should go straight to a specialty? Nope. But saying that every new grad shouldn't specialize until they've had experience isn't the way to go either. Every nurse goes a different path and I'm so thankful I was able to go mine.
I started in the ED as a new grad. I had been a CNA, medic, & ED tech for years prior. I get what you're saying because I said the same thing. You and I seem to be the same brand.
Now I wish all new grads did a residency before working in the ED. I didn't realize how much the seasoned nurses had my back until I walked in their shoes. For perspective: we only know what we know; and yeeeears later I am still learning. You know what I mean?
Well, I'm not writing this to be snotty, or insinuate that you're not worthy of your role, (kudos to you for the hard work!). I'm writing this because I think we lose too many new nurses to cognitive dissonance and poor support systems for new grads. We need to make a home for them while not compromising the department as a whole in that process...
That said, I support new grad residency programs 100% . If any new grads reading this have the opportunity to do a new grad program, I hope you jump on it!
goodgrief
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Best Nursing Schools in the US | CollegeAtlas.org
grad school, undergrad, they're mostly the same. this link has a list of nursing schools rankings (non-grad school)
my point is that no community college or get-me-thru-your-nursing-program-as-fast-as-possible school is listed here, it's the big name schools that are going to provide you with the best experiences.