? for Nurses who deal with nursing students

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello,

I am about to begin my clinicals at the hospital and I was told that some nurses don't like nursing students around. I don't know if this is true but I thought I would ask my question.

What is it that I can do to assure that I don't bother any of the nurses? That is the last thing I would want to do!:o Does anyone have any suggestions or problems you've had in the past that I could make sure NOT to do? I would really appreciate any input :)

If there is already a post about this- could you kindly direct me there?

Thank you !!

Your objective is to learn how to deliver safe patient care. If that rubs another nurse the wrong way, tough. You will learn not to be THAT KIND of nurse.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU, Neuro/Trauma stepdown.

irishnurse has seen alot, i would never dream of doing some of this stuff, but there are obviously people who do:o ...thank you for point out the wrong things to do...and everyone else has given great advise as well.

as a student, clinicals have always been a source of anxiety for me, however if have learned to swallow my fears (of the evil nurses who don't want us around), put on a happy face, introduce myself, be eager to learn and willing to help.

just this quarter i have learned how valuable the nurses can be to us students...my instructor is new to the school and has been out of the clinical area for a VERY long time...the nurses are my greatest resource for handling all this new fangled equipment. Also, many a day my nurse is thanking ME, after all, sometimes we do take quite a bit of their assignment for the day which lightens their load (and also gives them time to help you), but before you ask for help....look it up!! don't forget about the policy and procedures guide, it's there for a reason, any procedure i have to look up, i also photocopy to study more later....

whew, i'm getting windy...keep on, keepin' on, you'll get through it!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I love having students around. Really, I do! Then energy and drive to learn is wonderful-----and they keep me on my toes, which is a good thing.

But I do think it helps when students at least try to find information on their own whenever possible and are able to see "the big picture" and know when it's a bad time to get in the way or ask questions that CAN wait until things slow down. I also am not there to do anyone's homework for her/him. Yes, I have had students try to get me to give them all their answers for school projects/assignments. Sorry, but that is not what I am there for and no one can learn this way.

Before you wonder, yes, I remember what it was like as a student---and I did deal with some very cross and rude nurses. I vowed never to treat students like that ---and I never will. But I do appreciate students who approach the unit with the attitude they are there to learn, help when they can and know when to stay out of the way (if things are crazy-busy or going badly)---and do NOT have a sense of any sort entitlement. I see a lot of that; nothing burns me up more. From a staff nurse perspective, I know you are there to learn---I know you have questions, but please observe the unit and what is going on and know when is and is not a good time to stop me and ask a lot of questions!

GOOD LUCK to you!

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Specializes in Gerontology.

Don't be afraid to ask questions if you are not sure how to do something. Better to question and learn than make an error - I often think of the time when I filled a stool sample container too full - and took too long to send it to the lab. I was later told it exploded in the lab . This could have been prevented if I had asked how to do it!

Wait you turn for equipment/supplies - I once had a student try and take th thermometer I was using b/c "she needed it".

If your work is all done, offer to help others.

Don't sit around gossiping while other people are running around like crazy.

Above all - be cheerful, be grateful when told something and look for opportunites to learn new skills! If you hear than someone has staples to come out and you've never done it, ask if you can.

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Specializes in Acute rehab/geriatrics/cardiac rehab.

Just wanted to say, I love having students around, love their energy, love their eagerness.

Only advice I can give is "There is no such thing as a stupid question, when in doubt, ask questions. If the nurse is too busy to answer the question at that moment, please don't take it personally, she's not ignoring you and she could be slightly overwhelmed at the moment. :smiley_ab Hopefully she will try to answer it later". Also know that every nurse is different, we each have our own personalities, so check with your particular nurse to know what she expects...." :icon_hug:

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

I love students. I love asking them questions and have them excited/eager to treat the patient and learn about the patient's disease process.

I'm more of the "let's look up the current research on Bicarb for renal preservation" then the "linen wrinkles cause pressure ulcers." I just lean more medical...

I was a student three years ago so I remember what it was like to worry if a nurse would be snotty, unhelpful, leave in the lurch, or caustic. If they were helpful, fun, informative, and knew their stuff, I was elated!

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Specializes in NICU.

Still a student... here are some things I've observed my fellow classmates doing that, were I a nurse, would cheese me right off...

Being visibly unenthusiastic. Yes, nobody likes emptying a colostomy bag. It shouldn't matter if you plan on going into a field where you'll "never have to do that". Assigned to the nursery and don't like babies? Tough. Don't stand there looking at a screaming baby in the bassinet with distaste. You still have to do it, and don't roll your eyes or huff about it.

Wasting the nurse's time. If you're on the floor during shift change, listen to report with your nurse. Don't stand around and then make her tell you special.

Taking chairs in the break/report room. I don't care if there are empty chairs, I stand until I'm invited to sit. If I'm sitting and a grownup (okay, I'm 25, but you know what I mean) comes in, I fly out of that chair.

On the same note, nattering on with your friends. We do preconference in the break room. It makes me insane when we get there a little early and my classmates are babbling on when there are nurses in there, who CLEARLY just got off the night shift and are taking a minute to regroup before they leave. If you have downtime and for some reason HAVE to be around nurses who are trying to get things done, be quiet. And for God's sake, keep it shut during report. When it's over and you still have a question, you should ask it, but knowing when to LISTEN is important. I nearly exploded yesterday when we were watching a circ, and the OB was patiently explaining it to us, and this one girl kept interrupting him. GAH! Let the man finish his sentence!

On the subject of downtime: it happens. We like to pretend that it doesn't, that you'll always be a busy bee, but sometimes standing around happens. DON'T congregate in the hall. Keep your butt on the wall, literally. Don't be in the way. During procedures, there is a way to look interested (i.e., not stand around all unhelpful-like) without getting underfoot. You'll find it.

Sorry if I sound cranky. I had a clinical yesterday where ALL of these things happened.

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The place I used to work had students and I loved it! They were so nice, and really helpful most days. Part of the reason I quit that job was b/c of nasty nurses--they treated the "new" nurses terrible, and were even worse to students and I hated to see it. I never had a problem with any of the students, but then I tried to give them the same respect I would another nurse. They have to start somewhere.

I dealt with my share of nasty nurses when I was in clinical too. They didn't want to be bothered, but yet if they had an enema to give, or something they didn't want to deal with, they would search us out. I've watched nurses blame students for thier mistakes at times too--but luckily good instructors that wouldn't stand for that and got to the bottom of it.

But I also worked with nurses in clinical that were wonderful and were grateful for our help. It's nice when they are able to be that way, b/c really, you're paying for the experience, so you have to get as much as you can while you're there. I always felt that if nurses know their palce of work is a teaching facility and they don';t like students, well, then maybe they should look for some place else.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

I haven't gotten to teach students yet (I am agency and they tend to not throw a student on me...LOL!), but I would love too!!!

BUT, I did consult many on picking the right patient assignment for what they wanted to know, or if they didn't know I would discuss it with them and the reasons for the experience! They loved that, and really opened up to me and knew I was really there to support them!

It wasn't that long ago I was a student (6 years) from the very same school and mostly the same teachers! LOL, seems like yesterday still to me! LOL!

The thing that does seem to tick off nurses, and I am sure me too...is the know it alls! I had a student in double room working on her patient and watching me cath another...she was ranting about proper technique which I know like the back of my hand (since typically people ask me to do it, even still!). So I had her come and assist and told her..."I will do what you tell me, so tell me the procedure and lets talk about the results...walk me through it and I won't make a move till you tell me!". That worked out awesome actually...sometimes teaching or instructing..even for a student...helps drive it home in your own mind! I have told the other RN's about this technique and we find it really does teach, as well as humble some students that have a bit of a know it all complex.

ALSO, I would advice for you to keep a journal of your clinical experience! A personal one that you can write whatever your heart desires! You can even write out events that make you angry and actually write what you feel (I used many a four letter word in my journal! LOL!). Then I looked back at it from time to time! :) I would even giggle reading something I did for the first time that I do all the time and seeing my utter excitement over doing it...that refreshes me!

My preceptorship journal from an ER is actually now teaching material at my school under one of my instructors insistance! It is informative and hillarous actually (my descriptions of things got so hillarous that I could proably take that journal on the road and be a comedian! LOL!). I still read that thing and laugh!!!! (my instructor wants it published in a book).

Good luck and have fun learning!!!

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Specializes in Nephrology.

Wow, I am loving all of this advice. I am glad that I don't feel the need to be a know it all because that seems to be a problem. I am very excited to begin my clinicals!

I will be at the VA hospital in Dallas and I think we will be in TCU if I remember correctly. I am very eager to learn and it's good to know there are nurses who will be happy to teach me

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I thoroughly enjoy having nursing students on the floor. One of the tech colleges in our area has had some wonderful students come to our unit, and I find they are eager to learn and easy to get along with. I have a bigger problem with their instructor who has a tendency to talk over people. She is more of the 'know it all' type. Last weekend one of my pts asked me a question and the instructor just butted right in and started talking to the pt as if the question had been asked of her and I wasn't even there. I had to walk away for fear of being less than tactful.

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i am a nursing student about to graduate... and i have to say my experience with the nurses on all of the floors and all of the offices and rotations we have had to do go to have been great- however i am one of the students who gets involved and asks questions and always asks "what can i do to help you today?" we do have some students in our class who are obnoxious and dont' ask questions and just kind of stand around and only do the most necessary to get through the day and those seem to be the ones who come back witht he bad evals from the nurses. so my advice would be to just help out wherever you can and be interested take the inititative to be your own advocate in your education. the staff nurses aren't going to teach you anything you dont act interested in learning. soak it up! learn all you can from them.. they will be your best asset in clinicals!!!!

chrissi

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