Nurses: Delighted or Annoyed by Nursing Students?

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Specializes in ICU.

In the hospitals where I have done clinicals thus far, I feel like some of the nurses hate the nursing students and others are delighted to see the students. I was wondering what the general concensus is about helping nursing students out by having them tag along. Do you get annoyed or do you find that they are helpful? Sometimes, I feel like everyone hates the students because it is extra work for them.

Also, what is the point of getting a BSN instead of a ADN if you do not plan to move up from being a floor nurse?

Thanks for taking the time to read this and responding. It is very appreciated.:specs:

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

It really all varies with the student.

Last Friday a student observed a couple of surgeries in the room i was working in. Which was fine, until she started talking, constantly, LOUDLY, and kept talking after the surgeon asked for quiet. Not fun.

Last year, i had to tell another student 4 times to stop pointing over the sterile field, then finally she was just asked to leave. Got way to close to any sterile, and we had enough to do.

However, the majority of the students we get are no trouble, not that we expected them to be or anything, after all, we were all there once, some more recently than others.

But i think this subject needs to be looked at from ALL perspectives.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Hate is a strong word. I work in med-surg and we get BSN students, ADN students and LPN students, sometimes all in the same day.

I'm a preceptor and like to teach so I get a lot of one-on-one time with students. We've all been there and most of us don't forget it.

Also, try to keep in mind the perspective of the nurses. We have 10 students at a time, they take over the breakroom, their books are all over the place, they always have the chart when you need it, they stop and ask questions, for you to do things for them, and it's not a pleasure cruise to have students.

Again, we all were students once and we are tolerant. Just don't expect a red carpet of welcome from everyone. There are some trolls that don't want students arounds and are downright hostile. Fortunately I don't work with any of those and students have a good experience on my unit.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
But i think this subject needs to be looked at from ALL perspectives.
yes, it surely does. And I hate to see anyone make generalizations or sweeping statements from "either side". Thanks.
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Delighted or annoyed? Both!

Depends on the student, the above posts are good examples.

Also, depends on whether or not our manager told us to expect students, or if they left us out of the loop, students show up, we are overwhelmed w/ work an had no idea they were coming.

I am an ADN RN. When I've had LPN students follow me around for the day, they've been great for the most part.

One time, however, I had BSN students and they were all younger than me. Some of them had kind of a cocky attitude. They were rolling their eyes and being condesending as they were the young, hot BSN students, and I was *only* a thirty-something ADN. Plus, this was at a rehab unit, and they thought it was a waste of their time, as they were all planning on going in to the "cool" areas of nursing such as ER/OR/ICU or mgmt!

I hope they all flunked! Lol.

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I am only a student, But i have thought that for the most part the nurses that I have had the privilege of working with have been great, very welcoming.

just had to add my bit

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Specializes in Float.

We hardly see the nurses at my clinicals. Basically the only time I see them is to give them a 2 minute report on the pt I was with that morning. I kinda wish I could tag along and get the whole perspective.

Instead I am sent to a room to do AM care, get a history and practice my new skill of the week (ie this week is vital signs and a cardiovascular assessment) If I have questions I have to hunt down my teacher who I share with 9 other students.

I sort of feelt thrown to the wolves at times.... we do usually have a "partner" student who has their own pt but who we can call on to help if we need it.

Sometimes I'd like to WATCH stuff instead of just trying to figure it out on my own..kwim?

I would LOVE to see more demonstrations :(

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i have experienced both sides of this topic. i have had nurses that acted as though they were very appreciative of our presence, and i have also had those who acted as though i had pooped on their shoes before they came to work that morning. it really is discouraging to us as students because we think

" god, this person really hates their job" or sometimes on one of my pms days i think "she should be more appreciative of me being here, besides i am working for free!" meanwhile, i am watching her lounge around in the breakroom for hours on end while me, the "poor nursing student" scrounges around lost and confused-and then to add insult to injury-i can't even ask a question about this med that i am not sure about because my "primary nurse" in giving me evil looks, i can't find my instructor because she is off helping one of my other nine classmates, and some one has "borrowed" my drug book because they are just as confused as i am-and they have the big, mean, nurse as their primary nurse. just thought i would vent for a minute! :scrying:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.

I love having students, especially if it's a day when things aren't crazy. There's nothing better than a good group of students who want to see, touch and learn anything they can.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC.

I'm a new grad RN (have been working for only 11 weeks) & last week I had a new nursing student (a direct entry MS-to-be student) follow me around for a couple of hours. I didn't mind at all, even though I explained to her I'm still new & so I may seem frazzled at times! :) She was not annoying at all & helped me out with vitals,etc. when she saw that I was pressed for time. I explained to her how I handled a new admission from the ER & she watched me ask my new pt. the nursing history & do my assessment on him, then I showed her the medication sheet & also the pyxis machine which she hadn't seen before. I totally remember what it was like to be a nursing student since I just graduated 5 months ago! Therefore I don't mind explaining (what I know so far! :) to students. I also really love teaching. I love teaching things to my patients & I taught college-level biology in the past. So maybe that has something to do with it. :)

-Christine

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I'd have to say, I love having nursing students. I switched to permanent nights back in May, and one of the things I miss is having the students. I loved grabbing one that was just waiting around to show them something that I would have liked to have seen back in school. Now that they're all coming back, I see them in the mornings. They look so nervous and like they feel so out of place, which I can recall not too long ago. I just remember feeling like I was in everyone's way. So now that I only see them for a few minutes in the mornings, I try to make them feel as welcome as I can. Its funny though, no matter how many students I tell that it is ok to go ahead and sit down when they're reading their charts, none of them seem to think its ok!

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
One time, however, I had BSN students and they were all younger than me. Some of them had kind of a cocky attitude. They were rolling their eyes and being condesending as they were the young, hot BSN students, and I was *only* a thirty-something ADN. Plus, this was at a rehab unit, and they thought it was a waste of their time, as they were all planning on going in to the "cool" areas of nursing such as ER/OR/ICU or mgmt!

We have 3 local BSN programs in this area, and soon as i read this, it reminded me of one of them. I remember quite a few saying things like "Um, eyeew, like, i'm not touching a bedpan, that's like so gross." Course it didn't help when their instructor is telling them "When you're a nurse, you don't have to do these things, you'll have CNAs."

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