Nurses: Delighted or Annoyed by Nursing Students?

Nurses General Nursing

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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:

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

Not to mention the "cool" areas can work you like a dog just as much as the "uncool" areas lol.

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We do all remember being the student. Many years ago I enjoyed working with students, more than I do these days. I guess, after 30 years, I am just tired. I try very hard not to be rude, and I don't think I am, I just don't seem to have the energy to explain everything I'm doing for the 20,000th time. I work at a large teaching hospital, so we have lots of students. Every day, all day; several schools at a time. I have had two students from different schools have the same patient from 7-3, and then two more on the same patient 2-8.

My biggest frustration though is with the instructors, who leave the students with us and disappear. Never to be seen again. As if it is our responsibility, and ours alone, to teach these nurses-to-be. A long time ago, when I was a student, our instructor was present on the floor when we were, and all our questions, procedures, med-giving was done with her supervision. I don't remember using the staff at all.

The students that I don't mind working with are those who genuinely want to learn and show interest in the patients. I do still get enthused explaining something to someone who genuinely wants to know, and isn't just using me to fill out her/his care plan.

You students, you hang in there. Don't let tired nurses like me discourage you. It's not personal. Your focus is different from ours; we are trying to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time. Also, please remember, what you perceive as rudeness might be just a lack of enthusiasm on my part. Just show interest in the patient, ask specific questions, not just "tell me all about ....". Good luck to you.

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Specializes in LDRP.

I am a new nurse myself, and I love students (most of the time). I like to help them out. I even helped one start her first IV. I always have time for questions (though many don't ask a lot). I've seen some really good students, who when you ask them "do you have a minute" b/c the NA needs help moving a pt, the student jumped and said "yes!" really enthusiastically. Having been a student so recently, I try to see it from their perspective as well.

Though, this attitude is discouraging

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-

I hope you don't think all RN's are just out to get you. if you are lost and confused-ask for help!!!

And no nurse with any patients should be "lounging around for hours".

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

I am a student and I have to say thus far most of the nurses have been very welcoming and let me say that I can definetly tell the nurses who lover their jobs from the ones who are just there for other reasons....

As for the comments about the BSN students, I know those are personal experiences and those students may definetly be like that but I have also seen ADN/Diploma students like that as well.....We share our clinical floor with two other clincial groups from that hospitals school of nursing and let me tell you...eeek...I have heard those same comments and worse...

Im an MN student (this is my first nursing degree) and i'm willing to do whatever needs to be done...I think those i'm better than you attitudes have no place in nursing...geez we spend so much time squabbling over who should do what that we could have had it done by now and moved on...

when are students going to learn that bedpans and vomit come with being a nurse...we dont think about having children and say, ewww Ill never have to do this, Ill have a nanny for that? LOL

As for the nurses, I think they like having us there...I try to help my nurse out as much as possible when I know she is busy and if she is really busy and I have question, I try to ask my instructor. I try to always remember that above all I am working with her patient and I always ask her to if its ok with her that I pass meds and chart on her pt. Usually I dont have any problems...and usually they dont have any problems answering my questions:) The hospital where I am doing clinicals has 1 PCA for 10-15 patients! yikes...so I always try to do bedbaths, vitals, get my pt. up and around, help with meals if need be, etc. The nurses say they love it bc it frees them up to work with their other pts...sometimes I think they rely on us bc they are so busy:)

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Bring on the student nurses! Love em'! I love to teach and the reason I enjoy students so much is that I remember myself when I was a student - hands on clinical training was the best experience! The more, the better! You're not going to learn simply by watching. We were all students at one point, and it was always the nurses who took the time to teach us that I remember most and gained the most useful insight from! :nurse:

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

I wanted to teach actually...but alas...got a Grant for ADN so no teaching yet (bought a house instead of going BSN..go figure..LOL!).

I love student nurses, and I think they feel that and are comfortable with me..yeah I get some very interesting questions..but I find that a joy! Fun to come up with the explanation and a funny way for them to rememeber it!

I had a nursing student once come up to me and ask "why in the heck are you bumping their O2 to 4 L/min when they are at 2 L/min...they will go into hypoxic drive!!!!"...I mean she freaked out! One, I took her to the MAR that gave orders to titrate for comfort to 5 if RN orders....okay I am RN..so good to go! (if you looked at the MAR, she was normally on, in the day....4 L/min!)

Then I told her the REAL story about hypoxic drive...NEED TO KNOW YOUR PATIENT! This individual was a severe asthmatic actually use to 4L/Min...and denying her that was a bad thing! Then I told her a few stories that were kinda funny about NOT doing it in my experience (like MD's not ordering it right!). She not only got the lesson, but she and I were laughing so hard (so was the patient who actually did well by laughing and getting the O2 in!!!!!!)that we had the greatest time! The student was so happy I didn't berate her, yell at her, or treat her like an idiot...I used common sense, stories and a funny experience!

I love teaching this way..so do my patients, CNA's, RN students, and well..family too!

I find it a fun challenge..and something maybe I was just meant to do! :)

BTW..the funny story..a man who needed 4 L/min and was set at 1 by accident started singing in his room really loud! okay loud is good..means you are breathing..but since he was singing a song about Smurfs dancing on his bed..I kinda clued in something was kinda amiss! LOL! Oh yep..he saw Smurfs..and accidently found out he liked Smurfette...ALOT! Oh my! So, I bumped up the O's like they should be..and after a while of sitting with him and talking (that is how I found about Smurfette...ewwwww) I got him back to reality! It was funny since he was just being nicely out of sorts..thank goodness (could have been a lot worse!)...but good lesson on oxygen deprevation!

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Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
I wanted to teach actually...but alas...got a Grant for ADN so no teaching yet (bought a house instead of going BSN..go figure..LOL!).

I love student nurses, and I think they feel that and are comfortable with me..yeah I get some very interesting questions..but I find that a joy! Fun to come up with the explanation and a funny way for them to rememeber it!

I had a nursing student once come up to me and ask "why in the heck are you bumping their O2 to 4 L/min when they are at 2 L/min...they will go into hypoxic drive!!!!"...I mean she freaked out! One, I took her to the MAR that gave orders to titrate for comfort to 5 if RN orders....okay I am RN..so good to go! (if you looked at the MAR, she was normally on, in the day....4 L/min!)

Then I told her the REAL story about hypoxic drive...NEED TO KNOW YOUR PATIENT! This individual was a severe asthmatic actually use to 4L/Min...and denying her that was a bad thing! Then I told her a few stories that were kinda funny about NOT doing it in my experience (like MD's not ordering it right!). She not only got the lesson, but she and I were laughing so hard (so was the patient who actually did well by laughing and getting the O2 in!!!!!!)that we had the greatest time! The student was so happy I didn't berate her, yell at her, or treat her like an idiot...I used common sense, stories and a funny experience!

I love teaching this way..so do my patients, CNA's, RN students, and well..family too!

I find it a fun challenge..and something maybe I was just meant to do! :)

BTW..the funny story..a man who needed 4 L/min and was set at 1 by accident started singing in his room really loud! okay loud is good..means you are breathing..but since he was singing a song about Smurfs dancing on his bed..I kinda clued in something was kinda amiss! LOL! Oh yep..he saw Smurfs..and accidently found out he liked Smurfette...ALOT! Oh my! So, I bumped up the O's like they should be..and after a while of sitting with him and talking (that is how I found about Smurfette...ewwwww) I got him back to reality! It was funny since he was just being nicely out of sorts..thank goodness (could have been a lot worse!)...but good lesson on oxygen deprevation!

Ahh, Triage.. seems we're made from the same mold. I could have written all the above myself.

I, too, dearly love to teach, excite, and motivate.. and do it in a way the students will want for more! I am highly animated anyway, and when I get excited about something, or am impassioned about something, it just bubbles up and out of me.

We only get two students every Friday during the school season, and all they really get to do is watch and ask questions.

I so wish we had more time to spend with them. I take what ever opportunity I can find to share information.. a real "show and tell". :p

Love it when they're curious, and sincerely interested. Love to make teaching and learning a JOY... and the students learn so very much more that way. :)

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
"She should be more appreciative of me being here, besides I am working for free!"

I remember several of my classmates made the remakrs of "i'm doing the nurse a favor by being here". Not with that line of thinking, they weren't. It was very self-entitled.

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Specializes in CCU (Coronary Care); Clinical Research.

I too enjoy teaching and working with students- most of them anyway. If I have a student, I want a person who wants to learn and is excited or at least willing to try anything that I am going to do (be it clean a patient after using the bedpan or going to a code- and everything in between). I just want someone who looks like they enjoy what they are doing- even if they are scared out of their mind. I understand scared- I don't understand lazy/bored/mightier than thou, etc (at least in most cases, if someone has previous experience as a lpn or paramedic I can see how some skills they learned eons ago may be boring).

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Still a student, but a 2nd time around one. In terms of getting a higher degree and not moving up.. you get a degree b/c you like the topic and want to do it. Never get any degree just for the promotion or money. And who knows, maybe a higher position isn't right for a person at the time. It depends what is important in your life at the time, but the option is nice to have.

And my pet peeve: higher education does not equal higher pay or prestige. In any field.

Like all these people who send their kids to university and think they should all graduate making over $50,000 per year doing clerical work b/c they have a bachelor's degree.

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

Or people think that the degree automatically means the education. A degree is not the same thing as education.

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I'm always very nice to students, but since I am a new nurse and don't feel confident in a lot of my skills I would be very hesitant to take on a student and teach them things that I don't fully grasp myself. When I feel more competant I would enjoy teaching.

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