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.
Thanks so much for the amazing response to my messages. I am amazed at how many people are eager to help others out. So far so good in clinical for me. I have only had that one really mean nurse, and all the others have been excellent. Watching these nurses in work reinforces my reason in going into nursing. Everyone has been so helpful and eager to teach. There is so much teaching in nursing and I didn't even realize it until clinical experiences. I look forward toward my clinical days now. Thanks again for being exceptional!
I would love to take in a student nurse and explain things and try and get them to use critical thinking skills, because I would have loved that as a student myself, but I don't know what is allowed. I know that the clinical students I have come into contact with this semester have never taken pharmacology and are only doing vitals and baths etc etc. I brought two in and explained what meds I was giving and asked them why I would be giving that med and the response was "we haven't taken pharmacology yet." I tried to engage them in auscultating for a gastic bubble before I administered meds via PEG and they seemed almost put off by my asking them to join in on this. I don't know if it's because they were frightened or they aren't supposed to do this or if they just didn't care. This experience definitely put me off of trying to involve them in patient care other than baths and transfers and vitals, though.
I would love to take in a student nurse and explain things and try and get them to use critical thinking skills, because I would have loved that as a student myself, but I don't know what is allowed. I know that the clinical students I have come into contact with this semester have never taken pharmacology and are only doing vitals and baths etc etc. I brought two in and explained what meds I was giving and asked them why I would be giving that med and the response was "we haven't taken pharmacology yet." I tried to engage them in auscultating for a gastic bubble before I administered meds via PEG and they seemed almost put off by my asking them to join in on this. I don't know if it's because they were frightened or they aren't supposed to do this or if they just didn't care. This experience definitely put me off of trying to involve them in patient care other than baths and transfers and vitals, though.
geekgolightly, I commend you on your efforts! :yelclap:
However, please don't stop these same efforts with the next clinical students that come your way.
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.
Well my medsurg clinical just ended today with an instructor who disappeared in the middle of my giving meds!! She sent me to get something and when I got back to finish she was gone! She reappeared after 20 minutes not realizing she dumped me and we still had five meds to give out.
VENT- She later criticized me when after she noticed my nurse weighing a patient. The nurse and I earlier discussed that we would weigh the patient after he was finished visiting with his wife. I was pulled to my other patient by her mother who wanted me to help her. So when I returned to the patient that needed to get weighed, The instructor caught me in the hall and reprimanded me for letting the nurse weigh the patient. She said I needed to get my speed up. Ha! I was being respectful to my patient and his family and also attending to my other patient's needs where there was a priority situation. The nurse saw the weigh chair there next to the room that I dragged down the hall for her and decided to weigh him since I wasn't there. So I get the brunt! Pleaaaassse! Ok that felt good.
I am definately going to constructive criticize her performance on the eval - my only justice....
I haven't started my clinicals yet but I'm nervous even though I used to work as a nursing asst. I'm afraid I'm going to be a little "out of place" being an older student nurse.
Could some of you give your advice, opinions and/or experience with "older" nursing students. Thanx
I am 35 and a senior nursing student. One thing to remember is to be tolerant because most of your fellow students are still coming out of self absorbent adolescence. They have no idea of who they are and how to project themselves on to a patient. The younger ones travel in groups because they crave the security of each other. Be prepared to get snotty remarks or even get ignored when you ask them a question or say something. Get ready for strange looks and ignored emails. You sit by yourself in class. I get more response from older students in other classes I connect with and you can always have a decent civil conversation with the instructor that is if she's not trying to be popular with the students- then you're out. On the good side, you are more favored by your patients and can empathize better with suffering because maybe you have been around the block 20 more times than you're run of the mill 20 year old. You are able to take criticism better and adjust your internal motivations. After all you do get better with every passing year - Wouldn't you agree?
I haven't started my clinicals yet but I'm nervous even though I used to work as a nursing asst. I'm afraid I'm going to be a little "out of place" being an older student nurse.
Could some of you give your advice, opinions and/or experience with "older" nursing students. Thanx
My advice for you is the advice I would give anyone: introduce yourself to the nurse who is assigned to your patient. Tell her right off what you can and can't do and all the things you are interested in learning, and how much you want to be of help. If you don't, the nurse will never know. She does not magically have this information. If a student did this for me, I would be all over them, teaching them exactly what they want to know and anything else, too!
My advice for you is the advice I would give anyone: introduce yourself to the nurse who is assigned to your patient. Tell her right off what you can and can't do and all the things you are interested in learning, and how much you want to be of help. If you don't, the nurse will never know. She does not magically have this information. If a student did this for me, I would be all over them, teaching them exactly what they want to know and anything else, too!
I wish I'd had a computer and access to a board like this when I was in LPN school........as my nick indicates.....I graduated in 1974, so I was in school all of 1973.
Nursing students today have so much more access to great nurses with great advice than I did in 1973.
I can look back and see where I could have done better by being more assertive in my reach for LPN status.
Like someone just posted about the difference between a 20 year old and an older student.....I was the 20 year old.
I was young, shy, inexperienced, altho I was married with a baby, I still didn't know much of anything!
But you students today have access to awhole lot more than I did back then. This board could, and I bet it does, help out alot for young, and older, students with questions.
guess what? in one area, you get to be the not preferred gender in speech and writing. i deal with it in every other area of life. im sure this won't be difficult for you.
guess what? in one area, you get to be the notpreferred gender in speech and writing. i deal with it in every other area of life. im sure this won't be difficult for you.
I am 35 and a senior nursing student. One thing to remember is to be tolerant because most of your fellow students are still coming out of self absorbent adolescence. They have no idea of who they are and how to project themselves on to a patient. The younger ones travel in groups because they crave the security of each other. Be prepared to get snotty remarks or even get ignored when you ask them a question or say something. Get ready for strange looks and ignored emails. You sit by yourself in class. I get more response from older students in other classes I connect with and you can always have a decent civil conversation with the instructor that is if she's not trying to be popular with the students- then you're out. On the good side, you are more favored by your patients and can empathize better with suffering because maybe you have been around the block 20 more times than you're run of the mill 20 year old. You are able to take criticism better and adjust your internal motivations. After all you do get better with every passing year - Wouldn't you agree?
Thanx for replying & yes, I do agree we get better with every passing year. You know the reference to fine wine!!
I know exactly what you mean by the self-absorbed adolescence. I am already encountering them in class. Sitting in the back of class & giggling. More interested in their cell phone, boyfriends & gossiping. Then have the nerve to ask the instructor to repeat what she said. If they would be quiet long enough, they might just hear her/him. I'm already getting the looks from the younger students but I'm the one they ask for notes or an explanation of something they didn't hear or understand. I had another young 'un in my terminology class that when I would explain that pts. would poo & puke on you, she'd screech "Oh, don't tell me that. I don't think I could take it". Some of the younger ones have an idealistic view on nursing. They are in for a rude awakening.
I am going in this with the same attitude I had as a nursing asst.:
1) I take pride in my work
2) My pts. come first
3) I'm not afraid to ask questions or admit that I don't know how to do something
4) It's not beneath me to ask for help when/if I need it
5) I know it's going to be hard work & I'm willing to do it
6) I have the maturity to address a problem/situation in a diplomatic, professional manner, not whine about it
7) I have enough confidence that I can do this w/o being conceited
I'm so excited about this, & nervous, but I know in the end it will be worth it.
AthensICURN
7 Posts
Thanks so much for the amazing response to my messages. I am amazed at how many people are eager to help others out. So far so good in clinical for me. I have only had that one really mean nurse, and all the others have been excellent. Watching these nurses in work reinforces my reason in going into nursing. Everyone has been so helpful and eager to teach. There is so much teaching in nursing and I didn't even realize it until clinical experiences. I look forward toward my clinical days now. Thanks again for being exceptional!