Nurses on floor not very helpful or nice

LeesieBug · Jan 21, 2005

Hang in there. Eventually you will start running into all those nurses who are SO awesome, SO helpful, SO supportive, that they will make you care less about the ones who aren't.

I agree with another poster who said assertiveness isn't particularly helpful in the type of situation you mentioned ( if you have someone who isn't into helping you out, you're only going to aggravate them)...just watch out for the nurses who are ready and willing to teach, then hold onto your hat. Some of them knock my socks off!

scotswoman · Jan 21, 2005

I am sure that the nurses on our clinical floor are so swamped that they do not want student nurses hanging around them and i can understand that but how are you supposed to learn??? i am a somewhat older student i asked this one nurse if i could follow her she looked at me and my friend and said yea, one of yall can follow me pointed to my friend and said she can follow me i was thinking what the heck??? oh well, i just want to get some hands on but sometimes feel so lost and inadequate during clinicals that i am being in the nurses way maybe i just need to be more assertive??? please input

I am an 'older' student in the United Kingdom. When we are on are clinical placements we are assigned a 'mentor'. This is a qualified member of staff who we are required to work with 50% of the time. Personally, I try to shadow their off duty as much as possible. This enables you to form a constructive student/mentor relationship, therefore, allowing you to voice your learning requirements and gain practical and theoretical knowledge.

Autumndove · Jan 22, 2005

I'm a first year, 2nd semester ADN nursing student.

I too am feeling like I'm not getting much from my clinical experience. In my school, we are thrown right into clinical environment without any preparation. Th only thing we follow by are what we were told to read and some objectives that are very brief in description.

My clinical day consists of just me with my assigned patient for the day alone most of the time. There are 7 students in my clinical group and only 1 teacher so she can't spend as much time with us. She only just checks in on us once in a while. But I feel I really need to have someone beside me to let me know if I'm doing things that I've never done before correctly. The nurses I have treat it like it's their day off with that patient. Since I have the patient for the day they just don't bother with anything related to that patient and expect me to have performed everything and charted correctly. So everytime I have clinical I end up coming home feeling so fustrated and exhausted as well as anxious about the next week that I have to go again.

Is this normal of clinical experiences is what I'm wondering about?

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jan 22, 2005

i'm a first year, 2nd semester adn nursing student.
my clinical day consists of just me with my assigned patient for the day alone most of the time. there are 7 students in my clinical group and only 1 teacher so she can't spend as much time with us. she only just checks in on us once in a while. but i feel i really need to have someone beside me to let me know if i'm doing things that i've never done before correctly. the nurses i have treat it like it's their day off with that patient. since i have the patient for the day they just don't bother with anything related to that patient and expect me to have performed everything and charted correctly. so everytime i have clinical i end up coming home feeling so fustrated and exhausted as well as anxious about the next week that i have to go again.
is this normal of clinical experiences is what i'm wondering about?

call me naive, but is this what nursing school is like now? i can only speak from what i experienced, but this wasn't quite the case when i was a student. i've heard of groups as large as 10, so 7 should give you more time with your instructor. as a staff nurse, i've had some encounters with students. and i think it depends on the clinical instructors approach with the staff, and his/her relationship with the staff. i've have always tried to be as helpful as i can to the students (as long as i can get my work done). to me it is reassuring that the pts are (usually) getting a thorough head to toe assessment (with the instructor, supposedly) .

ironically, i'm studying nursing education right now (haven't done my practicum yet, so i shouldn't be so judgemental). maybe that's why i don't mind it so much. it's a learning experience for me, as i get to see the wheels turning in their minds.

what kind of things are you doing alone for the first time? that's a little scary???

Autumndove · Jan 22, 2005

Just assessments and charting on patient's progress. My gripe with this is that with assessments some of the things I'm assessing weren't really taught to me, so I'm not sure what I'm looking for or how to go about doing it. Also, being that I don't have any experience in a hospital, it would be nice to be oriented to how the different machine's work. For example, I tried to use one of the machines that takes the patient's bp, oximetry, pulse, temperature at once for the first time and no one had shown me how to do it. I eventually figured it out on my own but it was embarrassing trying to figure it out on the patient and looking clueless.

Also, the chart was something I was looking at for the first time, some of the things I knew but there were some I didn't understand, would be nice if someone explains it to me. I just wish I could get a better learning experience from my clinical. I am learning some things but I feel I could be learning more if I had some guidance instead of this self-learn and explore thing.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Jan 22, 2005

I feel so bad for some of you guys........although it's been a while since I was a student, I've never forgotten the experience and can't imagine how anyone else could. We were ALL new once; it's all of our loss if we fail to share our experience with tomorrow's nurses, who will someday be caring for us .

Personally, I love having students around. There's so much to see and do in the average shift in a hospital, and if you were doing your clinicals where I work, I'd make sure your four or six or eight-hour tour of duty were filled with new sights and sounds. I've taken as many as 8 first-year students with me to sign out blood from the blood bank and begin a transfusion---routine for me, but all new for them! Walk down my hall and I'll grab you and have you listen to a heart murmur for the first time......assist me with an NG tube or Foley insertion.......take out an IV......watch me D/C a central line.......do a newborn assessment.........help with an admission or discharge.

Yes, I admit it, having students does produce extra work for me, but if it hadn't been for the nurses who took me under their wings and taught me what I needed to know, I wouldn't be where I am today. The way I see it, the only way to repay the debt I owe those fine professionals is to pass on their good teaching to the next generation of nurses. I wish all nurses felt that way........but my advice is to just know that there are a lot of us who DO like students. Seek us out; you'll find us everywhere. :)

tiggerforhim · Jan 22, 2005

I'm sorry if I misunderstand, but from the tone of your (carolladybelle) post I infer that you have had students "thrust" upon you. My question is, so what? Does that give you the right to resent a person, be rude to them, or treat them badly? I hope you would not do this to a patient's face. Why, then is a student nurse any different that it makes you forsake common courtesy? I, too, am a nurse. I, too, endured nursing school and rude, uncooperative nurse 'preceptors'. But I do not think that justifies bad behaviour. In nursing you have to deal with the unexpected all the time. An unexpected nursing student is one more thing to deal with. I love having students around, and I love teaching. Yes, it is more work. But there is no substitute for instilling good practices in those learning, and it does no harm to answer the myriad of questions. It usually serves to sharpen your own skills as well, when you see someone observing your every move. A clinical instructor can help if you are having a bad experience; however, in my own schooling when I found that the nurse to whom I was assigned was very unhelpful, I quietly took a look around the floor and found the best nurse to shadow. I would also ask other nurses if they had anything interesting to see or do, trying to maximize my time on the floor. My clinical instructors never really had a problem with this, either. Here on my unit preceptors have to have a certain amount of time as a nurse, as well as take a class, so therefore we get more of the ones who want to teach. And be assured you will learn everything when you get into the field if you don't before. Just keep asking questions. Good luck to all students!

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jan 22, 2005

personally, i love having students around. there's so much to see and do in the average shift in a hospital, and if you were doing your clinicals where i work, i'd make sure your four or six or eight-hour tour of duty were filled with new sights and sounds. i've taken as many as 8 first-year students with me to sign out blood from the blood bank and begin a transfusion---routine for me, but all new for them! walk down my hall and i'll grab you and have you listen to a heart murmur for the first time......assist me with an ng tube or foley insertion.......take out an iv......watch me d/c a central line.......do a newborn assessment.........help with an admission or discharge.

i seem to remember a lot of 'group' skills, everyone watching (as long as the pt didn't mind, of course). i remember watching a colostomy irrigation and bag change (trying so hard not to gag!!!) :stone . i probably never got to do it in school (which i know is a big problem- not 'getting' all your skills in), but i saw it. also, by the time we were seniors, we would do this on our own (hey, check out my patients dressing!!!). i would think a good instructor would do this.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jan 22, 2005

Peopel mentioning what they didn't get to do in school, that reminds me of one of the local BSN programs. Several of the students have complained that they do IV bag/med changes, medications, and miock charting, along with careplans. One student paged an aide because her pt. was wet, because "well our instructor said we're not gonna do stuff like this when we graduate" (that reality check ought to hit hard!).

It seemed like that program's focus was on the meds and careplans, and not on the basics. Which is why i ruled that school out of my list of places to consider. And i can't help but feel that the reality check ups the chance for nurse burnout.

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2005

My question in this situation would be "where is the clinical instructor?"

Yeah that's what I'm wondering too. If you ever feel lost or feel like you're not getting proper teaching, then go to your clinical instructor, that's what they're there for.

In our clinicals we are assigned to certain patients, go the night before and get all their information from the charts to start writing up our careplans. We had 1 patient first year, but now we usually take 2. We do total care for our patients. We get report from the nurse, do our assessment, do total AM care, give meds, any dressing changes or other procedures we're checked off on, etc. and document and report off to our nurse when we leave.

The nurses know which students are on the unit that day, the schedules are posted well in advance, they know who to expect and when. They also have sheets that state what all we're allowed to do, and I always tell my nurse when I first get there what I'm able to do.

If you're not assigned to certain patients, then it just seems like it would be too chaotic ..... you need to ask your clinical instructor exactly what she wants you to be doing.

You are merely more work...and no matter what you do on the floor, it really doesn't help that much.

So we're only more work? *sigh* I know it's not easy when a student is assigned to your patient, but it sucks to know we're only more work and just a hindrance to some nurses.

Yes, I admit it, having students does produce extra work for me, but if it hadn't been for the nurses who took me under their wings and taught me what I needed to know, I wouldn't be where I am today. The way I see it, the only way to repay the debt I owe those fine professionals is to pass on their good teaching to the next generation of nurses. I wish all nurses felt that way........but my advice is to just know that there are a lot of us who DO like students. Seek us out; you'll find us everywhere.

Marla, what a great nurse and teacher you are. I have been privileged to work with nurses like you and believe me, we truly appreciate it so much, it just makes our clinical experiences that much more great and gives us hope! I've had bad experiences and just think wow, some of these nurses were just born with a stethoscope around their neck because it sounds like they've never had to go through nursing school, must be nice! So working with nurses like you just make it that much more rewarding and makes up for those bad experiences 10 fold. :kiss

live4today, RN · Jan 23, 2005

I love helping students, and I'm not ashamed to let them know if I don't know something. Students know that those nurses who prefer not to work with them probably don't feel confidant enough in their own skills or knowledge to take on nursing students who are in school learning the latest knowledge and technology. I like to learn from them as well as have them learn from me. The learning process should always be two-ways. :)

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2005

I'm sorry if I misunderstand, but from the tone of your (carolladybelle) post I infer that you have had students "thrust" upon you. My question is, so what? Does that give you the right to resent a person, be rude to them, or treat them badly? I hope you would not do this to a patient's face. Why, then is a student nurse any different that it makes you forsake common courtesy? I, too, am a nurse. I, too, endured nursing school and rude, uncooperative nurse 'preceptors'. But I do not think that justifies bad behaviour. In nursing you have to deal with the unexpected all the time. An unexpected nursing student is one more thing to deal with. I love having students around, and I love teaching. Yes, it is more work. But there is no substitute for instilling good practices in those learning, and it does no harm to answer the myriad of questions. It usually serves to sharpen your own skills as well, when you see someone observing your every move. A clinical instructor can help if you are having a bad experience; however, in my own schooling when I found that the nurse to whom I was assigned was very unhelpful, I quietly took a look around the floor and found the best nurse to shadow. I would also ask other nurses if they had anything interesting to see or do, trying to maximize my time on the floor. My clinical instructors never really had a problem with this, either.

My point is that not all precepting nurses, get the information that I clearly referenced in my post.

And when I have assignments of 10-12 patients, I don't exactly have time to hunt around for "interesting or maximizing" experiences. I am doing good to take care of the patient/their family needs.

Have I had students thrust upon me, Yes. As a traveler, I have had students placed with me during MY ORIENTATION ASSIGNMENTS, for goodness sake. How am I suppose to orient myself AND assist the student in learning? Frequently the instructors, place students with the "interesting" cases, regardless of the Nurse caring for them. Or a patient goes bad/dies/goes home/gets transferred, and the assignment gets changed.

And I am polite and courteous to students and patients, which is probably why instructors tend to drop this unexpected "opportunities" in my lap.

But I am tired of students griping about how "mean" and "unhelpful" that we are. That they paid good money for class and it is "our job" to teach them.

Sorry, my job is first to take care of my 4 (BMT) - to 12 (MS/ONCO) patients and worry about providing a good clinical experience second. That "good clinical experience" is the job of their instructor - what they get paid for - and the instructor needs to communicate with the floor nurses. Which they generally don't.

Students tend to also view the care they give as taking work off of us...and quite bluntly that is not the case. If it sounds harsh, well sorry but they do make more work for us.

Not all nurses should precept. This does not make them bad nurses...it merely means they are not good preceptors. If the student has a poor clinical experience, s/he needs to go to the instructor instead talking about how 'mean and unhelpful" that the staff is. S/he also needs to realize that the staff is doing their job, one that involves life and death, and the students' needs are far down the list of our priorities.