Nurses/preceptors who don't care for/comfort patients: have you seen this?

np2b · Apr 26, 2004

Hi everyone,

I am writing a paper/essay about caring in the nursing profession ("caring" in this case meaning tending to the emotional/spiritual needs of the patient). A few of my classmates and I have expereinced a few episodes where nurses and/or preceptors have been extremely technically competent, but often don't take the time to care for patients. (Example: one preceptor discouraged a student from initiating some patient education because it would "make the patients needy.")

I was wondering if any of you have experienced something along these lines (nurses not listening to patients, preceptors discouraging you from providing patient care), and if so, would you mind sharing the example with me? I would be eternally grateful!

Kelly

P.S. Please don't let this message imply that my entire clinical experience has been like this...this is defintiely the exception rather than the rule!

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 26, 2004

Might want to search on Yahoo, Google, or Ask Jeeves for material for your research.

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2004

Hi everyone,
I am writing a paper/essay about caring in the nursing profession ("caring" in this case meaning tending to the emotional/spiritual needs of the patient). A few of my classmates and I have expereinced a few episodes where nurses and/or preceptors have been extremely technically competent, but often don't take the time to care for patients. (Example: one preceptor discouraged a student from initiating some patient education because it would "make the patients needy.")
I was wondering if any of you have experienced something along these lines (nurses not listening to patients, preceptors discouraging you from providing patient care), and if so, would you mind sharing the example with me? I would be eternally grateful!
Kelly
P.S. Please don't let this message imply that my entire clinical experience has been like this...this is defintiely the exception rather than the rule!

The only experience I have with this is being a post partum patient on the OB floor. The first time that I wasn't listened to is when I was left in the stir-ups for TWO whole hours while everyone inlcuding my husband went on their dinner break. I couldn't reach the call button, telephone or even t.v changer for that matter. :angryfire

My last delivery, I would ask for simple things such as a glass of water, (was stuck to an IV but thirsty as hell plus I was breast feeding) peri-pads in the bathroom,(big necessity!) and usually wouldn't recieve anything until the next shift change. I wasn't looked after much in the day, but night shift would come & wake me up to ask if I needed a sleeping pill, water, something to eat, how my pain was ect. It was nice that they finally asked, but it wasn't nice to be woke up for it.

Kelly, hopefully that's what you meant about emotional needs, because I'm still irked about it!

Carolanne · Apr 27, 2004

The nurses I have worked with for the most part have been caring toward their patients. I have been exposed to a few, though, who were older and basically burned out from their job. They definitely knew their stuff and could rattle off the pathophysiology of a disease or show you how to set up an EKG in the blink of an eye, but their bedside manner was virtually nil. Mumbling things like this guy's a pain in the *#@, he/she is driving me nuts, the baby ward is downstairs, or he/she can wait kind of disillusioned me in my first semester or so. But then I became exposed to more and more nurses and found that the bitter ones were in the minority. I have definitely adopted the philosophy that nursing is what you make of it, and don't let other's attitudes or bad vibes affect your outlook.

colleen10 · Apr 27, 2004

Hi Kelly,

I was going to post something here but it turned out to be pretty lengthy so I just sent it to you PM.

I hope my story helps you with your paper.