Nursing standard

Nurses Professionalism

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Specializes in SICU.

Yesterday I had a last semester student nurse follow me for the morning... She passed a couple of oral medications under my watchful eye, then her instructor came up to guide her through giving an IV medication....

I happened to peek over to what exactly they were doing and was astounded!!!!! To see the student attempt to access the needless system with a blunt fill needle...

I stopped her and tried to talk her through why that was a terrible idea when her instructor piped up and said " it's not a big deal... We do it all the time where I work'

You know the standards are getting pretty low when the minimum requirement for teaching clinical is 1 year acute care experience ... (I'm just saying...)

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So the instructor is just a grad with 1 year of clinical experience?? That is sad. I guess this is how the nursing schools are taking care of the nursing instructor shortages. A bit scarey for the new students also. Maybe someone needs to look into the schools requirements for clinical nursing instructors, and they need to be made aware of the facilities policy and procedures. That is truly the responsibility of the instructor but if a pt's safety is being put on line because of the schools lack of competent faculty, then that becomes an issue for the acute care facility. I would bring this to the managment's attention who is accountable for the contracts with the nursing schools.

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When the blind lead the blind.....there's a lot of people bumping into walls and falling down. :(

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

:eek:

Most clinical instructor minimums in my area is three-five years of nursing experience plus MSN education; not only you have to be enrolled, but beyond the second semester, but that's if you have over five years experience.

Makes me all the more favor national standards... :no:

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Specializes in CVICU.

Maybe if nursing instructors didn't get paid even less than what bedside nurses do, more qualified candidates would be attracted to those jobs. I realize this isn't an excuse for this particular instructor's lack of direction for the student, but it is a point worth bringing up.

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Current member of the Crusty Old Bat Society!!

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Specializes in corrections and LTC.

I have seen instructors with no practical experience. I know that the salaries are terrible, how can we have quality instructors when they are paid less than new grads?

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YIKES!! That is old school--very old school. I have seen this done, however, done about 10 years ago.

If the student is working on your patient, I would have discussion on what to do moving forward. Pull out a set of IV, the tubing and the blunt. Discuss how to draw up med. Discuss the 5-8 rights of medication administration, then how a needle-less system works.

No, you are not the instructor, however, if the students are going to be assisting with your patients, then this would be covered under your watchful eye.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

I think this scenario has less to do with standards than with paying to get the experienced people.

Also, it appears that the instructor has not been evaluated for competencies. Scary. Hold your ground. Show policy or written standard if needed. Then two people will know better. Her response was like "But we always do it this way" which makes my skin crawl. Doing it wrong over and over does not make it right.

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