Hospital staff mean to students, advise needed from an instructor

Specialties Educators

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I am in third semester and am doing a peds rotation in a county hospital in LA. I have done clinic here before and none of the staff is too remarkably pleasant, but I have been able to get through it and have learned a lot in the process.

In this particular rotation, however, the staff is just downright hostile. The medroom, toyroom, and supply rooms are all locked and only staff has keys. The secretaries, CNAs, and all nurses but one are verbally hostile to us and some outright refuse to lend us keys or answer simple questions. Our instructor does nothing--they aren't that great to her either.

I know our school needs a good relationship with this hospital, however, it is at the point where the hostility gets in the way of providing proper patient care by delaying interventions. I have spoken to our instructor about this and she seems to turn the problem around on us. There is very little space and the floor is crowded with med students and nursing students. Funny thing is, the med students dont get treated like this at all.

Is there anything I can do to maybe make this better for the next round of students that have to rotate in peds at this hospital?

Specializes in pediatrics.
I am in third semester and am doing a peds rotation in a county hospital in LA. I have done clinic here before and none of the staff is too remarkably pleasant, but I have been able to get through it and have learned a lot in the process.

In this particular rotation, however, the staff is just downright hostile. The medroom, toyroom, and supply rooms are all locked and only staff has keys. The secretaries, CNAs, and all nurses but one are verbally hostile to us and some outright refuse to lend us keys or answer simple questions. Our instructor does nothing--they aren't that great to her either.

I know our school needs a good relationship with this hospital, however, it is at the point where the hostility gets in the way of providing proper patient care by delaying interventions. I have spoken to our instructor about this and she seems to turn the problem around on us. There is very little space and the floor is crowded with med students and nursing students. Funny thing is, the med students dont get treated like this at all.

Is there anything I can do to maybe make this better for the next round of students that have to rotate in peds at this hospital?

Would it be possible to do the rotation on a different unit in the same hospital? Sometimes the morale and teamwork are so bad on a unit, it will be expressed in the way they treat students and orientees. I think it also shows a valuable insight -- notice how the docs treat the med students with patience and courtesy even though I would assume they are busy to. It shows how we as nurses de-value one another and our "profession" that we don't take the time to help someone who is learning.

My second suggestion might (depending on the size of your group) be that the instructor base patient assignments on the staff nurse assigned to care for patients. When I was a staff nurse, one of the clinncal instructors would come in at 06:45, discuss the patients with the charge nurse and review the assignments and would assign students based on the staff assigned to care for the patients. She would the day before briefly ask nurses who were coming in the next day if they would be willing to have a student assigned to one or more of their patients. She got a pretty good gauge of who would be able and willing to provide a good learning experience. I often was assigned students because I liked to teach, had the right "disposition" and was relatively organized enough that I had time during the day to stop and provide guidance. I realize that you would rather take the most "interesting" patients but if the staff nurse is unwilling or unable to provide guidance, I can assure youthat you learn little when all you can do is stand around and watch. You learn a lot more from having a less complex patient that you can be able to more readily participate in their care.

My third suggestion, if you have a large group, is to try some alternative learning. I think one of the best ways to learn care is to follow and help the CNA or the unit secretary one day. You gain a level of appreciation and respect for their job that you would not gain otherwise. I can tell you that each time I start on a new clinical unit, I go out of my way to develop a relationship with the CNA, unit sec, and resp therapists. Often I know their names before I know the names of the nurses I work with. My greatest source of help and emotional support has always been with the ancillary staff. Following the CNA will give you the oppurtunity to meet and visit with wide variety of patients, you will have the oppurtunity to talk with famalies and interact with kids in a very different way.

I truly suggest that instructors need to meet with not only the cno of this particular facility but these issues must be addressed with the head of the human resource department. jacho is addressing the issue of students being properly supervised during clinical rotation visits. also you need to look at the university affliliation agreement between the hospital and the school. this should give you directions as well as grounds.

please take action, empower your students and these future nurses

I definitely think open communication between the program's instructors and the hospital's nursing leadership on a regular basis is a proactive way to assure positive experiences for everyone involved.

BOTH the CNA and LPN said "them students"?????? How did they graduate from any school with grammar like that??? :eek:

steph

I'm surprised all the time by the verbal skills of "educated folk"...

This probably isn't going to be well recieved here, but here goes anyway:

Everyplace I've worked recently the issue of students getting in the way of staff comes up, in some way or another. Now I went to a diploma school, everyone was invested in the students and the school/instructors had a committed relationship with the facility. We all worked closely together and communication was good.

This isn't happening today...schools and hospitals aren't on the same page anymore and the students suffer.

Access to computers, charts, and desk space when the staff already has limited access is always a problem when students descend upon the unit. ;)

As a desk charge nurse,when it comes down to being able to do MY job, I have to ask students (and instructors) to look at what MY priority is, and assist me in meeting that. My priority cannot be the students. And when students are 'in my space' I may become a bit terse, particularly when its quite obvious I have work to do and they're interfering. Some hang out, gab, etc...showing zero respect for staff responsibilities: they only consider their own entitled need.

Frequently today the students are on the unit without supervision: another thorn in the side of harried staffnurses today. This never occured when I was in nursing school.

I was advised as how and when to get what I needed as a student without getting in the way. Apparently this is not occurring today.

Communication and problem resolution is necessary in these situations, and I hope the OP's instructors can help the next group of students have a better experience.

The nurses' hostility is, of course, innappropriate...but a huge clue that things are out of control and steps need to be taken to remedy the problem.

JMHO.

It would not hurt to remind the liaison for the hospital that future nurses are getting the impression this is not the place to work.

it would not hurt to remind the liaison for the hospital that future nurses are getting the impression this is not the place to work.

good point --

I'm in my 4th semester and my clinical group is having the same kind of issue. I have been at this hospital for my foundations clinical and my med-surg just last night we were there and they were having a meeting with the CNAs well one of the students walked into the confrence room not knowing that they were having a meeting and over heared an LPN say "them d*** students best not get in my way tonight and a CNA replied " them have to be the dumbest student nurses yet" so now we all feel uncomfortable asking any hospital staff a question or to pull labs up on the comp. because like you we have to have a nurse let us in the med room, supply room, ect. I am just glad we only have one more clinical left here and I too wish we could make it easier for the next group.

OMGOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE SAME THING happened to me last week! I walked in the conference room(thats where we post our assignments AND it is also an open area since it is also a lunch room). The nurses were very rude and told me to shut the door. ooopssss! Also, last week I walked up on the floor to get report at 630am and apparently the night nurse told the morning nurse that I flushed the patient's stool. It was suppose to be his first bowel movement since surgery. I DIDN'T EVEN GO INTO HIS BATHROOM!! EVEN BETTER, he didn't even have a bowel movement. The nurse manager said to me, "I don't know what you have been taught in nursing school or what year you are but we DO not do that!!!". I was so embarrassed because I didn't do anything. I just know that I will NEVER work at this particular hospital.

This probably isn't going to be well recieved here, but here goes anyway:

Everyplace I've worked recently the issue of students getting in the way of staff comes up, in some way or another. Now I went to a diploma school, everyone was invested in the students and the school/instructors had a committed relationship with the facility. We all worked closely together and communication was good.

This isn't happening today...schools and hospitals aren't on the same page anymore and the students suffer.

Access to computers, charts, and desk space when the staff already has limited access is always a problem when students descend upon the unit. ;)

As a desk charge nurse,when it comes down to being able to do MY job, I have to ask students (and instructors) to look at what MY priority is, and assist me in meeting that. My priority cannot be the students. And when students are 'in my space' I may become a bit terse, particularly when its quite obvious I have work to do and they're interfering. Some hang out, gab, etc...showing zero respect for staff responsibilities: they only consider their own entitled need.

Frequently today the students are on the unit without supervision: another thorn in the side of harried staffnurses today. This never occured when I was in nursing school.

I was advised as how and when to get what I needed as a student without getting in the way. Apparently this is not occurring today.

Communication and problem resolution is necessary in these situations, and I hope the OP's instructors can help the next group of students have a better experience.

The nurses' hostility is, of course, innappropriate...but a huge clue that things are out of control and steps need to be taken to remedy the problem.

JMHO.

Thank you for your reply. I was wondering, how do you cope with the med students? They often are taking up valuable space, computer and otherwise, and chatting away while you are trying to do your job. How do they differ? The disparaties in treatment by staff of med students and nursing students goes to show where the phrase, "nurses eat their young" comes from, (never have heard that with respect to doctors). Are they somehow more worthy of respect than nursing students? Your thoughts?

Andrea

I can certainly understand your frustration with students at times and I have experienced this as a staff nurse on occasion. Hard to compete with the diploma programs even though that too can be a sore subject. I originally graduated from a diploma program and now I teach for one. Prior to teaching for this school, I taught clinical for an associates program and for a BS. It's been my experience that the size of the clinical group and abilities of the instructor makes all the difference in the world. It is especially hard for the instructor if he/she is unfamiliar with the facility teaching at. Having students shouldn't make the nurse's job more difficult, it should help them. If this isn't the case, the school probably should reevaluate how it is preparing students. Even though assisting with education is something that a professional should assist with, it is not the staff nurses responsibility to teach the student. Their priority is the patient. It is much harder to find the right balance as a nurse today.

Bottom line is that these students are the future of our profession and there is a definate history of eating our young. Nursing is a much more difficult profession today compared to 20 years ago with the shortage and the downsizing of nursing staff due to lack of appropriate reimbursement. In order to make things better in the future, we need new nurses and this isn't going to happen when students are treated with hostility. The situation needs to change.

This probably isn't going to be well recieved here, but here goes anyway:

Everyplace I've worked recently the issue of students getting in the way of staff comes up, in some way or another. Now I went to a diploma school, everyone was invested in the students and the school/instructors had a committed relationship with the facility. We all worked closely together and communication was good.

This isn't happening today...schools and hospitals aren't on the same page anymore and the students suffer.

Access to computers, charts, and desk space when the staff already has limited access is always a problem when students descend upon the unit. ;)

As a desk charge nurse,when it comes down to being able to do MY job, I have to ask students (and instructors) to look at what MY priority is, and assist me in meeting that. My priority cannot be the students. And when students are 'in my space' I may become a bit terse, particularly when its quite obvious I have work to do and they're interfering. Some hang out, gab, etc...showing zero respect for staff responsibilities: they only consider their own entitled need.

Frequently today the students are on the unit without supervision: another thorn in the side of harried staffnurses today. This never occured when I was in nursing school.

I was advised as how and when to get what I needed as a student without getting in the way. Apparently this is not occurring today.

Communication and problem resolution is necessary in these situations, and I hope the OP's instructors can help the next group of students have a better experience.

The nurses' hostility is, of course, innappropriate...but a huge clue that things are out of control and steps need to be taken to remedy the problem.

JMHO.

I can certainly understand your frustration with students at times and I have experienced this as a staff nurse on occasion. Hard to compete with the diploma programs even though that too can be a sore subject. I originally graduated from a diploma program and now I teach for one. Prior to teaching for this school, I taught clinical for an associates program and for a BS. It's been my experience that the size of the clinical group and abilities of the instructor makes all the difference in the world. It is especially hard for the instructor if he/she is unfamiliar with the facility teaching at. Having students shouldn't make the nurse's job more difficult, it should help them. If this isn't the case, the school probably should reevaluate how it is preparing students. Even though assisting with education is something that a professional should assist with, it is not the staff nurses responsibility to teach the student. Their priority is the patient. It is much harder to find the right balance as a nurse today.

Bottom line is that these students are the future of our profession and there is a definate history of eating our young. Nursing is a much more difficult profession today compared to 20 years ago with the shortage and the downsizing of nursing staff due to lack of appropriate reimbursement. In order to make things better in the future, we need new nurses and this isn't going to happen when students are treated with hostility. The situation needs to change.

Where are you when we need you? If you ever decide to work in LA and can handle clinical rotations at county, please help a bunch of us needy students out. Its one thing to berate your students, another to take the time to educate them as to how things SHOULD be done.

seriously, our dean is looking.

andrea

When I was a student...15 years ago...I remember explaining to my professor how badly the staff were treating the students. She simply said, "I challenge you to be different." When I continued on... she simply repeated herself. I still remember. This may be one approach to proactively help the problem.

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