What is the biggest frustration for nursing students?

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Just curious as nursing instructors what do find nursing students complain most about or find most challenging. Thanks.

My biggest frustration as a student was all the complaining from other students. I'm of the opinion that when you are required to do something, just do it. It was frustrating as one of the earlier instructors posted, that there is not enough of the instructor to go around. At the school I attended we had a book of procedures given to us when we started clinicals and all procedures had to be successfully performed (and some more than once. ex. 3 successful cath. insertions) before we could graduate. It was very frustrating when you would have a procedure and the instructor could not come b/c she was with another student and some of the procedures were very hard to come by. But all in all, my time in school was a very pleasant experience.

One of my students' biggest frustration is testing that is centered at "tricking" the student and not testing for the reason of finding out what they know.

Specializes in Pediatrics.
One of my students' biggest frustration is testing that is centered at "tricking" the student and not testing for the reason of finding out what they know.

You know, as a novice educator, I love reading posts about teachers who are trying to trick the students:chuckle . I don't mean to sound sarcastic (and I apologise if it comes out that way), but I know I could care less about tricking my students. I am not out to get any of my students. Our job is simple: to challenge you to think critically, and to get you to pass NCLEX!! That's it. When I have a 'tricky' question, I can't tell you how happy I am when my students get it right. it shows me the wheels are turning, and they are thinking!! And I've told this to my students as well. If we make the questions easier, it's not going to help you at all for NCLEX. We don't make up these questions wihout considering the significance to NCLEX. You can challenge our questions all you want, but good luck fighting National Council.

Also, as an educator, I agree 100% about the powerpoints. I've seen it done by my coworkers, and I am dead against it. Powerpoint is a great adjunct to the lecture, it cuts down on students note taking, and helps them to remember key points. At least, that's what it should do.

OH wow this is probably the wrong day for me to post as I just had a horrible day at school but here goes:

1. Course Coordinators. What is this?! One instructor coordinates 3 other instructors, none of which bother to sit down together and discuss the routine of the course or what is acceptable and what is not. Too many chiefs and not enough indians you know?

2. Instructors need to read the material BEFORE they lecture. Nothing is more frustrating than coming to class and realizing that the instructor completely contadicts the text and N-Clex.

3. Unless an instructor has previous teaching experience (eg. Grad School) don't try to teach without a Masters in Education. You may be an exceptional nurse but that does not mean public speaking and test writing are your forte's as well.

4. If the RN we follow at the hospital is abusive, PULL US OFF THAT PATIENT!, the last thing impressionable students nedd is to be poisoned by the horrible attitudes of crappy rude RN's. We are there to learn, if the RN we follow is not OK with that the clinical instructor should step up.

5. Lat but by far not least. Disorganization is unaccpetable. Book learning is not the key for a RN time management and organization trump that everytime. If you want us to be good nurses set a good example.

Sorry if I seem bitter but accountability should be important on instructors parts as well...All I need is to pass my N-Clex. I will "learn" Nursing when I hit the floor for work...

Specializes in ED, Rehab, LTC.

I have been lucky. Most of my instructors are excellent, they are enthusiastic about teaching and they are the kind of nurses I want to be like. My biggest frustration was my last med-surg rotation. when your assigned to a few patients who are completely dependent for ADL's, we have to do the meds. vitals, baths, linen changes, assessments, make sure their eating, any wound care, etc. etc. etc. then your expected to help other students, and the nursing assistants on the floor who are getting paid!! Okay I understand the first and maybe even second semester they are teaching us nursing assistant work as well, but in the third and fourth semester I would expect to be focusing more on skills and medications than making sure every patient is bathed on the unit. I had one instructor that unfortunately did not have the time to pay much attention to what was going on, she had way to many students. I really felt like I was being taken advantaqe by the staff at this facility. I am not complaining about bathing patients or things like that because I understand as a nurse it is still necessary to do this and thats fine, but I really did not feel like I learned anything from this rotation except time management and how to work for free!!

Specializes in Pediatrics.
OH wow this is probably the wrong day for me to post as I just had a horrible day at school but here goes:

Unless an instructor has previous teaching experience (eg. Grad School) don't try to teach without a Masters in Education. You may be an exceptional nurse but that does not mean public speaking and test writing are your forte's as well.

You know how many less indtructors we'd have by that rationale. I'm not saying I disagree with you (My MSN happens to be in Education), but the reality is, even with all the NPs, and nurse administration majors teaching, it is still not enough. Where I teach, they had to cancel about 10 clinical sections, due to insufficient faculty.

If the RN we follow at the hospital is abusive, PULL US OFF THAT PATIENT!, the last thing impressionable students nedd is to be poisoned by the horrible attitudes of crappy rude RN's. We are there to learn, if the RN we follow is not OK with that the clinical instructor should step up.

Unfortunately, this is the reality of nursing, and sometimes I think it's better that students see it early on. I know it may be discouraging to some, but there are way too many nurses like that. And the process of selecting appropriate patients for students is not always that simple.

Sorry if I seem bitter but accountability should be important on instructors parts as well...All I need is to pass my N-Clex. I will "learn" Nursing when I hit the floor for work...

I hope you're being sarcastic here...

I have a tendency to make things too difficult sometimes--but I like for my instructors to be very thorough in their expectations of assignments/duties.

As someone else previously stated--be willing to let students challenge questions! If I am going to go to the effort of challenging a question, I will have (good) solid reasons why I feel like my answer is correct and where I learned the information. Then possibly explain why my answer is wrong.

I had a teacher who asked after every test if anyone had questions or if we didn't have time we could ask after class--it was great.

I realize time changes things over the course of a semester--but do your best to stick to the syllabus. It really makes things alot easier if we have a good basic idea of what the plan is!

Specializes in Med-Surg, Cardiac.

I'm a nursing student and really enjoying nursing school. That said there's certainly room for improvement. Some things I'd like from the teachers:

I don't mind test questions that are "tricky" since I'm sure there will be tricky NCLEX questions. However, please proofread your tests. It's frustrating when all the answers are wrong in some way and you have to choose the one that's least wrong. It might be good for someone a little less familiar with the subject matter to read questions for inconsistencies since the author of the test knows what she's asking and may not notice that the test question could legitimately have different ways of being understood.

Please read the chapter in the textbook that you are going to be teaching. Odds are something has changed since you learned it, and it's very frustrating to hear your instructor tell you to do something that the text very explicitely says has been shown to be harmful to the patient.

When a student is asking a question, please listen to what is asked. If you don't understand the question clarify and if you don't know the answer please say you'll look it up and get back to them.

If the RN we follow at the hospital is abusive, PULL US OFF THAT PATIENT!, the last thing impressionable students nedd is to be poisoned by the horrible attitudes of crappy rude RN's. We are there to learn, if the RN we follow is not OK with that the clinical instructor should step up.

Unfortunately, this is the reality of nursing, and sometimes I think it's better that students see it early on. I know it may be discouraging to some, but there are way too many nurses like that. And the process of selecting appropriate patients for students is not always that simple.

I totally agree here - there are going to be those nurses almost everywhere you go, and part of learning to function as a nurse is learning to work as a team with all types. And another patient assignment is just not always possible - my reality is that I often don't have enough patients for all my students to have their own, because we're trying so hard to graduate as many students as possible.

Becki

Now that I am calmer than my original post please allow me to clarify:)

I understand that in the workforce team work is a neccessity, I also understand that there are many nurses that are not happy in the workplace and it shows in their attitudes. However, The R.N. on the floor during clinicals does not get paid anymore an hour because I have to follow her. In some cases they are lovely people but when they already have 9 pt's on a M/S floor and they see students coming they are not happy. The instructor should ask the pt as well as the R.N. if it is OK. If you just dump me on this poor overworked soul, who do you think she takes it out on. I spend the day feeling responsible for her being over burdened or I spend the day hearing "This is not my problem I have work to do, you are in my way." How is that productive. I know with the shortage this is impossible to fix, but when the nurse get's down right nasty, the instructor should step in.

Now as far as I will learn when I hit the floor, I apologize but that is not sarcasm. I can memorize a book, and I can ace a N-CLEX test but true learning will take place when I enter the work place. RN school is fundamentals that are neccessary, but no one can say that every new grad is not green when they start. If RN school taught you everything then experience would mean nothing. I would guess that many seasoned nurses can not recite an anatomy or nursing text but are still great nurses. I believe that RN school is years of how to pass the boards. I will gather my greatest knowledge from those who have nursed for 20 years before me and grace me with their wisdom as I work along side them.

Sorry it is long winded, but I wanted to clarify, hopefully this is not offenxsive to some of you instructors.

Just curious as nursing instructors what do find nursing students complain most about or find most challenging. Thanks.

Sorry did a double post.

Just curious as nursing instructors what do find nursing students complain most about or find most challenging. Thanks.

This is a no-brainer. I found nursing instructors to be mean and condescending. I dropped out, and am finishing at Excelsior. Maybe a younger person can put up with it, but it's hard for second-career nursing students, who are used to being treated like grownups, and not bad children.

Diahni

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