Doing my senior practicum in L&D

fergus51 · Jan 7, 2002

I'd say try to talk to women about their experiences in the hospital if you know any moms. Ask them what they liked and disliked about the nurses, and actually listen to their responses. You'll pick up on a lot of no nos. I hope you love L&D~!

MelissaCT · Feb 5, 2002

I started.

I have been there 2 days.

My preceptor doesn't really like working with people, I can tell. She prefers to do her own thing.

Ugg!!!!

She is teaching me, but I can tell she'd rather be on her own.

MelissaCT · Feb 8, 2002

People,

PLEASE be kind to students!

I can't say it enough.

Don't you remember when you were a student?

fergus51 · Feb 9, 2002

Melissa, I know EXACTLY what you are talking about! My last preceptor was from hell! Just try to ignore the bitterness and concentrate on the learning you're doing and the patient interaction you enjoy. If she is being really bad, it is probably about her and not anything you should take personally.

I personally LOVE having students because I DO remember what it is like to be one. I hope things start to improve. If you feel like venting go for it!

MelissaCT · Feb 9, 2002

Hi!

My instructor said that if she does not improve, they will put me with someone else.

Day one, she introduced me and said "this is Melissa, she's here to OBSERVE."

I'm supposed to be doing everything she does except IV push!

Well I think my instructor may have talked with her, because

day 2 she had me doing more at least: she showed me how to check the oxygen, suction, and warmer for the newborn, and made me return demonstrate.

And she showed me how to connect some IV tubing. I drew up the pitocin, injected it into the bag, hung the bag, connected it to the patient. I put the monitor on a patient.

So she is teaching me, but I know she would RATHER be by herself.

Personally, I worked at the same job for a while and over 5 years, I trained several people. I enjoyed it.

I'm always going to be sweet to students!

I've watched her cath someone twice, so I think next time I'm going to volunteer.

But that anatomy can be tricky: everyone has edema down there!

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2002

I had a terrible preceptor once... She was rude, irritable and very obviously didn't want me around. As if I ASKED to interrupt her life right? My worst day was when she got quite irritated with me for taking too long to do something (it happened to be oral care on an intubated adult ICU pt--had never done that before). Very soon after that I slammed me finger in a drawer, which hurt like a SOB. As I turned toward the window to compose myself and keep from crying, I looked down at the top floor of the parking structure, only to see my car getting a ticket, which my preceptor blew off, saying, "it's okay, it'll only be 20 or 30 bucks or so." Easy for you to say lady--YOU have a good job, I make minimum wage! B!tch.

I know it's not OB related but I just had to share. Seasoned nurses can be so rude to students sometimes! I make every attempt to be nice to students, since I remember what it was like!

MelissaCT · Feb 9, 2002

Hi.

It's not like I'm a lazy student who is giving her an attitude.

I am very eager to learn!!

She was talking to another nurse who had been a preceptor for someone who was hired full time, and they were talking about the bonus ones gets for doing so. Then my preceptor said to this nurse, "you can precept melissa if she wants to work here." And the other nurse said, "No you can." And then my preceptor said, "no, YOU can."

At least she could have said that when I wasn't around.

Melissa

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Feb 10, 2002

Gosh, Melissa, that really was rude. Sorry that happened!

fergus51 · Feb 10, 2002

Sounds like a cranky nurse! A nursing student who used to live with me is on her senior practicum right now and going through the same thing. She was crying when she called me yesterday. I wish nurses weren't so good at eating their young. How do we expect people to stay in the profession if we treat them badly?

MelissaCT · Feb 10, 2002

Yeah, I just don't understand it.