Ok. So, I'm devastated.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

At the beginning of the semester I found out I had gotten my first choice for preceptorship - ED. I'm supposed to start next week, but the hospital just told our school they've decided they don't want students in the ED because of H1N1. Why? I'm going to be a nurse much sooner than H1N1 is ever going to go away and I want to be an ED nurse. I'm getting vaccinated this week. I just don't understand. I can work with TB patients, but not flu patients? I really don't understand the logic.

Is anyone else having this problem?

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I am so sorry to hear that...I too wanted to be in the ED but I was told the same thing and now I will be on the medsurg floor.

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I know that you are very dissapointed but it is a liability issue and the school and hospital will not take it on. Try to think positive where will you go now? Try to look at what you will learn where you will go Personally I did an ER rotation in school and it was boring for the most part the majority of the time nothing was happening. If possible look at a post-op unit there is a lot to learn there and it is really exciting....Just a suggestion.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

JT - How can a flu virus be more of a liability that TB, AIDS, assault, or whatever else you can get, or have done to you in a hospital - ED, or otherwise? Especially, if I'm vaccinated against that particular virus? It doesn't make sense. My other two choices were trauma team and Pedicatric ICU. We know I won't be in trauma, as it's part of the ED and I bet there's going to be a kid, or two, with H1N1 in the ICU.

goodnursingstudent - Med/Surg? There are a lot of sick people in there. I hope none of them have the flu...

Yeah, I'll buck up and be a good soldier. I might even like where-ever I end up, but I don't like it right now. I'm ******. Thanks for listening...

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I know I know the problem is that the flu is unpredictable ... It may make you a little sick it may kill you this is a strain that hasnt been around in a while and young people dont have immunity for it, it is becoming a pandemic and untill a resistance is built up it is a high risk. I agree that you should be able to take the risk if you want to unfortunatly you will have to make another choice but be positive I know the feeling trust me.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

It might not be a liability issue at all. It may simply be that the ED is expecting to be too swamped to donate a nurse to be your preceptor.

I coordinate the student placements for my hospital and I am facing the same issues. Some units are already in crisis because of the influenza pandemic. Their staff is getting frazzled and people are being asked to work crazy schedules, etc. to keep the unit functioning and meeting the needs of the patients. In the middle of a crisis, the staff may feel unable to handle the extra workload of precepting students.

During a crisis, it is common to restrict the number of people in the environment to only those who are trained to help and to have a clearly defined role. Some of you students may be the ones moved to another area where you will not be "in the way" of the people directly dealing with the crisis -- just as you would be asked to step aside during a code or other patient emergency.

I'm sorry that sounds harsh ... but no insult is intended. It's just another step that is sometimes necessary in an emergency to help the staff manage the situation effectively and efficiently.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

No offense taken, llg. That would actually make more sense than that they're worried I might catch something and die. I'm just extremely disappointed, obviously. I've already talked to my preceptor and she's so awesome. I was so happy to find she was my age and we had a really good rapport going. She gave me my schedule. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about emergency nursing to prepare myself. Everything was just perfect and yesterday it all went out the window. So, I just really needed to vent.

This was really the only thing I've gotten my heart set on all the way through school. Where-ever they put me for clinical was fine. What-ever nurse I had to follow was fine. If my nurse was good, I was happy. If she was not-so-nice, I didn't take it personally. What-ever facility they sent me to was glad to go. I really am a go with the flow type person. I should've known better, I guess, than to get attached to the idea I was going to work in the ED just because they told me so. It was a silly thing to do.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

Those of us in critical care and ED preceptorships have been told if the H1N1 situation gets too "crazy" we may be pulled out of our preceptorships and reassigned to med/surg units. This is uncharted territory and unprecedented. We'll have to be flexible because the needs of the units we are on will come first, and rightly so.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I just found out I'll be going to Neuro ICU. I'm not so upset anymore. In fact, I'm excited. Now, not as excited as I was about ED, but I'm still excited. It's going to be a lot different...

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I love your attitude, Miss Chybil. I wish you all the best of luck with your preceptorship. It sounds like it could give you some great experience, too. Make the most of it and it should provide a great way to launch your career.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Thanks, llg! I think it will all turn out fine. :)

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