Opinions on nursing students?

roser13, ASN, RN · Apr 13, 2016

Thank you for the free advice,
but I don't think I was giving any attitude at all

:no: Hmmmmmmmmmm....

chacha82, ADN, BSN · Apr 13, 2016

I'm for 'em!!

BeckyESRN · Apr 13, 2016

I've had students that were awesome and just as many that were awful. It depends on the person, the school, the attitude, the willingness to engage, it just depends. That being said, if you were an awesome student, I would hunt you down on every clinical to show you cool stuff or do procedures. If there were no student nurses, who would mean, grumpy nurses complain about?

Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2016

I'm only finishing my second semester of nursing school, so I am not yet an RN. I think the best thing we can do as students is to remember to empathize with our nurses. They are doing US a favor by working with us, teaching us, and giving us opportunities to practice. Sometimes we are a great help, and sometimes we can be a bit of a burden on an already overworked nurse. I have received an overwhelmingly positive response from the nurses at my clinicals by telling them I will do whatever I can to make their day easier. Do a supply run? Sure. Bed bath? Code Brown? You got it. Plenty of the things nurses ask me to do are below the level of skills I am currently learning, but the important thing to remember is that nursing is a team effort.

Editorial Team / Admin · Apr 14, 2016

I am, after due consideration, in favour of nursing students. They are a good idea. Stops us running out of nurses.

Yes, but when there's too darn many of them graduating two or three times a year from who knows how many local schools, it means that we become replaceable and upper management has no incentive to retain those of us who are experienced enough to properly orient these new nurses. Also, wage stagnation is pretty darn sucky.

kakamegamama · Apr 14, 2016

Once upon a time every nurse was a student who was studying how to be a nurse, the subjects important to becoming a nurse, etc., etc., and took a licensing exam of some sort and passed said exam. Most of the time I really liked them/like them.....some of the times I wanted to wring their necks, especially those who saw themselves as infallible, knowing more than anyone else, especially the preceptor. As to nursing students---I even had a few of those along the way in my 10 years of teaching...don't know how they managed, but they did and usually did quite well in clinicals.

What do YOU, OP, think nurses think of students?

milesims · Apr 14, 2016

Once upon a time every nurse was a student who was studying how to be a nurse, the subjects important to becoming a nurse, etc., etc., and took a licensing exam of some sort and passed said exam. Most of the time I really liked them/like them.....some of the times I wanted to wring their necks, especially those who saw themselves as infallible, knowing more than anyone else, especially the preceptor. As to nursing students---I even had a few of those along the way in my 10 years of teaching...don't know how they managed, but they did and usually did quite well in clinicals.
What do YOU, OP, think nurses think of students?

I honestly think it depends on the nurse and the type of person she/he is. I've met nurses who see students as simply students, who need guidance and are more than happy to provide it for them.

But I've seen nurses that think of them as idiots due to their lack of experience, and have some sense of superiority over them.

I really wanted to know if nurses and professors had some general bias against nursing students. Not that I wish for that.

Thank you for your insight!

seaofclouds21, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2016

I like working with nursing students. We have students come to our unit every semester and I regularly talk with them and their instructor. This semester I started to precept senior nursing students. I plan to teach undergraduates once I finish my degree.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 14, 2016

Opinions are like *******s, so are nursing students. No wait that isn't how it goes.

Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2016

Yes, but when there's too darn many of them graduating two or three times a year from who knows how many local schools, it means that we become replaceable and upper management has no incentive to retain those of us who are experienced enough to properly orient these new nurses. Also, wage stagnation is pretty darn sucky.

Hi there, student nurse here! Do you mind if I ask your opinion on what we can do to rectify this issue? In regards to the issue of new grads hopping onto the job market in hordes, do you believe that nursing schools need to be more selective?

Farawyn · Apr 14, 2016

Hi there, student nurse here! Do you mind if I ask your opinion on what we can do to rectify this issue? In regards to the issue of new grads hopping onto the job market in hordes, do you believe that nursing schools need to be more selective?

Yes! :)

Farawyn · Apr 14, 2016

I like students. I just wrote a soliloquy in ixchel's thread about the amazing students on this board.

There are many, and I am excited for them and happy to know them.

When I was a student I was a total idiot in my first clinical rotation. The NM of the floor pulled me aside and just said, take it slow, bla bla bla... When I graduated, she hired me.