Patient's responses to students during clinical days

[QueenAnnissa]

Searching back a bit I didn't catch anything in reference to this, so I apologize if this was recently brought up...

In general, current and former nursing students, how have patients reacted to receiving care from nursing students?

[DisneyNurseGal, BSN, RN]

It all depends on the patient. Some have been poked and prodded so much that they can not be bothered, others are more than willing to let you do everything and anything. Just make sure you go in looking confident (even if you are freaking out on the inside) and that will put them more at ease.

[Philly_LPN_Girl, LPN]

All of my patients were nice. Ive never had any problems with any of them and they all loved me. We had nice conversations, stories, laughter, etc.

[rubato, ASN, RN]

There are two ways a patient can look at a student:

1. Yet another darn person in here messing with me.

2. Wow, undivided attention from 1 person all day.

My patients ALWAYS chose option number 2, but I have seen patients refuse a student before.

[SilleLu]

Mostly very positive. I make sure to let them know that they also have their regular RN and that I have an instructor. Most like the extra attention. One, who didn't even have a student assigned to him, was so happy to help out us students on the floor he let eight different students take turns removing staples. The few that were cranky were cranky with hospital staff as well, had nothing to do with the students.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

I only had two patients at most last semester and only did basic care and physical assessments on them. My patients always seemed to enjoy having someone that could take their time instead of a CNA that was trying to get through 15 baths and vitals in an hour and a half.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

For the most part they like having a personal caregiver and person to talk to. It is amazing some of the lives people have lived if you get them to talk (especially war stories). Had a female patient when I was working at the hospital that flew bombers during WWII. She wasn't in combat, but flew them from the west coast to the east coast so they can be sent overseas.

[chelbelle]

Our teachers always go into the room before we get to clinic and ask the patients if they mind having a student. More often than not, all of them are more than happy to have a student in the room! Most of them realize this means more attention! As stated before, the patients that don't like students usually aren't very nice to the staff either.

The only time I've ever seen issues with patients having student nurses was in OB. Many of the husbands/boyfriends/dads didn't want the male students in my class being the nurse, which is interesting because often the mother was okay with it.

[LoveNeverDies]

I always make sure to introduce myself to them and ask my patient if they mind having me as a student nurse. Again most of them love the extra attention you can provide them. I had one that seemed a little unsure and I explained that 1) their regular RN is available at all times. 2) I have an instructor on the floor reviewing my care throughout the shift. 3) That I would be glad to grab Nurse/Instructor/Aide in any situation that they did not feel comfortable with me performing care.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I had nothing but good responses from my assigned patients and their loved ones.

When I got my assigned patient (we gathered info on them, did an assessment etc the afternoon before clinical days), I went in and introduced myself, explaining I was a Student nurse and that with their permission I would be taking care of them with their assigned RN on X and Y day.

If they seemed a bit iffy about it, I explained that they would still have their regular RN and he/she would still be available should the patient need/want him/her and that I had an instructor (a RN) who would also be overseeing and/or reviewing anything I would be doing. I'd usually put in there that since they were my only patient (or maybe one of two) for the assigned days that I would basically be their private duty care person. THAT always seemed to change that iffy thinking to a 'oh, hey, I have a person devoted JUST to me' line of thinking.

I never had anyone refuse allowing me as their student nurse.

[Bouncyball]

It depends in what area I was in. I did clinicals in 2 different areas. When I was in a county hospital in a large metro area, the patients loved us students. They seemed very grateful to have the attention and you could tell they really appreciated all the teaching we did for them. It made me feel so good at the end of the day to know I could help people.

I also did some clinicals in a private hospital in a upscale town. About half those patients would flat out refuse to have students. The patients who would let students do things were very rude, picky, and felt entitled to all sorts of crazy not rational things. I dreaded going there.

[christina731]

On my first clinical rotation (LTC), my very first patient did not really like students. She didn't mind when I came in to do her assessment/vitals but when it came to med passes (which was probably the only other thing that I was capable of doing at the time), she would throw a fit. Even though my instructor was there, and her nurse was usually in the room giving meds to the other patient, this lady just did not like to have me hand her the little cup of pills. Most of my other patients that I have had since have loved students because it was one (sometimes two) of us giving them undivided attention for a whole shift.