pet peeves when nursing students arrive

klone, MSN, RN · Aug 10, 2011

I've only read the OP, so apologies if I'm repeating anything.

What not to do: turn down opportunities to practice a clinical skill.

I had a student a few years ago who, when I asked if she wanted to start an IV, said "No thanks, I've had plenty of practice." Really. This was a third semester student, too. They've only been allowed to start IVs this semester. I was NOT impressed, and didn't give her a very good evaluation.

klone, MSN, RN · Aug 10, 2011

Students can be a huge help to some facilities we have our instructors whom we worked under and supervised us. I just thought that some nurses would be more thankful that we were doing their job for free under someone else's license.

Do you seriously think that's what students are? Free help, "doing our jobs for us"? You are sorely mistaken if that's what you believe. Don't get me wrong, I love to teach and I love working with students. But working with students INCREASES our workload, rather than decreases it. Everything that gets done takes longer, because we're showing a student how to do it, rather than just doing it ourselves. So no, you are certainly not doing our job for free, and in most cases (especially if I'm doing my job right as a preceptor) having students is work, rather than a "huge help." I don't mind, I was there once too.

Streamline2010 · Aug 10, 2011

I can't take time to read & see what's already said. But this is either advice we got or things that our instructors ranted at us students about:

Respect patient confidentiality. If you are taking printouts off the floor, handle them properly and dispose of them properly. Information is not to be misused. Or left in public areas.
Do not talk in the halls outside of patient rooms. Be very, very careful of what you are saying within audible range of anyone.
If the med room or med drawer is to be kept locked, then LOCK IT!
Do not curse or use derogatory language of any kind.
Be quiet in that conference room or break room. Keep the laughter down or else shut the door. People in hospital don't want it to sound like there's a party going on down the hall. Or outside their rooms.
Be respectful to the elderly. Some of them have very lonely lives, and they do want to chat a little with the nurse or student nurse. If you are not busy and not doing any real work, go find some lonely patient to drop in on and see how he or she is feeling.
THROW OUT your beverage containers and whatever. Don't walk off and leave your debris in the conference room or break room.
Be on time for all things. Be properly attired. Tattoos covered, and piercings removed.
Probably don't wear loads of blue or turquoise eye shadow with huge black eyeliner. RN makeup should be much more subtle.
Wear socks and underwear. And of the proper color.
Watch what you eat. You don't want bad breath when you're in a patient's face.

And here's one that I learned: Everyone wants the same equipment at 7AM for assessments, blood glucose, med computers, etc. Get out and grab yours ASAP, then go see the patient. Otherwise, you may not be able to complete assessment until 9 or 10AM, and you will get low ratings for that. Bring your own BP cuff and stethoscope.

elthia · Aug 10, 2011

We do a combination of paper and verbal report at my hospital...if you are a nursing student...it's ok to make a copy of the paper report sheet...but don't remove the original, the next shift needs it,and it delays shift change, when you LOSE the paper report, it makes for a very unhappy shift change.

Only one person can be in the electronic MAR at a time, you were told this in your orientation to the unit, ...so while you are SLOWLY writing down all your meds...the night shift nurse ends up traipsing all over the unit looking for Sally student to get out of the chart, so she can give her pt his pain med and 0600 meds. Use the paper MAR, or the print function, like you have been told over and over and over and over and over.....

Know a little about what is normal for the floor and the dx. Why a high SBP/DP would not be a good thing in a post CABG or vascular surgery pt. Why fluid restrictions and I/O's are so important in CABG and MI's. Why LOW BP that is asymptomatic in an endstage CHF on lasix gtt and inotropes is NOT an emergency and can be normal. (ie, I had a nursing student go to his CI, stating I was trying to kill my endstage CHF pt with a EF of 12%, because his BP was 90/42, HR 88 BNP >2500, on lasix 10mg/hr milrinone 0.5mcg/kg/hr, asymptomatic with the BP, and I wasn't going to stop the lasix and call for a bolus of IVF. He refused to listen to me that seriously this is ok this is where the pt LIVES, the MD is aware, with heart failure that severe, hypotension is only treated when pt is symptomatic and giving IVF will kill the pt slowly painfully by drowning. )

Ask before going into the LVAD pt's rooms...most of the times they have no problem with showing off...but sometimes they can have had a long tiring day, and just aren't in the mood for umpteen nursing students wanting to look at the cool equipment. Especially the pt's with the VAD's that were placed emergently...they need time to grieve and adjust to life attached to a pump.

klone, MSN, RN · Aug 10, 2011

OMG!!! I have just gone from nervous to petrified!:chair: I've never been one to not ask questions, but what if I ask too many? Then I'm in your way. I want to see and/or do everything I can, but I don't want to be the pesky little sister. What's not enough? What's too much? Hopefully, I will know when I get there, but I'm nervous as heck right now.

I LOVE when students ask me questions. It shows me they really want to learn. There's no such thing as too many.

Fiona59 · Aug 10, 2011

[quote=Streamline2010;549 .r.

.

And here's one that I learned: Everyone wants the same equipment at 7AM for assessments, blood glucose, med computers, etc. Get out and grab yours ASAP, then go see the patient. Otherwise, you may not be able to complete assessment until 9 or 10AM, and you will get low ratings for that. Bring your own BP cuff and stethoscope.

OMG! Don't even think about doing this. The floor nurses will loathe you. We have patients to assess, sugars to do, etc. We won't thank you for making us hunt it all down all over the unit. I've had those days when I couldn't get my patients vitals done until after 0800 because the students had the equipment.

News Flash, you can assess the patient without keeping the cuffs and glucometers with you after you have used them.

Students have 1-2 patients, I'm still looking after 3-4.

Oh, and check about using your own BP cuff. My facility doesn't permit it.

Streamline2010 · Aug 10, 2011

OMG! Don't even think about doing this. The floor nurses will loathe you. We have patients to assess, sugars to do, etc. We won't thank you for making us hunt it all down all over the unit. I've had those days when I couldn't get my patients vitals done until after 0800 because the students had the equipment.
News Flash, you can assess the patient without keeping the cuffs and glucometers with you after you have used them.
Students have 1-2 patients, I'm still looking after 3-4.
Oh, and check about using your own BP cuff. My facility doesn't permit it.

Don't worry. I return equipment promptly after use, and usually even share it with the other students, out of necessity. The RNs for the most part have their personal stash of equipment available to them all shift, and there is a pool of "extra" stuff available for CNAs and RN students. (I'm in a hospital-based RN program.) The RNs use portable computers on carts; students use the hardwired ones for student's charting. The RNs have their Veriscans tied up all shift, and there are 3 or 4 extras for students to use. Glucometers are limited. 3 or 4 to a floor at most, but the students are assigned to do the glucose testing, and report it to the RNs as well as chart it. We are encouraged to purchase and use our own BP and steth, as "tools of our trade."

So, whatever the rules for equipment usage, just be darned sure you are not last out of the gate for whatever you are allowed to grab, Students. ;-)

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 10, 2011

ok,
how about you teach me good, safe nursing practice and i'll get you a blue moon and a green sun along mixed together "sunrise tequila".
is that a deal? nothing like learning from the experienced!:igtsyt:

i can't imagine what i'd learn from that experience -- i already know how to puke!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 10, 2011

the way our school worked is that our instructors are the ones who do the teaching and supervise us completely when administering medication/shots changing dressings etc.. yes, i understand that you do need to follow up but when even just a portion of your patients meds are being passed by the student and instructor with out your presence it is a help because you could be off taking care of other things. the nurses at the facility where i did my rotations were relieved of atleast 3-4 patients because of students and their instructors being able to handle certain tasks competently.

again, you may think you're being a help, but you're not. my patient is my responsibility for my shift. if you and your instructor are there to handle certain tasks, that may be a great learning experience for you. i still have to follow up and make sure everything was done, done correctly and at the correct time. it's usually easier just to do it and chart it myself than to track you and your instructor down to make sure you've given mrs. keto's insulin and to remind you to record her calorie count, to find out if mr. colon actually pooped after his enema because the doctor is on the phone wanting to know right now or to remind you about mrs. pee's i & o.

i enjoy teaching and like having students around. but i don't ever fool myself that they're there to make my day easier or even that making my day easier will be an unintended consequence of their presence.

LuckyRN07 · Aug 10, 2011

i can't imagine what i'd learn from that experience -- i already know how to puke!

:yeah:

one won't make you puke.. we'll stick with the beer then.

just playing, i'm not a drinker.

:nurse: :redbeathe

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 10, 2011

ruby,
maybe someday, i'll get someone like you as my preceptor. i appreciate the no-nonsense, git-er-done approach. you sound like my kinda gal.
(is "gal" acceptable terminology these days? guess i'm too old to know or care.)
s

thanks for the compliment. as far as "gal" -- i'm probably older than you but please don't call me "grandma."

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 10, 2011

one won't make you puke.. we'll stick with the beer then.
just playing, i'm not a drinker.
:redbeathe

i got married in new orleans. the mere thought of a tequila sunrise or a hurricane makes me puke! (have you ever seen the five gallon hurricanes at pat o's? i have.)