pet peeves when nursing students arrive

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I was reading the pet peeves thread and decided to start this one and see if I could get any advice for what TO DO and NOT TO DO in clinicals.

So...

What pet peeves do you have about nursing students?

What are things you wish ns would do?

sandan rnstudent

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
I can see this person is not the nurse you want to be in clinicals with. Too bad you have such a bad attitude and feel that we students are taking up more of your time and think we are problem children. I hope to never be in your patient room :/ So much for "supporting other fellow nursing students" !! :mad:DISLIKE:mad:

Obviously you have not been around much. I think I would chew off my own arm (except for the fact that I would need it) to precept with Ruby. Being honest is not the same as being "unsupportive". Listen and learn.

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I can see this person is not the nurse you want to be in clinicals with. Too bad you have such a bad attitude and feel that we students are taking up more of your time and think we are problem children. I hope to never be in your patient room :/ So much for "supporting other fellow nursing students" !! :mad:DISLIKE:mad:

Hold up there..... Where is your INSTRUCTOR???? :) SHE is the one who volunteered to teach students. The floor staff got drafted. I liked having students around- but I wasn't there for their sole amusement and source of information. A nursing student without an instructor is like having 10 more patients....don't get me wrong- I enjoyed the vast majority of students I came in contact with- but if an unprepared one showed up, I wanted nothing to do with her/him. One didn't even know the end of the thermometer to use (a BSN student....). That is not a help- that is terrifying :eek: That isn't stuff you learn at the hospital- that's stuff you learn before you tie your shoes to go to the hospital. :)

I liked having students who were there to learn, and understood that being in the hospital was a privilege- not a right. The ones who asked questions that showed they put some thought into it (not "what is the normal dose of aspirin?"- you have a drug book- look it up and if you see a dose difference on the MAR, THEN ask me what the deal is).... take some initiative- it's YOUR education; I'm done with school....none of us should ever stop learning- but I'm not there to go to school for you :)

If the instructor is not around, or hasn't talked with me about what you are and are not allowed to do (which these days doesn't seem like much from what I saw as a patient- seriously??? bring me a lunch tray, and that's it????), then I'd have you at the desk reading policy and procedure manuals.... end of discussion- BUT, if your instructor tells me what you're allowed to do, and I've got the time (and I'd make time whenever possible- I want you to learn all you can), then suit up, show up, and swallow the "this is how it's done" stuff- school ain't the real world :D I'm not there to adjust my way of working to suit you. I've learned what works for me, and is still doing the task properly. You're there to learn- not dictate how my day is going to run, and how I take care of my patients, so YOU benefit the most- the patients ALWAYS come first :)

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I am a senior level nursing student, set to graduate in December. I have yet to ever have a nurse be ugly to me, so I am always baffled by the flying accusations on this site. Perhaps this is to be my semester to get reamed and treated poorly, but somehow I don't think so.

I go home from clinicals exhausted and with a crap-ton of paperwork to do because there was no time to do it during clinicals. Mayhap that is the difference, who knows. All I know is pretty much every clinical day, I leave thinking "I'd sure like to work with her" when I think back on the nurses who helped me. And I tell them so.

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now this is true criticism! all of these points are helpful to us new-bees coming in. thank you so much for this!:yeah:

so nice to have your approval :lol2::lol2::lol2:

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A passerby also cannot tell if someone on a computer is checking their email or doing unwork related things. I understand society frowns upon the use of cell phones at work. Med students use handheld electronic devices all the time and society can "handle" that. Why can't we change the stigma about these devices so the public is aware of what they are being used for?

Go for it ! :)

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Specializes in NICU Nurse.

*sings*Why can't we be friends...Why can't we be friends...*sings*

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:dncgbby:*sings*Why can't we be friends...Why can't we be friends...*sings*:dncgbby:

It's not about being friends- it's about having safe nurses when they come out of school :) If students want to blow off clinicals with attitude and disrespect, they're not going to be anybody's friend :) The OP asked the question- nurses are answering. If students don't like it, well, that's too bad, isn't it.... seriously- they're blowing their own education. :(

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I have a lovely student on my ward at the moment. She asks questions and has a thirst for learning and as i am new i explained that i did not know the answer to one of her questions so she went away and came back today with a printed answer for me. How fab is that! She is always willing to perform or watch procedures and best of all, she is prepared. she knows what the procedure is for,why it is being done and what is needed.

I think im gonna miss my little friend :(

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Specializes in NICU Nurse.
It's not about being friends- it's about having safe nurses when they come out of school :) If students want to blow off clinicals with attitude and disrespect, they're not going to be anybody's friend :) The OP asked the question- nurses are answering. If students don't like it, well, that's too bad, isn't it.... seriously- they're blowing their own education. :(

Oh I totally agree with you. I posted that as a joke and it was more pointed to the posters/students who were getting upset when the nurses who have posted in this thread have been nothing but nice and have been giving great advice :)

I am not a nursing student yet but I do work at the hospital as a volunteer and I am always very polite to the nurses and staff there. Always asking questions and eager to help out but I also know when I am getting in the way. I don't think a nurse would be "mean" to a student unless the student does something to deserve it and even then the nurse isn't being "mean" out of spite but is rather keeping the patient and staff safe and helping the student learn.

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Specializes in L&D,Mother/Baby, WHNP,Educator,NICU.

FYI, I am a clinical instructor and students DO NOT work under the instructor's or the staff nurse's licenses. The school of nursing carries for the students and that is what they are working under.

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Specializes in LTC.

I like students too. Pet peeves: Acting like a know it all, what to do: take initiative sometimes.

P.S. My pet peeves with the nurses are when they act like they were born nurses and totally catch attitudes with us students.

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Specializes in LTC.
It's not about being friends- it's about having safe nurses when they come out of school :) If students want to blow off clinicals with attitude and disrespect, they're not going to be anybody's friend :) The OP asked the question- nurses are answering. If students don't like it, well, that's too bad, isn't it.... seriously- they're blowing their own education. :(

I think that poster was just trying to lighten the mood of the thread. geesh. Rough day at work?

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