pet peeves when nursing students arrive

kcksk · Aug 10, 2011

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having students. I have found that I love to show them stuff (if they can't do it themselves) and it keeps me on my toes to make sure I don't take any shortcuts. I love showing them tricks I've learned to make things go smoother. I found just recently that the students will be right there to help me if I need it to. I was in a room (no student assigned) of a pt with c-diff (need I say more). Three students hopped in and cleaned her up while I got her meds ready. HUGE help to me! Another time I had a peg tube to give meds through and brought students in to watch me prepare and give. They had never given meds through a tube and loved the chance to see it. Starting IVs.....love to have students watch (although it definitely puts the pressure on to get it!)

When I was a student I remember skipping lunch so I could see a PICC inserted bedside. Didn't really think it was a big deal but my instructor was impressed I took the chance when it was offered.

Students on the floor tomorrow....can't wait!

Katie5 · Aug 10, 2011

It is not a phone. It is an Ipod Touch. No phone/camera capabilities. No different than an upgraded Palm Pilot (which our school used to use). Whats the difference between this and a computer?

Perception honey, perception. I don't know that it has no phone/camera capabilities unless you tell me.

I do know that you're really concentrating hard on it in patients' rooms.

Katie5 · Aug 10, 2011

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.

Age might have something to do with it...just saying.

But again, there is the Laws of attraction- you attract to yourself what you think about. Positive energy has a way of rubbing off on another.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Aug 10, 2011

Students who think they know EVERYTHING, and also students who do nothing but sit in the breakroom or at the nurses station, taking up seats for other RN's/MD's trying to get work done...I understand if you don't have much going on with your 1 patient for the day, but pitch in and help out the other nurses...you could learn something.

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Aug 10, 2011

Age might have something to do with it...just saying.
But again, there is the Laws of attraction- you attract to yourself what you think about. Positive energy has a way of rubbing off on another.

Wishcraft for Nurses- :hpygrp:

aussiemom · Aug 10, 2011

Please, when you have an observation day or working day on a specialty unit, please don't act bored with what I am telling you. I have worked hard for the knowledge I have attained and I truly do enjoy sharing it- so please don't act like you know it all or just don't care. I'm sorry dialysis isn't as glamorous as the ER or ICU, but guess what- you can learn something valuable wherever you are. You may have a fluid overloaded patient land in your ER one day...guess what...maybe this experience will help you there. Pay attention. I understand if you are overwhelmed- you should be. But please pay attention. I thank you and your future patients will thank you. :nurse:

The majority of students I have had have been eager and inquisitive, but one young woman really bothered me with her attitude problem- sorry to those who work to get the most they can from each experience.

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Aug 10, 2011

Don't tell me that you don't "need" to do a procedure because you've already done one. Turn me down once, I won't offer again.

Listen to what I tell you - I can teach you a lot you won't learn in school.

Don't come and tell me at the end of your shift that you didn't provide am care, mouth care, etc because you were watching another student hang blood/do a procedure/whatever. We practice total pt care on our unit -if youtell me you are caring for a certain pt I expect you to do that. If you can't, let me know right away, not 4 hours later. I won't have my pts neglected.

My advice - watch and listen. If you hear a nurse saying her pt needs a catheter, ask if you can do it. If you see someone carrying the supplies to do a procedure, ask if you can watch or do it. Never turn down an opportunity to learn.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Aug 10, 2011

When patients get admitted, if u don't know how to do anything else, at least get their ob's done, do a BGL/BSL, get a U/A & if female (on certain wards and in the ED), do a preg test to start. That is a BIG help to busy RNs then at least we have a set of baseline ob's/tests. It also gives the doc something to work on too.

Always ask what can u do to help out. Don't lean against the wall watching everyone else, like my first newly graduated RN did! If u stand back, when it comes to being a RN, and you are then in charge, you will find it very hard, if not impossible, to adjust.

There is ALWAYS something to do on/in a busy ward/unit/department. I hate it when students say: 'There's nothing to do!" Go round & check all the patients: do they need anything? Re-fill water jugs, get pillows/blankets - old people get cold lying in bed. Does anyone need pressure area care? Do they need creams applied, or skin/mouth care? Go round & update fluid balance charts - that is always a big help. Use ur initiative.

Continuously ask questions - you won't learn just standing there. Sure, some questoins might seem dumb, but they're not to you. Always carry a pad and write everything down, then you should be fine.

EDIT: NEVER, EVER, EVER take short cuts with medications, even if ur busy and u saw another nurse do it. Do medications properly and follow all the rules - then you will never make a medication error. Do not ever feel pressured into 'getting your meds done quick cos ur too slow'. Too bad if ur slow. U need the time u have as a student to learn meds properly and safely. Speed usually comes with time & experience.

I remember some RNs trying to get me to go fast with meds, and I absolutely refused which p'eed them off no end. Remember if u make a mistake, it's YOUR license on the line and you will be the one standing up in court, probably with no job at the end of it. I always imagine that to keep myself grounded re medications.

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Aug 10, 2011

One last word of advice - don't say " I don't need to learn that because I'm going to work in ICU/ER when I graduate". Or "This is a boring floor. I'll never want to work here. I want to work somewhere more important". You may discover that when you graduate, the only position is on the "boring unit" and they won't hire you because of what you said as a student. I've seen it happen.

Jenni811, RN · Aug 10, 2011

i hate it when students think they know everything. Not even the staff nurses do, so you don't either.

I work in a very large hospital that is well known for cardiac surgeries. I work on the cardiac floor, so we get some really neat things!!! I had a fresh heart with me, so much to learn from them. Chest tubes, all sorts of drips going, frequent assessments, dressing changes, PCA pump, all sorts of fun stuff!!!

I had the instructor come up and ask if it would be ok if we changed it up and this student be with me for the day since i had a FRESH heart. "Sure!" I sat the student down at a computer and told her to review the patient's chart while i got my other patient off to the cath lab. I get back and expect her to know at least a LITTLE about the patient, like what kind of surgery this patient had.

I asked "Do you know what a MICS CABG is?"...she had no idea! Totally understandable, MICS is not a common procedure that is performed (Very common in our hospital though). i explained it, all is well. She seems very interested in what i had to tell her about a MICS CABG. We go into meet the patient, do his medications, i showe her the drips he has running and what each one does, how we verify and what drips need double verification etc.

THIS is what i like. I don't mind having a student. But once i got to showing her the equipment, such as the chest tube she is like "I know. I already know all of this we don't have to go over it."

When the PCT told me the patients glucose, for Q1 checks on insulin gtt. i was trying to explain how we titrate insulin drips "I know. I can read this." i was like "Ok, then you show me what you are going to do when you go on there."

She walked in there, head held high and i watched. Nearly bolused the patient with insulin had the pumps not stopped her and myself stopping her, had no clue what she was doing. I stopped it right away and tried to explain it. She refused to listen to me when itried to talk about needing to switch her algorithms.

The begining was so great!! I ended up telling the instructor because it was bad.

That was the worst student i ever had!!! other than that, i tolerate a lot. Just don't question me. i do things my way and it does not mean it is WRONG it is just the way i do it or our facility does it. This is not "NCLEX world" it is real world nursing.

TALK TO THE PATIENT!!! i hate it when students fear talking to the patient. I've had a couple where they fear holding a conversation with the patient, they are human and enjoy other human contact even if you are a student :yeah: most patients are more than willing to have students.

vegas2009 · Aug 10, 2011

Most of the time the instructors are more than thrilled to see students going out of their way looking for opportunities instead of just sitting around
Haha, I find this funny. My last CI that I had to be with from last year was either scared/uncomfortable/annoyed at our clinical rotation. Here's why: There were three of us assigned to a patient (was our group patient). Since day one, the patient was bed bound and was able to use only her upper extremities. She is paralyzed from the waist down. I asked her questions like; is there any feeling at all from the waist down? Any pain at all? I've never known anyone who was ever paralyzed, so I was curious. The usual questions about her medical history, small talk, etc. In fact, I asked more health, medical stuff than the other two in my group. Them two, did more of the 'small talk' with her. I was thinking, I'm supposed to try to act like a nurse, not this patient's friend. Anyway, the patient moved herself around/on the bed using the upper strength on her arms and she was very coherent. She had a triangle, which she used to move her entire body since she is bed ridden. I touched her skin, temperature, did the usual assessments, etc. My other two groupmates, did their visual. The patient even sang to all of us (students and CI) to welcome us in her room.
On 2nd/3rd visit there, I wanted to do a BP check on her. I wasn't able to. Here's why: I was in the room with groupmates while checking on our patient. During this time, our CI was talking about nursing students making patients' arms black and blue when they are doing BP checks. She meant this as an observation that she's seen a lot in the ER. My groupmates went back to the meeting room and they were just in time to hear this from our CI. They came back to our patient's room and told me that ONLY ONE of us students can check our patient's arm for that day! I was like, what? I know what u guys are saying, but we should have done this (or at least try) on our first day here. We should take turns and just make sure her arms are rested in between, today. I already ask her if I can do it and she said yes.
Then groupmates said, well ask CI to come here, so she could watch you. But we want to do it also, you know. They both had attitudes at me at this time, because they're assuming/wanting, if we check the BP as a group, then it should be ONE of them to do it. My attitude is, why can't we all do it and make sure that both of patient's arms are rested, in between checks. Since anyone can see that the patient had no problems AT ALL on her upper extremities. So, I excused myself and approached the nurse-in-charge on that floor and asked her, if there are any limitations on our patient in such room. I asked her specifically -->> on patient xy in room 123, is it OK to do a BP check on her, as long as we make sure that her arms are rested in between? There's three of us in our group. Will that hurt her in any way? Or we can only have one BP check on her? The nurse looked at me like I was crazy! And she said: (with a chuckle) No, no... there's no restrictions on her. All three of you can take her BP, but ur right, just make sure u rest them in-between. Who told you, you can't? I couldn't answer that of course. I just said, I had to go.
In summary, my CI said (to the whole class) that, to anyone wants to do a BP check, to just do it on her. My CI was approachable, she was. But, honestly, we (the whole class) spent more time in that conference/meeting room and looking at paperwork than actually, 'practicing' on our patients. I wouldn't be suprised if most of the students with me in that class, had to repeat a semester or two (assuming they graduate). CI didn't have a plan of action or any kind of paperwork for the class, the two in my group had no clue that 'small talk' is not the same as therapeutic communication.

vegas2009 · Aug 10, 2011

Most of the time the instructors are more than thrilled to see students going out of their way looking for opportunities instead of just sitting around
Haha, I find this funny. My last CI that I had to be with from last year was either scared/uncomfortable/annoyed at our clinical rotation. Here's why: There were three of us assigned to a patient (was our group patient). Since day one, the patient was bed bound and was able to use only her upper extremities. She is paralyzed from the waist down. I asked her questions like; is there any feeling at all from the waist down? Any pain at all? I've never known anyone who was ever paralyzed, so I was curious. The usual questions about her medical history, small talk, etc. In fact, I asked more health, medical stuff than the other two in my group. Them two, did more of the 'small talk' with her. I was thinking, I'm supposed to try to act like a nurse, not this patient's friend. Anyway, the patient moved herself around/on the bed using the upper strength on her arms and she was very coherent. She had a triangle, which she used to move her entire body since she is bed ridden. I touched her skin, temperature, did the usual assessments, etc. My other two groupmates, did their visual. The patient even sang to all of us (students and CI) to welcome us in her room.
On 2nd/3rd visit there, I wanted to do a BP check on her. I wasn't able to. Here's why: I was in the room with groupmates while checking on our patient. During this time, our CI was talking about nursing students making patients' arms black and blue when they are doing BP checks. She meant this as an observation that she's seen a lot in the ER. My groupmates went back to the meeting room and they were just in time to hear this from our CI. They came back to our patient's room and told me that ONLY ONE of us students can check our patient's arm for that day! I was like, what? I know what u guys are saying, but we should have done this (or at least try) on our first day here. We should take turns and just make sure her arms are rested in between, today. I already ask her if I can do it and she said yes.
Then groupmates said, well ask CI to come here, so she could watch you. But we want to do it also, you know. They both had attitudes at me at this time, because they're assuming/wanting, if we check the BP as a group, then it should be ONE of them to do it. My attitude is, why can't we all do it and make sure that both of patient's arms are rested, in between checks. Since anyone can see that the patient had no problems AT ALL on her upper extremities. So, I excused myself and approached the nurse-in-charge on that floor and asked her, if there are any limitations on our patient in such room. I asked her specifically -->> on patient xy in room 123, is it OK to do a BP check on her, as long as we make sure that her arms are rested in between? There's three of us in our group. Will that hurt her in any way? Or we can only have one BP check on her? The nurse looked at me like I was crazy! And she said: (with a chuckle) No, no... there's no restrictions on her. All three of you can take her BP, but ur right, just make sure u rest them in-between. Who told you, you can't? I couldn't answer that of course. I just said, I had to go. And yes, I did thank the nurse for the info. I just had to make sure.
In summary, my CI said (to the whole class) that, to anyone wants to do a BP check, to just do it on her. My CI was approachable, she was. But, honestly, we (the whole class) spent more time in that conference/meeting room and looking at paperwork than actually, 'practicing' on our patients. I wouldn't be suprised if most of the students with me in that class, had to repeat a semester or two (assuming they graduate). CI didn't have a plan of action or any kind of paperwork for the class, the two in my group had no clue that 'small talk' is not the same as therapeutic communication. CI was nice, but I kinda wonder how she got her job.