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 TCU, LTC/Rehab.
how about a blue moon?

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:

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Specializes in NICU.
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.:cry:

Ask away! If I don't have time to answer them, I will try to find someone who can--or set up a time with you during the day to talk. I work in a NICU and have students who would do anything to get a job there and some who know it's not their cup of tea before they ever walk in the doors. Chances are, either type of student will walk out knowing more than they did when they first arrived.

It is harder to have students, absolutely. I am much more efficient when I work by myself, but I welcome the opportunity to teach and, like many nurses, find the loss of efficiency worth knowing that someone else was able to learn that day.

It is much easier when plans are clarified early on in the shift. I'll tell you what you can and cannot do and I need to know what you are able to do. Please ask before you do anything, though. I don't want to find out that you gave the med ten minutes before I did and did not happen to mention it.

The needs of my patient will always trump your need to learn. I will do everything in my power to provide you with opportunities--as long as that doesn't come at a cost to my patients. I will let you do everything I can, but there are some things my unit doesn't allow students to do.

Probably my biggest pet peeve is when students chart without my presence. That is a legal document that I am responsible for during my shift and while you may think you know what needs to be written, you may not ;).

Also, if you happen to wander off because something has caught your eye, I'm fine with that, but I probably won't have time to track you down if something interesting comes up :). I had a student once who told me he was disappointed that more interesting things hadn't happened during his shift. I laughed--there was a ton going on, but I could never find him :rolleyes:.

When I have students who show up eager to learn, I will go out of my way to teach and involve them in patient care. Be safe, be present and be interested, that will take you far. Enjoy your clinicals, as challenging as they may be, you will look back and realize how much you actually learned.

Just a little side note. Learning to work with all types of people (easy, difficult, etc.) will be an invaluable skill once you're a nurse, trust me on that one!!:coollook:

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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 have had a few nurses be ugly to me. One particular floor is known to be horrible to students, which I wonder why the college continues to let students go to that floor. But then this floor is just rude to everyone- patients, other staff on other floors, etc.

As a student, I don't know everything and don't pretend I do......I have to gain experience to feel comfortable. I have had one nurse on the current floor who has taken time to really explain why he does things that he does, reminds me of little things, and he does it in a way that comes off as helpful, not rude, condescending, etc.

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Specializes in NICU.

Ruby, keep those stories coming!! It's like precepting online, lol. :)

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Specializes in TCU, LTC/Rehab.

I have to admit that if you come well prepared to clinicals, follow the unit's rule, look up what you don't know, ask questions, have a positive attitude, and most important BE PRODUCTIVE then you should have no problem. I already gave some advice in an earlier reply but forgot a few things.

I can't help but to reply again since clinicals are still fresh in my mind. I enjoyed learning new things. Another thing, DO NOT hide under a chair or behind the door because TRUST ME they will know you are afraid, then you're screwed.

Follow the advice of the experienced, because they live it and know exactly what goes on.

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I like having students around. Your enthusiasm makes me appreciate the things I take for granted. I can't tell you how long it's been since I was thrilled that a Nurse actually trusted me enough to check blood or hyperal with her, and to help hang blood, prime the tubing, even watch...oh happy day!

I was interrested in seeing what stuff does make things harder on the floor and there are some really good comments. The one thing I've noticed is outright disdain and hostility from the CNA's. They hope you will spend the day helping them make beds, deal with code browns...et al. I have also seen their resentment because Nurses do not invite them to watch an interesting proceedure. Some are wonderful resources and want to help. I learned everything I knew in my first years after graduating with a BSN in 1984. There wasn't much understanding that we had a lot of theory but not a lot of experience with proceedures ADN's and LPN'S had mastered by the time they graduated. Thank God for those prople who took me under their wing and talked me through the proceedure and didn't judge me for what I knew but lifted me up. Thank you to all who help and helped along the way.

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i enjoy having students around, but trust me -- a student is not a help. students double or triple your work load if you're actually trying to teach them something. it may take me a half hour to teach something i could just take care of in a minute or two. also, no one is "thankful that we were doing their job for free." you're not. the nurse is still responsible, and even if your instructor is the one helping you cath the patient or give the meds, the nurse still needs to follow up.

for every "mean nurse" you say you've encountered, i've encountered a problem student. that's food for thought, isn't it?

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.

my point is alot of nurses i encountered forget what its like to be a student once they recieve their license and treat students like dirt. it's one thing to be annoyed at a student who did something to deserve "ill treatment". but completely ignoring a simple cordial greeting is just plain rude, nurse or not.

students are there to learn so of course they are going to make mistakes. why treat them like crap when some students out there are obviously trying to learn. yeah most students know seasoned nurses know way more because they have experience. i have never acted like i knew more than a nurse when i was a student because i know i didn't.

i can understand what you're saying w/ the problem students i had some in my class who i hope never get their licenses because i would be scared to have them as my nurse. my main deal is the way most nurses treated students at the facilities i went to. responding to simple gestures such as a smile and "hello" with a dirty look. it was just plain foolish.

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you don't get it, purplcav. students do take up more of my time, especially if i'm actively trying to teach them something. many students are problem children. . . no need to list the ways in this particular thread, but if you buy me a beer, i'll tell you stories that would curl your hair. and i don't understand the dig about "supporting other fellow nursing students." i'm not a nursing student, so i wouldn't be supporting "other fellow nursing students anyway." i have no fellow nursing students.

but it's ok, sweetie. if you don't want to be with me you'll make a lot of other students very happy. i'm told that everyone wants me as a preceptor. i'd like to think it was for my teaching skills, but i suspect it's for the entertainment value.

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.):D

s

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Specializes in Med Surg.
And...whatever you do, be nice to the unit secretary and the CNA's. They can make or break your clinical experience too! They are a wealth of knowledge so please don't act like you know so much more than they do. Some of us are nursing students too. We know who will make it and who will not, and we are very protective of "our" nurses.

I'm a newbie nurse and recent student and I completely agree! I learned so much from the CNAs I worked with in school and now on the job. I'm in awe of the great CNAs out there--they just don't get enough kudos.

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Purplcav...

I was a student just last year and always thought the nurses should be more appreciative of the work students do. I have had many extremely helpful students and am sure to acknowledge their help at the end of the day.

However, now that I am working independently, I realize the time and effort it takes to guide students as well as complete your own work, especially if you end up with a student who requires extra assistance. So, yes...sometimes having students does slow things down. I challenge you to come back to this topic once you are graduated and have students of your own and see if you would still respond the same way.

I appreciate what you said above and completely understand, but I think the comment from the other person was more the condescending way I interpreted it that we students just get in the way, but we all have to learn SOMEWHERE and how are we to get experience if no one will help us? But thank you for being kind in this post to me. I will be on these boards for a very long time :) Good luck to you!:yeah:

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i think a lot of the negativity comes down to the fact that nursing students mean a lot more work. i have seen many students come through our floor with the attitude that they are doing us a favor by being here.

i have learned a lot on this thread, what to do, what not to do. even had i not read this page, i would never go into clinicals acting like i know it all. i may just be that deer in the headlights :eek:, but i know that i would want to learn and help as much as possible :idea:. i would never walk into any situation thinking that i know it all. being helpful and kind is just my nature. i am looking forward to clinicals.

i think the comments from the nurses regarding the students are a bit harsh and it may just be my gentle nature taking it the wrong way, so, sorry if i offended anyone. i just think that we all need to learn together, get along and always help each other out even if it does take a bit more time.

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I could not have asked for better answers! Thank you to all the AN members who took time to contribute to this thread!

sincerely and respectfully,

sandan rnstudent

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