problems with nurses at my clinical site

twinbee25 · Feb 22, 2005

we're expected to follow a nurse around,... the nurse didn't let me do anything. she only let me go in the patients room to observe her giving medication, and that was pretty much it. i asked if it's okay if i could follow her around to the other patients rooms just to observe, but she said i should just stick to my patient's care. but there was hardly anything for me to do! just give my patient's tray, talk to him, take VS, and thats it?? :angryfire
im worried the other nurses i have the rest of this semester will act the same, and i really want to learn SOMETHING. i dont want to stand around looking dumb, doing nothing at all.
do any of you have any suggestions for me if i encounter a nurse like this? please help!!

In the future, I would either simply just follow the nurse w/o asking...until she says not to follow her.

...or if you find yourself not having much to do since you have only one pt, go pull the chart and read everything about the pt, also why your pt is taking the meds s/he is given, ...also so many times nurses (due to being so busy) overlook personal grooming needs, offer it (hair combing, oral hygiene, offer a simple manicure but be careful if they are diabetic not to cut nails, and etc) read the nurses notes to learn how they document (that will come in handy when its time for you to learn).

...sounds like you are in the early clinical stage, and if I knew then what I know now, I would have taken my own advice...try to learn early about other things by reading charts/notes. also getting in the habit of offering pt personal care so it will be a habit when you are busier in your clinicals.

Good luck to you!!! :)

Aneroo, LPN · Feb 22, 2005

I've had problems with nurses on floors in the past also, and am finally at the point where I'm standing up for myself. It's so hard to do, but you MUST do it! I had been told that the RN I had this past week wouldn't let students do anything (from another student on my rotation). After report, I told her " Hi, my name is ____. I cared for these patients yesterday, have them again today. I will be doing their meds, IV's, dressings, and charting. The CNA will need to do their normal job (we're in a nurses role now, not the CNA). I look forward to working with you" And that was it... I had no problems throughout the day. I had to get meds away from her before she gave them, but that was it.

If you're only at the point where you're doing general care (baths, vs's) maybe po meds, then it's going to be harder. Ask if she has any dressing changes you can do. Tell her you would like to do IV's or foleys if she has any. Tell her what you're looking for, what you can do. Ask your classmates if they need help with anything. Make friends with the CNA's...they can save your butt and time if you get in a crunch. They're crucial to your job. Like someone else said, review charts. It makes me feel good to know something about the patient that the nurse didn't know. Follow her around until she tells you not to.

Some nurses just aren't good with students. They may have had a bad experience with one in the past. She may be a new grad, trying to get all the experience she can. Talk to her about her experiences in nursing school (help her remember what it was like to be a student... ask her where she went, how long she's worked there, if she likes what...). If you continue to have problems with this nurse, tell your instructor. Nurses at our hospital are also evaluated on how well they work with students... it's part of their yearly eval. They HAVE to do it, or they do not move up the ladder as quickly. Understand she may have had a bad day, and regardless of whether you're there or not, she's still accountable for all of those patients (so she might be very reluctant to delegate care to you).

Good luck, and stand up for yourself! -Andrea

Aneroo, LPN · Feb 22, 2005

but there was hardly anything for me to do! just give my patient's tray, talk to him, take VS, and thats it?? :angryfire
:

Also, don't underestimate how important this is to a patient. There is more to nursing than giving meds and starting IV's. This patient is probably scared. The biggest thank you I have ever gotten from a patient was from giving her a bath when everyone else was too busy. Getting them ice, mouth swabs, a warm blanket, walking the patient, TEACHING... they're all important things that need to be done, that probably isn't being done if everyone is that busy. Take it upon yourself to do something, it will help you out, and will look better on your eval.

hangnon · Feb 23, 2005

I'd say it could just be that particular nurse. I find they are all different on what they will allow you to do. We now have clear guidelines on paper that say what we students are capable of doing, so there is no confusion. I've handed it to a few nurses and found it seems to help. I'm in my MedSurg rotation right now and we do total patient care on 2 patients at a time. Most of the nurses on the floor know this and are MORE than happy to see us doing it. I know it's frustrating but get used to working nurses who aren't exactly open to having a student. Eventually you'll get paired with the ones who are wonderful and it'll more than make up for it.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

Is to bad you dont feel you have good nurses at your clinical setting. I usually am trying to give the students so much the instructor is telling me they dont have time. LOL Wish you were here.

But to your instructors credit,, she is spread way to thin. I have taken students to do things and monitored them while they do it when the instructors arent there. Hope things get better,, but the suggestions are right on target,, especially looking at the charting from past shifts. It will help drastically when you have to start your own charting in ernest.

schroeders_piano, RN · Feb 23, 2005

I've had problems with nurses on floors in the past also, and am finally at the point where I'm standing up for myself. It's so hard to do, but you MUST do it! I had been told that the RN I had this past week wouldn't let students do anything (from another student on my rotation). After report, I told her " Hi, my name is ____. I cared for these patients yesterday, have them again today. I will be doing their meds, IV's, dressings, and charting. The CNA will need to do their normal job (we're in a nurses role now, not the CNA). I look forward to working with you"

I am an RN who has the opportunity to work with nursing students each semester. The nurses at my hospital have a very good working relationship with the nursing students and their school of nursing. It is mainly because the majority of our nurses have come from this nursing school. I have no problem with letting the nursing students do meds, dressings, or charting. As I read the above comment, for some reason it made me horribly mad. If a nursing student came up to me and told me, " I will be doing their meds, IV's, dressings, and charting," it would be the last day that student ever did a clinical rotation in my hospital. Sometimes some nursing students seem to forget that they are indeed nursing students. The patient's nurse is ultimately responsible for every aspect of their patient's care. I am all for standing up for yourself, but a better way of handling the situation would have been to ask the nurse whether you could do the meds, IV's, dressings, etc. instead of just telling the nurse you were going to do it. Sometimes if you ask the nurse if you can do something, you may get a NO. Respect the nurse's decision and ask if you can observe. If the floor nurses see you respecting their decisions and see that even if they won't let you do something you are still willing to watch and learn, you may get to perform the skill(s) next time. Being a floor nurse, I can tell you the one thing that erks any floor nurse is a nursing student taaking an attitude with them. I already know that I'm going to get flamed for this post, so I will apologize now to anyone I offend.

Schroeder

AdobeRN · Feb 23, 2005

This semester is heavy med-surg for us. We are mainly split between the same two floors. A couple of us students have already figured out which nurses are interested in having students and which ones are not. When I pick my patient, I look to see who the nurses are and try to pick according to which nurse the patient has. I know this probably isnt right, but I learn best with "hands on" and I really want to be prepared for a job when I finish school.

Another thing I have learned is that when I have a nurse that isnt really interested in me hanging around, I just "kill them with kindness" and usually by the second day they are a bit nicer.

JHUBRAIN · Feb 23, 2005

I am an RN who has the opportunity to work with nursing students each semester. The nurses at my hospital have a very good working relationship with the nursing students and their school of nursing. It is mainly because the majority of our nurses have come from this nursing school. I have no problem with letting the nursing students do meds, dressings, or charting. As I read the above comment, for some reason it made me horribly mad. If a nursing student came up to me and told me, " I will be doing their meds, IV's, dressings, and charting," it would be the last day that student ever did a clinical rotation in my hospital. Sometimes some nursing students seem to forget that they are indeed nursing students. The patient's nurse is ultimately responsible for every aspect of their patient's care. I am all for standing up for yourself, but a better way of handling the situation would have been to ask the nurse whether you could do the meds, IV's, dressings, etc. instead of just telling the nurse you were going to do it. Sometimes if you ask the nurse if you can do something, you may get a NO. Respect the nurse's decision and ask if you can observe. If the floor nurses see you respecting their decisions and see that even if they won't let you do something you are still willing to watch and learn, you may get to perform the skill(s) next time. Being a floor nurse, I can tell you the one thing that erks any floor nurse is a nursing student taaking an attitude with them. I already know that I'm going to get flamed for this post, so I will apologize now to anyone I offend.
Schroeder

I got to agree with you on the quote - Bottem line is that it is my patient and if the student came up and said that to me - I would be talking to her teacher. I love students in fact I work in educ - but I have seen some very bad outcomes by to eager students "sticking up for them selves". It is a time to learn and watch - and you can ask about doing other things as they come up - Good Luck & God Bless - GP

Aneroo, LPN · Feb 23, 2005

I am an RN who has the opportunity to work with nursing students each semester. The nurses at my hospital have a very good working relationship with the nursing students and their school of nursing. It is mainly because the majority of our nurses have come from this nursing school. I have no problem with letting the nursing students do meds, dressings, or charting. As I read the above comment, for some reason it made me horribly mad. If a nursing student came up to me and told me, " I will be doing their meds, IV's, dressings, and charting," it would be the last day that student ever did a clinical rotation in my hospital. Sometimes some nursing students seem to forget that they are indeed nursing students. The patient's nurse is ultimately responsible for every aspect of their patient's care. I am all for standing up for yourself, but a better way of handling the situation would have been to ask the nurse whether you could do the meds, IV's, dressings, etc. instead of just telling the nurse you were going to do it. Sometimes if you ask the nurse if you can do something, you may get a NO. Respect the nurse's decision and ask if you can observe. If the floor nurses see you respecting their decisions and see that even if they won't let you do something you are still willing to watch and learn, you may get to perform the skill(s) next time. Being a floor nurse, I can tell you the one thing that erks any floor nurse is a nursing student taaking an attitude with them. I already know that I'm going to get flamed for this post, so I will apologize now to anyone I offend.
Schroeder

Sorry if I offended you. This is our last semester, our leadership semester. We have two students who take over as "charge" for eight patients each. The assign the nurses and the students, and I was ASSIGNED that patient. However, I do realize that that RN is still accountable for what I do. That particular nurse I was speaking to, we had had problems with her before about not letting students do things (she's a new grad). I went ahead and stood up for myself, and wanted to make sure she knew what my role was. There tends to be role confusion up on some of the floors. There is a university that also does clincals where we do, and the have first year, first semester nursing students on some of the intermediate units. The do only do vital signs, finger sticks, and ADL's. This particular nurse is from that university, and might not have really had the chance to work with our students and know what our leadership semester is about. I was not trying to be bossy, demanding, or anything of the sorts. I was trying to have an assertive way of telling her what my role was. I certainly hope I did not offend her as I would have offended you. -Andrea

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

I am an RN who has the opportunity to work with nursing students each semester. The nurses at my hospital have a very good working relationship with the nursing students and their school of nursing. It is mainly because the majority of our nurses have come from this nursing school. I have no problem with letting the nursing students do meds, dressings, or charting. As I read the above comment, for some reason it made me horribly mad. If a nursing student came up to me and told me, " I will be doing their meds, IV's, dressings, and charting," it would be the last day that student ever did a clinical rotation in my hospital. Sometimes some nursing students seem to forget that they are indeed nursing students. The patient's nurse is ultimately responsible for every aspect of their patient's care. I am all for standing up for yourself, but a better way of handling the situation would have been to ask the nurse whether you could do the meds, IV's, dressings, etc. instead of just telling the nurse you were going to do it. Sometimes if you ask the nurse if you can do something, you may get a NO. Respect the nurse's decision and ask if you can observe. If the floor nurses see you respecting their decisions and see that even if they won't let you do something you are still willing to watch and learn, you may get to perform the skill(s) next time. Being a floor nurse, I can tell you the one thing that erks any floor nurse is a nursing student taaking an attitude with them. I already know that I'm going to get flamed for this post, so I will apologize now to anyone I offend.
Schroeder

I can definately see your point. Thankfully, I have always had wonderful nurses to follow and have never had any problems. I treat them with respect, they treat me with respect (as a student of course). Thank you for your input.

grentea · Feb 24, 2005

If a nursing student came up to me and told me, " I will be doing their meds, IV's, dressings, and charting," it would be the last day that student ever did a clinical rotation in my hospital. Sometimes some nursing students seem to forget that they are indeed nursing students.

But what if you really are doing their charting and meds, etc. for a particular patient? Sometimes the nurses on the floor don't know what we're doing and what we're not doing, and it is our responsibility to tell them these things. In the same breath I would mention things that couldn't do. For example, since last semester was my first one, I couldn't do meds yet, and I was sure to tell the nurses up front about this so no one got confused. Simply telling them up front what your duties are on the floor is a way to protect yourself as a student and help the nurses to know what to expect. My professors advise this, and I really wouldn't consider it haughty of me as a student to do it.