This is an issue that any nursing student can relate too, I'm sure. I've experienced it as a student, too. I'm also guilty of not having been most helpful to students on my floor.
In my opinion, what you have to do is, taking charge of your own clinical education, not your nurse. What do I mean by this?
At one clinical site, the nurse I was paired with was very busy and had little time or patience for me. From the start, she bluntly asked, "What's your goal?"
"Umm... excuse me?"
Rolling her eyes, she spat out her words, impatiently. "You're a student. Don't you have a goal for today?"
By that point, what little confidence I had had completely evaporated by her strong personality and I was a bumbling idiot all day.
However, that nurse made me think really hard about my attitude and I realized something. I thought I was being receptive by letting the nurses guide me however they saw fit. I had been telling them, "I"d appreciate if you can show me whatever you can. Thank you."
However, nurses aren't trained to be instructors as PPs pointed out, and there is no time to formulate any teaching plan when you're suddenly paired with students unexpectedly. If I tell them to "teach me whatever they can," it is exasperating. Once I started telling nurses specifically what I wanted to focus on, the relationship got easier. By telling them what you need in specific terms, you spare them from having to think of what to do with you.
So, try something like this:
"Hi, my name is QueenAnnissa. This is my second semester and I have learned blah blah so far, and comfortable doing blah blah. For today, I would like to work on my assessment skills. Can I go in with you during your assessment, and maybe you can observe me and see how I'm doing?"
Some nurses will still give you hard time no matter how you approach them. But, at least by being assertive and proactive, you will learn something instead of being at mercy of others.
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