bgh68

Sorry you had the awful experience with your preceptor. That is embarassing and upsetting to other nurses. I graduated from a 3 year diploma school where we learned how to deal with a variety of people early on! Nursing itself is the easiest part of the job, the medical knowledge, nursing skills can be studied and learned or researched and re-learned. Dealing with all different sorts of people is the difficult part. I must tell you that I have seen and taught good preceptors and bad, and good orientees and bad. According to the experts in precepting in nursing, the first thing a preceptor should do is want to be a preceptor, to volunteer. Many facilities will only have preceptors that apply for the position. So, while there is nothing that would excuse the unprofessional behavior of your preceptor, consider the possibility that she had bad experiences with orientees. I also must say, I would not ever have thought to criticise my preceptor! I don't think it appropriate or reasonable to have someone who has little or no experience judge the behavior or personality of the experienced. We all need to show the respect we expect others to show to us. It's not always an even exchange. I'ld prefer to err on the side of giving too much. Anyway, use your nursing communication skills to deal with this behavior. Document informative, brief and concise information and as you said, professionally present this to your instructor. Although you may well be right, I would not suggest you tell your preceptor, superior or co-worker that they are doing something wrong. Think about it, think how you would best receive this information and then plan to privately and kindly present a question to that person. Do not "confront", do not assume you are 100% right, tread lightly and your nursing life will thrive with or without the stress we all must face when working with so many different people. Do not let them get the best of you, and remember to never, never act like that! There are so many good nurses, docs, aids, etc. etc. that you will really be impressed by. Keep the faith.

As a med-surg nurse, I know just how you feel. It's hard to keep in mind that no matter what these folks look like to us, they think the ER is where they should be. With all the regulations we need to follow (emtala, cobra) and the customer service we all hear about daily, the lone guide should still be "and if this person was my mother..." how should we treat her.

I know this is a stressful occupation but we chose it! Most of us still love it, good and bad. I have to say I am speechless after reading some of the comments. Wow. We are the professionals, we are supposedly in control, educated and experienced to handle or at least deal with illness and its effect on the patient as a person, and their families. Where did empathy go, when did they cancel the old, corny golder rule, has anyone seen empathy? Making snide remarks to patients families is unforgiveable. No matter how rude they seem to be. I am seriously disappointed in our lack of kindness. Its not hard to be kind to the sweet 92 year old, but the angry 49 year old!

One quick note- after 35 years of workingas a RN, the standard is 2 attempts for veni[uncture or IV start, then have someone else perform the skill.

First, congratulations on controling your temper under such nasty circumstances. Way to go. Tag teaming another nurse when dealing with this kind of nutty situation sometimes works but you did great to maintain the patients safety and walk away. What would be great would be to talk briefly to the family calmly, in control and empathetic (this takes some experience in acting!) and firmly let them know that there is a minimum level of behavior of family here, that of course this is a difficult and stressful time for them. "you came here for us to help and we certainly will help and we need your cooperation." You may need to advance to "we will not tolerate..." If you can't at that moment do it, get someone who will. Above all, do not loose your enthusiam for nursing because of someone who acts like that. Remember you see people at their worst and some of them don't even have a decent "best" behavior. Calling security escalates the situation, save it for extreme, extreme times. Remember those people in the past who made your day! We have to be careful not to sink to the rude persons level, really, and use words like "you better...", or anything threatening in the least. There are emtala, cobra issues !!!!!, rude patient or not. Let it roll off your back and be thankful they're not your family or friends!!!!!

thank you Paula. There is no such thing as a fast recovery. None. Nada. Don't be silly.

I enjoy the show but I thought the episode with the young stroke victim emphasized the PATIENT'S POINT OF VIEW. Was it really a surprise to nurses that the doc didn't relate to the patient as a person and the nurse spoke to her? I don't see what is unrealistic about that! Do you?

I have been a nurse for many years and also remember the no gloves era. I hope you're just kidding, because starting off a response with hey toots really does just end the whole discussion.

I thought that episode was great! I have the wonderful distinction of having worked at a hospital that was closed in a "blending" of local facilities and we used to have a friday morning er quiz, informal and fun but really in every episode, there was something we could find to research a little or at least discuss and have fun with. This episode showed to me, how I hope I always treated patients, like the nurse did there. Luka spoke to the patient the way I have seen docs do or maybe better!! I enjoyed it.

western new york

Seriously, the bad habits are just terrible. What are you thinking? There is a way to speak up and I don't see how you could avoid addressing the issues!! I don't find much funny about such disgusting habits as no gloves for cleaning residents, are you kidding me!!! And no one said anything!!!! And then what did she do? What did she touch next? And you think this is funny??????????????????? George Carlin, is funny. Robin Williams, Chris Rock..that's funny. Bad medical care is not funny.