Quick tips for nursing students

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I'm a nurse that loves to teach and precept but I've noticed a couple of quick things that I think might help students to keep in mind.

1) If you come to get your clinical assignment before clinical please don't wear a tank top with a leopard print bra. It just looks really nasty especially on a peds floor.

2) I don't mind hanging meds with you or guiding you through an assessment but please know what the meds are and if the dose is safe. If I tell you the patient has a history of asthma and was admitted for respiratory distress please do a respiratory assessment etc.

3) Please tell me what you'd like to learn or see so you get the best experience.

4) Please don't take all of the seats at the nursing station and sit around talking. Please don't spend 2 hours reading the chart and 2 seconds seeing the patient. It's great to review it but the assessments/meds are more important.

5) Please pay attention when I'm giving you report. I don't remind repeating it once but three times is too much. Please review the chart if you wonder why some medication isn't being given--there has got to be a discontinue order somewhere.

6) Please don't give me vital signs that are clinically wrong. If you had an infant with a temp of 94/95 that would be a bad thing (actually any age unless there are some thermoregulation/sepsis issues) if you get a blood pressure of 180/100 please don't tell me the child was kicking. Just go and give it another shot or ask for help.

7) Unless it's an emergency (and I get those happen) please don't text or answer the phone when I'm talking to you because it pisses me off.

Any experienced nurses have things like this happen? I really like teaching but some of these behaviors make it impossible. Maybe I just had a couple of not so hot students today but they were seniors and I'd think these things are basic knowledge. I'd like to know how you all handle these situations if they arise and if my expectations sound unrealistic. I'm one of the few nurses willing to take students and I don't want that to change but I found that I was really really frustrated today. Thanks for letting me vent! Anna

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Specializes in Neuro, Med-surg..

I'm a nursing student who is working on his second degree (I'm 28). I'm a bit older than some of the gals that are fresh out if high school in my class. Myself and a few of the older students have really noticed that a lot of our students still have a high school mentality (physically inseparable from their Blackberries, narcissistic attitudes, chronically late, talking during lecture, etc.) You have my sympathies. It annoys the hell out of us older students who want to learn, who really want to become safe and competent nurses.

I have no advice for you. Personally, I would speak with their teachers or advisers (or whomever your school or program contact is) and have them make a GENERAL announcement to the class. Don't single anybody out unless its an egregious error that is totally and completely out of line. At my school, we have a pre-clinical uniform and a clinical uniform. If you show up in anything but, you get denied a patient and sent home. You then make up the clinical experience the week of finals.

Good luck - I'm sure it's aggravating!

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Honestly, I'm in the second year of a three year program and most of those behaviors would get us sent home from clinical.

I'd talk to the clinical instructor so they can have a bit of a "Come to Jesus" meeting with the clinical group before the next clinical day.

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Specializes in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.
I'm a nursing student who is working on his second degree (I'm 28). I'm a bit older than some of the gals that are fresh out if high school in my class. Myself and a few of the older students have really noticed that a lot of our students still have a high school mentality (physically inseparable from their Blackberries, narcissistic attitudes, chronically late, talking during lecture, etc.) You have my sympathies. It annoys the hell out of us older students who want to learn, who really want to become safe and competent nurses.

I have no advice for you. Personally, I would speak with their teachers or advisers (or whomever your school or program contact is) and have them make a GENERAL announcement to the class. Don't single anybody out unless its an egregious error that is totally and completely out of line. At my school, we have a pre-clinical uniform and a clinical uniform. If you show up in anything but, you get denied a patient and sent home. You then make up the clinical experience the week of finals.

Good luck - I'm sure it's aggravating!

It's not just the young students who are disrespectful and immature. I have seen plenty of the older students, one in their 40's who have been guilty of the same behavior. It drove me nuts to see someone who has been an adult for a decade or two act like an irresponsible teenager. I suppose some of us young ones made the transition from a high school mentality to college one at the actual time we graduated while others seem stuck. Anyway, I agree that if you have a problem with a student's behavior you need to bring it up with their instructor. I understand it can be frustrating, but thank you for teaching:yeah:

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You all sound like nursing students I'd like to have. I think it's the clinical instructor as well b/c she is not too hot. There is a real need for clinical instructors but the pay is not as much as one can make on the floor plus it is so hard to make sure that 7-8 students get what they need. If only I could take 2 or 3 students I'd love to do that job. I guess I can dream!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I am sorry those things happened. It makes it hard for those of us who are passionate about nursing and eager to learn to find experienced nurses who are willing to spend quality time with us. Thank you for enjoying teaching; please don't let this particular set of students dull that! We need mentors like you so badly.

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Sounds simple, but hey, BATHE. Once daily. Do not omit.

Corollary, do not bathe in perfume or anything else that smells, including garlic.

Wear clothing without holes.

Wear shoes that do not have obvious signs of filth.

Engage in what you see. If it looks "boring" then you probably don't really understand what is happening. Honestly, don't most ICU patients *look* boring? All that sleeping and machines monotonously beeping and stuff? But just wait and listen. It is not "boring."

If you think the "nurses here have it SO easy" come apply for a job, see how well you do, THEN say you have it SO easy.

I'm taking time out of my busy day to teach you. This is something that I do for no additional compensation. My organization, like so many others, only performs this public service to further your non-appreciative nursing education. So, pretend to appreciate it. We *can* decline to accept students from your school at any time.

I really like you, how much you want to be a nurse. You remind me of me. The things I will tell you I wish someone had told me. But, probably they did, and probably, like you, I didn't listen.

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Engage yourself...i think the behaviors that make a person appear uninterested are most annoying to me (eg. sitting there the entire time, frequently denying new opportunities of learning something new, a look of disinterest or sitting with your feet up on the other nurses' station chairs :rolleyes:) If your really not interested then your not learning anything...talk to your clinical instructor for a different site....you are paying to LEARN. :D

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Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
I'm a nursing student who is working on his second degree (I'm 28). I'm a bit older than some of the gals that are fresh out if high school in my class. Myself and a few of the older students have really noticed that a lot of our students still have a high school mentality (physically inseparable from their Blackberries, narcissistic attitudes, chronically late, talking during lecture, etc.) You have my sympathies. It annoys the hell out of us older students who want to learn, who really want to become safe and competent nurses.

Ugh, I'm older too. Sometimes I snap and post passive aggressive stuff on my Facebook, such as "If you fail this next test I am not gonna have much sympathy for you when I haven't even seen your head turned face front the whole day long." They get annoyed, but they just keep at their selfish disrespectful behavior. Sometimes I can't even hear the lecture for all the talking.

And our school's admin really needs to grow a set and start singling these people out. For example, ten or twelve students have decided that our uniform pants don't flatter them and have bought other styles of pants. The director sent out an email to everyone about being in compliance with the uniform policy, dressing appropriately for pre-planning etc. The VERY NEXT DAY I counted FOUR students who had the wrong pants on. If I was the director I would have been scanning the students that day and writing them up for being so arrogant and blatantly violating the rules. As I have said multiple times, if you can't follow a simple rule like what pants to wear, does a patient really want you for a nurse in a year?

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As a nursing student, I'm sorry you've had a tough time with some of your students. We absolutely rely on and greatly appreciate all you nurses who take the time to show us the ropes. You make us better future nurses!

I agree with all the other students who suggest talking to the instructor. At my school, it was made known BEFORE we went into clinicals what kind of behavior/appearance was expected of us, and that you'd be sent home if you didn't adhere to the expectations. While a student may or may not listen to you (unfortunately), they'll certainly listen to the person grading them. And then the instructor might better prepare their students next year.

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

I agree with the above posters who suggest a meeting about expectations for clinicals. I know we had those meetings each rotation when I was in school and I did the same when I taught a few years ago.

I'd also like to point out that it's up to the instructors and preceptor to set the tone, that students cannot be expect to uphold a standard that their teachers don't meet. I work once a month as an indepedent contractor at a local career college that has a medical-field basis. I had an instructor come through for services at the last clinic and was appalled. She was wearing a cleavage-baring dress and was talking on her cell phone the.whole.time. I had to ask her to turn it off to do an oral drug screen. During the course of her call, she used profanity and was asking the other party to the phone conversation very intimate questions about sex. And then proceeded to make some snide comments about how the students didn't follow instructions--after I had to repeat instructions to her three times. Practice what you teach.

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Don't get discouraged! You sound like a really awesome teacher. Maybe they will come in next time fully reformed. LOL You can always hope!

If nothing improves, I would talk to the instructor definitely.

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