"Good for nothing student"

[Sarah010101]

Sigh... I am sure we have all had one of those days where everything goes wrong. I am currently working as an ESN (Employed Student Nurse) in a local hospital on a surgical unit. I love it... most of the time.

I AM SORRY...

I am sorry that I am still a student, and I need you to co-sign for my narcs

I am sorry that I need your help when starting a heparin drip... i have never done it before

I am sorry that I have had so many first times on the unit, and that you wish i just knew it all so i could leave you alone

I am sorry that I ask so many questions throughout the day, I am still learning

I am sorry that I do not feel comfortable taking out staples when clearly there is no order for their removal

I am sorry that I need you to refill the running epidural bag since I am not allowed to handle them as a student

I am sorry that I do not have all of your patient's bed's changed and made, as well as toileted while you are on break, I went from 2 patients as a student to 8 as an ESN (I AM DROWNING)... i wish you would attempt to try and understand, or think back.

I am sorry that I cannot override the pyxis for a neb...

I am sorry that I need to pee more than once every 8 hours

I am sorry that I need a second person to help boost up a heavy patient

I am sorry that I charted my stuff before you got around to doing your charting, ending with your charting having a bunch of "late entries"

I am sorry that I needed you when my patient's BP shot up, became extremely sweaty and was complaining about severe chest pains

I am sorry that I am "annoying" and a "good for nothing student" as you tell your co-workers under your breath

I am sorry that I stayed in the room with my patient as she discovered her unexpected colostomy, as you left and told me she will get over it

I am sorry that you are so over worked... i wish i could make it better for you, I try my best to hold my own workload

Most of all...

I am sorry that you dont think I have what it takes, or that i did something to make you dislike me... or that you think I am a good for nothing student,... apparently you are wrong, because I was offered a job today on that unit as soon as I finish school :)

[sistasoul]

Heya, ha ha! Good on you! Show them a thing or two before u leave.

Being a student is THE most horrible experience I ever had. If you can just get through this time you will be OK. And I for one wouldn't apologise for help, and I don't take c**p from anyone.

I agree. Being a student was one of the worst if not the worst experience of my life. It was mostly due to overworked and stressed out RNs who probably did not like being stuck with a student. I have been yelled at a few times as a student. Almost made me not want to go into the profession. But then again, it taught me how not to act with students who are already stressed out.

[sistasoul]

i agree with you in your post i want to copy it and wear it like a sign. you are a responsible & caring person, the attributes of a great nurse! i hope that you never lose that.

it seems that when you are a student nurse you are a target for others to unload their crap on you. i don't understand why some people feel compelled to carry and pass the torch of nursing misery. just because someone dumped on you when you were a student nurse does not make it okay for you to do the same to someone else. nursing is founded on compassion, and caring not hating, demeaning, belittling, and all the other mistreatments that seem to be acceptable today. it starts the moment you enter nursing school. i understand why there is a nursing shortage and also where they teach nurses to be nasty. im getting ready to enter my last semester and want to cry just thinking about it.

not all nurses are like this. i have had the privilege of working with many kind and caring nurses who took me under their wing when i was a new grad. i had 3 weeks of precepting and would never have made it if i did not have their support. i think it depends on the unit you work on. it is possible to find supportive nurses. i was treated poorly as a student too and dreaded starting my first job.