"Its not my patient" VENT

Jennerizer, ASN, RN · Oct 12, 2003

My classmates aren't like that. If anyone needs help & we are available...we jump right in.

Wait until you go from one patient to two or three patients in a day. That will definitely throw your classmates for a loop!

I think it's great that you help out so much!

bedpan · Oct 12, 2003

We had a couple do something similar the very first week of our clinicals in LTC - A CNA asked for help with something and these two who were standing there talking shot back that it wasn't their job or wasn't their patient or some such - The next day after she found out about it the Instructor raked them over the coals pretty good and that hasn't been a problem since!

One thing I saw in your post surprised me! I am talking about the students doing homework - We had it made plain to us that under NO circumstances are we to EVER do any homework during clinicals!

My clinicals last week were on evenings and I had one elderly patient to care for whose prognosis doesn't look favorable and he has family at the bedside 24/7 - The family want to do all the things for him that they can do themselves thus taking a good part of my responsibilities - I found myself spending more time talking to them and checking on them than I did my patient! And I guess that is part of it too isn't it?

Anyway, I basically just helped in any way I could and even asked the different nurses if I could go along and observe or help out - we are there to learn all we can right?

Plus it makes the time go sooooo slow when you sit around and do nothing!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Oct 12, 2003

"It's not my patient" is a particular gripe of mine . . . Whether it comes from students, RNS or MDs. If the patient needs something, and someone is sitting on their butt -- go and take care of it already!!!

I get "it's not my patient" from residents frequently -- usually when I've called to report a change in condition and request an order. So you have to call around to find the RIGHT resident to order your 40 mEq of KCL for a K+ of 2.6! Come on, guys -- 2.6 is low and unless you can think of a really good reason NOT to replace it (HD patient dialyzing against a 2 K+ bath) just give the order already!!!!!

The SNs that are sitting around without helping out are probably not going to get hired on that particular unit.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 12, 2003

A lot of people in my class are like that. And the big mouth i am, i complained about it, and it's not as big of a problem as it was. Still ticks me off how "princessy" a couple in my class are when they hear someone had a bowel movement and they say "oh come on where's the AIDES to do that".. I say "this AIDE says you really ought to help out since that excuse won't fly when it's YOUR pt.".

SJSU_Mami · Oct 12, 2003

The main purpose of clinical is to observe and use your skills. Don't worry about your classmates; they'll get what comes to them. You though, can take advantage of requests made by nurses. The more experience you get, the better. Volunteer to be the one who helps out. I think being nosy is great. I like to follow nurses around that are doing interesting things. Sometimes when things get really slow, I do work on careplans. I answer call lights, help prepare IV bags, etc. If your classmates really bug you, say something. Tell them hey, your patient needs you. If a nurse has a student that day and they ask me for help, I'll help them and then tell their student that the nurse was looking for them and they missed out on something really cool. Certain nurses love to show us students stuff, but some want to avoid us altogether. You and your classmates should be working together. There will be times you ask each other for help. Good luck!

EastCoast · Oct 12, 2003

Originally posted by JnJTyson
And if a nurse says "hey susie-Q student, can you get Mr. 98-year-old some warm prune juice? I'm in the middle of double checking a chemo treatment" And the student groans a huge, audible sigh, rolls their eyes, and says "OK" after the nurse leaves, they say "She should be doing that, thats not my patient, I'm a student, I have to study" Is it THAT trivial to get off your rear and take 3 seconds to heat some prune juice in the microwave?? Is that going to ruin your grade-point average??

I guess it pays off in the end. I got a 48 out of 50 points in my first clinical evaluation.

Guess I'm wierd...I love that running around with 18000 things to do. By the time you finish your day, and you finally sit down you can think to yourself "I've done a heck of a lot of stuff today...I've earned my paycheck, my night to rest, and my feet rubbed"..lol

Your student colleague is lazy now. Will be lazy after she graduates. I hate that expression. I used to tell staff that everyone is your patient. Even now if I go into to examine someone I will ask before i leave if they need anything. I have gone and made toast, gotten a flavored coffee from the doc's lounge and taken people on/off the bedpan. If I see a nurse in the next area trying to manuever a patient i will gladly lend a hand. It is what essentially makes me a nurse first and an APN afterwards.

Keep up your spirit and your hard work. You will be a great hire when you are done.

JnJTyson · Oct 12, 2003

Yep!! the more you guys have said, the more I realize the benifits I'm getting. I've already been recruited to the oncology floor when I graduate! The nurse took me to the charge and said "she needs to be hired in May when she graduates" WOOHOO!

And I forgot about the "the aide should do it" stuff!! Arg! I want to break it to those folks that even as an LPN they will be wiping peoples rear-ends for the rest of their nursing lives! LOL

And yes..I have seen some way cool stuff just by being available to help. A nurse came up to me and asked "can someone help me turn a pt?" I wasn't busy, so I jumped right up..turned out, they needed me to turn a pt so they could do a bone marrow biopsy. When I came back and told them what I got to see, they were all mad!

So for all of us that have more than our assigned pts...WE ROCK! It makes me proud of myself to know how much I've done in one day that I didn't have to.

Jules

JnJTyson · Oct 12, 2003

P.S (sorry for reposting..lol)

My only guilty moment of doing homwork at clinicals was when my pt came back from surgery and had q15min vitals. I packed my drug book and my drug cards in the room, hooked up the machine, and sat down. But the second she opened her eyes, I was up at her bedside asking what I could do for her! =0)

Otherwise, I spend the 1-2 hours a night doing the homework...its called HOMEwork for a reason folks! =0)

Jules (again)

FutureNurse2005 · Oct 15, 2003

I'm sure I will have to deal with that as well, but all you can do is your best. You are learning much more than those who dont give 110% effort.

Congrats to you on your great score! You should be very proud!

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Oct 15, 2003

The student who helps is the one who gets asked if they need to see or do the interesting procedures. So if they like sitting on their butts, they will be doing an awful lot of it.

NYCRN16 · Oct 16, 2003

I hate that too! There are PLENTY of times that I help out my coworkers with patients that "arent mine". In our ER we work on "teams" where there are 3 nurses to a team. Me being new, there are many times when I need help with something and I ask my teammates to help me (like a hard stick or something, or an unfamiliar med or procedure) and they are cool about it. In turn when I have some spare time (which doesnt happen to often, but sometimes does), I ALWAYS offer to help them out. If someone has that bad attitude of "its not my patient" all the time they will be remembered by thier coworkers, and will not recieve any help when they need it. Another thing I would like to mention is that if you as the *licensed nurse* notice a patient, ANY patient, in a dangerous situation/condition deteriorating/ect and you ignore it, you can kiss your license good-bye. The licensing board and the court could care less whos patient it was.

Just like to add: Nursing is a small world. These students may not be interested in working on this floor, but one day they may walk into an office to interview for a job at another hospital and one of those floor nurses may be a nurse manager, recruiter, ect. You bet they will be remembered with attitudes like that.