Regarding nursing students- was this too much to ask?

ThislittleoneRN · Mar 22, 2013

I agree with the assignment for the student. It is very beneficial for the student to understand meds and know what they are for.... That will help the student out as well as helping you with the med pass.

KCMnurse, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2013

I think if she's about the business, she'll appreciate it. We have students do their community rotation with our agency. I give them small assignments throughout. Nursing is a profession where we are constantly learning. I think what you did was appropriate. It will give her a head start when she gets on your unit.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Mar 22, 2013

She's a student, she's there to learn. You told her what would be helpful and assist in her getting the most out of the experience....sounds like you did a good thing. Also, as a student, if you think it'd overwhelm her to learn the basics of about a dozen meds, doesn't sound like she'd be much of a student. Should be fine.

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2013

Thanks. This is my first student from this particular school. She sounded eager in the email.

AOx1 · Mar 22, 2013

My students are thrilled when they are actively included by their preceptors and staff nurses. You sound like every good student's dream nurse. This will help her learn time management as well as meds. It sounds as if you are working very hard to balance the needs of your patients with the student's learning needs. Nicely done!

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2013

Thanks!

dudette10, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2013

It sounds like she's on her final rotation, where she works 1:1 with a nurse. Although you aren't her instructor formally, you ARE her instructor informally. On my final 1:1 rotation, I learned so much. I thought of my preceptor as my instructor, and she taught me as her student. You did not only a good thing, but also the right thing in helping your student learn.

allnurses Guide · Mar 22, 2013

I think she's lucky to be assigned to a nurse who is actively engaged in her learning process. If she's eager, I'm sure she is more than happy to have something concrete to do to focus the butterflies she may be feeling.

carsm3 · Mar 22, 2013

As a nursing student, I can tell you that she will appreciate it! We love to come in prepared. She is lucky to have a nurse like you to train with!

SaoirseRN · Mar 22, 2013

No, I think that's reasonable. Actually, I usually give my students a list of commonly used medications to look up. It saves time when it comes to them giving meds because they are already familiar with them and/or can reference work they've already done. I know they'll encounter those meds at some point during their practicum, and I expect them to look up unfamiliar meds before they give them anyway. You aren't really giving her any work she wouldn't be doing anyway, and I actually think this is a great way to prepare for working in your area. They do their work beforehand, leaving you more time to go over other aspects of practice they cannot learn beforehand

SleeepyRN · Mar 22, 2013

I have a new nursing student starting with me next week. She'll spend 50 hours with me. She emailed me to introduce her self and asked what the unit was like. I work on a BMT unit. I wrote her back telling her that, and telling her that we give a lot of medications. I gave her a list of a dozen of our most common meds and asked her to come familiar with them. Now that I think about it, though, I'm not sure that was appropriate. I feel like I gave her a homework assignment, and that's not really my job. I'm sure she already has enough homework as it is. However, in nursing school I was expected to be familiar with the meds I have and I think all nurses should be. If I try and teach her about all of the meds on the unit I fear we'll be giving 10am meds at 3pm, but I want to be able to involve her. What do you think?

If I were the student, I would have been very appreciative :)