So, I just began my first nursing position about a month and a half or so ago. However, I have not spent much time on my floor because I have been attending classes, Department of Nursing orientation sessions, attending ACLS, taking competencies, and the like. The few times that I have been on the floor, a majority of the time my preceptor and I have been assigned to work with a student, as well. Now, I know that as a nurse I will be working with students, which I don't have a problem with. In fact, the times that I have worked with a student, I have rather enjoyed it and am looking forward to working with them. The thing is, though, is that tasks that I need practice doing and experiencing are often delegated off to the students, especially since, for the past year, I worked as an ECG technician, and did not have any clinical experience while completing my BSN degree (I graduated with my ADN last year). Often times, tasks are delayed because we are waiting for the student to complete them, which doesn't help with my time management skills. It has become evident that my skills have been weakened because of this break, although, mind you, they are still there, and my charting is, while still very accurate and detailed, not up to the speed it once was.
I was discussing this with my Nursing Education Specialist and Nurse Manager, and they both agreed that I could benefit from clinical time with no students. They did not feel that it was a rude request, and there are plenty of other nurses, with more experience, that can work with the students until I get acclimated to the unit and doing nursing work again. At the same time, I do have to wonder about the fairness of this request, and whether other nurses might find it rude that my preceptor and I are not working with any students. After all, taking on students creates extra work for them, as well, especially if they have more than one to work with. I do not want to create resentment in my new work environment. Additionally, it makes assigning patients more difficult for the instructors of these students, especially since they will have to avoid assigning students to the patients I will be working with. Lastly, I'm possibly taking away some experiences for the students to have, since they won't be assigned the patients I will be.
