RNs who guide nursing students during clinicals (and do a dang good job of it!)

sarahdanielle14 · Sep 20, 2013

The quote "nurses eat their young" was not true at all for me after i graduated. The nurses I work with now are all very intelligent and teach the new nurses/student nurses at a pace that they can handle. Nursing is a great field to be in!

I'm glad you have had that experience, Fire Bird. Some nurses I have come across let it be known dramatically that they did not want a student. It's very disheartening when that happens, but then you get an awesome nurse and all is well in the world! :)

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Sep 24, 2013

I want to chime in here, too! I appreciate all of the nurses who allowed me to shadow them and learn from them. I appreciate the questions they ask me to keep me on my toes, I appreciate them sharing professional advice with me and them sharing personal stories about getting through nursing school and bring successful as a nurse! I've met several awesome nurses and I just want to tell the nurses out there who allow us students to work with them THANK YOU!!!!

CherieMichelle · Sep 25, 2013

I just completed my last placement on a general surgical ward. All of my other placements have been great but this one was really horrible. The Nurse Unit Manager tolerated students and that was explained to me by the staff on the first day. I was not allowed to eat my lunch in the lunch room (I had to leave the floor), and some staff were nice and others were condescending to say the least. I was supposed to take the patient load however this was a lip service with many nurses on the floor. While I was there I saw one nurse quit because the others were mean. I don't think nurses are always nice I think in some work places they like to play very cruel head games with each other and I hope it changes cause because this place really made feel like crap and "I'll never make it as a nurse" so to speak.

Can'tdragmeaway · Sep 26, 2013

CherieMichelle,

I understand exactly what you wrote. There is a percentage of nurses that are bullies and their intention is to make someone in a vulnerable position (student nurse, newly graduated nurse and a new nurse to a unit) feel embarrassed and incompetent. You are not obliged to take abuse from another person. You have the right to address the behavior in a professional manner. The following link is my most favorite article on how to address these bullying behaviors:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDYQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbaylorirvinged.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2Flateralviolence1.pdf&ei=loZDUsrXDYO88ASJ1oGgBg&usg=AFQjCNE50RDyhZuF0Xza029QrnfTxS21mQ

I'll add, that my first job as an RN was on a unit with a toxic environment. I saw terrible behaviors directed at colleagues and patients. It was distressing to me. I was new and not in a position to foster change. I was new and trying to figure out how to be a nurse. One in three nurses leave their first job within one year because of this type of environment and being either a target of bullying behaviors or witness to bullying behaviors.

I am one of those nurses who left. I left after three months of being on the unit and found myself a job where most were supportive, kind, mentoring and never too busy to answer my questions or help me. That was eleven years ago. I now have the ability to address concerns about ineffective communication and am able to advocate for myself and my patients.

This takes time, so never be hard on yourself. Reflect on your day and how you could have done things differently. And, know that you did the best that you could with the knowledge and experience that you have.

Before you take a job, request to go to that unit on the shift you will be working. Feel it out, look and listen. Follow your instincts. Is this a place you will be supported as a new nurse? If not, move on. I did do this and felt uneasy about the environment of that first job. I took the job because it was a large teaching hospital and I thought a place with the opportunity to learn a lot.

When I left, I went to an ER in a community hospital. I learned to care for patients that mimic what we learn in nursing school about how to care for patients with chest pain, abdominal pain, asthma and hypertension to name a few. It was busy and challenging. I am forever grateful to those nurses, PCTs, doctors and clerks. They supported me and took care of me. And now, I have the knowledge and ability to do the same for others.

Stay strong and never let another define who you are as a nurse, the capacity you have to become the nurse you want to be, or what qualities you offer the nursing profession and your patients. No one defines who we are or what we can become but ourselves.

Seek out the "good ones". They will always have your back.

Good luck and welcome to the challenging, yet beautiful profession of nursing!

cardiacnurse12 · Sep 26, 2013

Yes, thank you, preceptors!

hwilliams1 · Sep 26, 2013

Nursing students are awesome!! I love it when they are on my floor!

krisiepoo · Sep 26, 2013

I second this! I SO enjoy my clinicals when there is an RN I'm assigned to who doesn't roll her eyes at being assigned to a student and huff her breath every time I ask a question. I've had a couple nurses who really had no interest in making it a good experience for me, but I actually learned a lot from them, too which was kind of cool because I felt I had to prove myself even more that I wasn't just worthless.

But for all you RN's out there who get "stuck" with us, thanks for going the extra mile to make us feel like we're not a burden and help us learn so we can be awesome like you one day :)

ArtClassRN, ADN, RN · Sep 27, 2013

Thanks for your post; I love working with students.

msygrnbw · Mar 1, 2014

I just want to second (or third? fourth?) this sentiment. I just graduated this winter and I learn much better in the hands on environment, so those nurses that really put the time and effort into helping me out in clinical made leaps and strides kind of difference in my learning. I still have a long way to go with my first job coming up here soon and I hope I am lucky enough for the nurses I work with to be as patient and helpful as those that I worked with during my clinicals. I know it wasn't easy those days I asked a few too many questions or was a little unguided in what I should be doing - but the time and effort was appreciated.

nursefrances, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2014

Thank you for this nice thread. :)

I enjoy encouraging, teaching and mentoring students and new grad nurses. It wasn't that long ago that I was in your shoes and appreciated a helpful nurse that would teach me the ropes. I feel it is the least I can do to pass it on.

boomerang12 · Mar 7, 2014

I want to agree with OP. I have been lucky enough to have some really great primary nurses (both RNs and LPNs) helping me with my patient assignments. When you guys take the time to explain your tricks and tips to us, will do procedures with us so no one has to wait for the super busy instructor and take the time to answer student questions it is so appreciated. It feels so much better than the nurses who literally ignore our presence (not that I totally blame them, I know they are extremely busy but it's still nice to be acknowledged). I so admire and appreciate the patience and kindness of the nurses who take time out of their busy day to share their knowledge/experience and help with my education. Thank you for what you guys do for us. You guys are the kind of nurses I look up to and aspire to be like one day!

la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2014

I have been very lucky to have preceptors that may not necessarily have been passionate but were realists and knew how to take care of pts and do a good job of surviving the sometimes over-the-top demands placed on them by admin. Also, I have had some who were really clever and taught me some seriously nifty skills I can't wait to try out when I'm more experienced. Much thanks to them and all the others like them that make our clinical experience profoundly more enriching!