So what can we expect from you?

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2012

They can expect me to be friendly and helpful to a degree. I will thank them for the help they do provide (because yes it does help when you do adls and give my pt some TLC) and they can expect me to answer any questions they have when it comes to the plan of care for that pt.

They can also expect me to no sweat the small stuff. I will admit i wanted to really make fun of the nursing student today for a male patient who had pulled in all kinds of weird charting like "right breast , left breast' but then left out some of the basic meet of assessment. I will give feedback to the instructor if necessary.

I treat my pt as there is no student. I do my own complete assessment and i check every treatment , medication to make sure they are administered...if they aren't doing them i will talk with them first but i will step in and do them if needed.

mindlor · Apr 20, 2012

Thank you for your comment :) I would have loved to have had more nurses like you during my clinical experience!!

I bet you are awesome!!!!

onetiredmomma · Apr 20, 2012

You can expect me to remember that students need skills and offer to let you do dressing changes, foleys and anyother treatment I think you will not get a lot of chances to do. You can expect that I do appreciate your help and will tell you so. I love students that are interested in learning...esp learning the difference between school teaching and the "real world".

PeepnBiscuitsRN · Apr 20, 2012

You can expect me to do my best to help you, however, you can also expect that I won't know all the answers because I'm still learning as well. You can expect that although I don't do things just like you were shown to do them in lab and in your books, there's a method to my madness and it's been approved by my more seasoned co-workers.

You can expect that I will correct your mistakes because I would expect my preceptors and other staff nurses to correct mine.

You can expect that unless you're making a life threatening mistake, I will never call you out in front of anyone- not even housekeeping!

You can expect that I'm going to make sure you know what you're doing before you do it- I'll ask you if you know what this medicine does, and if you might know why the patient is taking it. I'll make you look it up if you don't, or if you say you do but are hemming and hawwing about it. I'm going to ask you why you're doing what you're doing.

You can expect that I'm going to be honest with you, but tactfully so. You can expect that I will remain positive as long as your attitude deserves it (in other words I'm going to treat you the way you treat me, if you're snide and act like a know it all, I'm going to make you prove you know it all, and I'm not going to have much fun with you because hey, you already know everything, maybe you should be teaching me, right?)

You can expect that I'm going to have busy times and I won't be able to help you right away, but I can name about 5 other nurses who will. I might get stressed, and if you're asking me "why" and second guessing me 89,000 times we're not going to get along.

But if you end up with my patients, you can expect that I'm going to be really impressed because I work straight nights 2300-0730 and I don't know too many students who would volunteer themselves for that shift!

mindlor · Apr 20, 2012

Awesome posts guys, on behalf of all students..I thank you all :)

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2012

Although I'm not quite sure if there is an alterior motive with this thread (reading in between the lines), and yes, I know from the other post your referring too, and just wanted to add that "Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right." This would have been a very great thread (still a GOOD thread), but the negativity is OBVIOUS against your selected group. Please don't use a thread as a lashing tool, you really could have left that out. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but "Do you remember when you were students?" is a non-open ended question, Not, "What do you remember about being a student?" So to answer your questions. . .

What do you guys think nursing students should expect from you?

An assistant guide in addition to your Nursing Instructor (Who IS paid to teach you), when I can make time. I will answer ANY question you have, no question is stupid or dumb- exept the one you did not ask. You can always ask me for feedback. You can ask me for criticism. Ask Ask Ask! You should expect me to tell you if there's something interesting on the floor, or in the hospital that I know of, that you could learn from (but, I won't tell you unless you make the effort to ask).

Do you remember when you were students?

Yes.

Did you have a nurse way back when that really took you under their wing and made an impact on you?

Yes.

allnurses Guide · Apr 20, 2012

I think that a nursing student would expect me to be polite, first and foremost.

I never could stand floor nurses who were just flat out rude and just ice cold.

Beyond that, I've always just tried as hard as I can to help students when I

can and to answer questions when I can, but especially when I worked

Med/Surge, I was never comfortable enough myself to take a student "under

my wing".

I work Psych now and am much more comfortable in my specialty, so I think

I would be willing and would in fact WANT, to try hard to teach and influence

a student as much as I can.

allnurses Guide · Apr 20, 2012

Many threads with nursing students asking how they should act on the floor with lots of good advice given and some not so good, derogatory, demeaning stuff posted as well....
So anyway,

Can't answer #1 because I don't know if you mean an instructor or staff nurse on your clinical unit.

Do you remember when you were students?

Do you know of any real-life AOx3 nurses who don't?

Did you have a nurse way back when that really took you under their wing and made an impact on you?

No. We didn't have such metaphors in those days. My instructors said very little either way. I got written up twice. Once when my long hair fell out of the numerous bobbie pins I attempted to corral it with, and once when she thought I appeared very nervous while performing a Harris Flush.

The most complimentary thing I heard was when she growled "you have the potential to be a good bedside nurse". She said it after we'd finished and were ready to graduate. Maybe she felt like she had to hold back the gushing lest it go to my head while still a student.

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2012

Oh, I expect them to expect me to tell them when they are being a little rude too.*

*I know we all have bad days, and Fomite Happens!

"Be kind to one another."

-Bobby Long A Lovesong For Bobby Long

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2012

As a soon-to-be new grad, I would expect students to find another nurse to work with. They don't need the blind leading the blind. But I will help students as much as I can, even as a completely green new grad.