Student aggravated with Nursing Staff

Chantilly · Oct 11, 2008

First I must admit that I think most of us have experienced less than pleasant nursing staff. But it is just a taste of what the real world has in store for us. Nurses can be snippy with each other and they can be extra snippy with students. The things that really sucks for us is that we have to bite our tounge and smile through the crap that they give us. My best suggestion to you is for your next clinical day you should approach the appropriate person and let them know these are the things I can do, HOWEVER, my instructor requires that I ask you before I do these things. They may feel less like you are incompetent, if you let them know up front that it is not you being stupid it is that your instructor has set certain standards for you and you must follow them. Another was around this would be (which may not be following the rules exactly so use your judgement) to ask for help or permission the first time you do something for the nurse, then ask if the next time this situation happens if the nurse would mind you just going ahead and doing it yourself. Just hand in there, it gets better as you advance in clinicals. Make the best of your situation and do all that you can. Good luck to you and just know that you are not alone.

Nnifer75 · Oct 11, 2008

Thank you so much for your good advice! I will try it next time and hopefully it will work. It is nice to know there are other people out there as well with the same issues! :loveya:

Alternator81 · Oct 11, 2008

If a nurse was overheard saying something so outrageous, I hope you told your instructor, and if so he/she should have spoken with the charge about this! There is a lot that you can learn from PCTs. In fact, I usually go to the PCT more than the RN. But-- you are a nursing student, and if you are following anyone you should be following an RN. MED students don't shadow RNs. Just seeing how the RN interacts with other HC professionals is priceless!

I usually choose to have my clinicals in teaching-hospitals in my city because everyone there is very accustomed to having student and there are always a ton (ie med, nursing, pharm, RT, childlife). I always feel like they enjoy having us there.

amjowens · Oct 11, 2008

My clinical instructor told us it's all in how we approach the nurses. She also works on the unit where we do our clinical, so she's aware of the talk regarding students.

Anyway, instead of asking a general "can I help?", be specific. Observe what's going on. For example, if a new admit is coming on the floor, don't stand around after you've asked to help. Instead, possibly casually say you'll get vitals or make sure the room is set up. My instructor says that nurses are often so busy, and don't want one more thing to think about -thinking about things the student can do being one of their last priorities. It's often easier and faster to do it themselves. If, though, you prove that you are effective rather than instrusive with the "small" stuff, you'll be remembered by the nurse if there is something that needs to be done. And, remember nurses are there to be nurses, not instructors. Save your questions and need for guidance for the instructors who are paid to teach you. Sounds mean, but the nurses are appropriately there to focus on their patients. As students, it's our opportunity to observe the nurses at worst. At best, we should be able to practice skills, but essentially we are guests at the facilities, not employees. So, as difficult as it is, we have to look at the facts and respect what's going on.

This information has been great for me. I used to get offended by nurses who seemed so mean at clinical. My clinical instructor is brutally honest, and has taught us some amazing stuff. She teaches us a lot about the power of communicating effectively. Most importantly, don't react to the negative nurses. Maintain your focus.

Bobylon · Oct 11, 2008

During our med pass clinicals, I definitely felt as though we were in the LPNs way, and I KNOW we definitely slowed them down from their regular routine, but other than one particular miserable nurse on one particular day, everyone I came into contact with in those 4 weeks was very helpful....from the RNs to the CNAs.....guess I've been lucky - so far .

txnursingqt · Oct 12, 2008

My clinical instructor told us it's all in how we approach the nurses. She also works on the unit where we do our clinical, so she's aware of the talk regarding students.
Anyway, instead of asking a general "can I help?", be specific. Observe what's going on. For example, if a new admit is coming on the floor, don't stand around after you've asked to help. Instead, possibly casually say you'll get vitals or make sure the room is set up. My instructor says that nurses are often so busy, and don't want one more thing to think about -thinking about things the student can do being one of their last priorities. It's often easier and faster to do it themselves. If, though, you prove that you are effective rather than instrusive with the "small" stuff, you'll be remembered by the nurse if there is something that needs to be done. And, remember nurses are there to be nurses, not instructors. Save your questions and need for guidance for the instructors who are paid to teach you. Sounds mean, but the nurses are appropriately there to focus on their patients. As students, it's our opportunity to observe the nurses at worst. At best, we should be able to practice skills, but essentially we are guests at the facilities, not employees. So, as difficult as it is, we have to look at the facts and respect what's going on.
This information has been great for me. I used to get offended by nurses who seemed so mean at clinical. My clinical instructor is brutally honest, and has taught us some amazing stuff. She teaches us a lot about the power of communicating effectively. Most importantly, don't react to the negative nurses. Maintain your focus.

I think that is by far the best piece of advice that I have heard on this topic. :yeah:

driving85 · Oct 12, 2008

First off, I hope you mentioned the nurse's attitude to your instructor. We don't need to lose more nurses because the ones we have can't keep their attitudes in check.

Secondly, when you're assigned your patient for the day, introduce yourself to their nurse. Explain what you can do independently, what you need your instructor for, and what you need the nurse's okay to do. Each program has different rules, and so it gets confusing to try to remember that students from school X can do a, b, and c, but students from school y can do d, e, and f. Maybe mention something you heard in report, just to show that you were definitely paying attention and took the information to memory.

Another thing to do is to make sure that you're communicating well with your staff nurse. For example, I had a student this week who didn't tell me that my patient was still febrile. Not a big deal, since the doctors had made the decision to ride out the fever, but it could have been. Make sure to report off to your staff nurse any time you leave the floor, in case something should happen. That nurse will need the most up to date information she can get.

I just recently went from being a student to HAVING students, so I understand your frustration. These are just some of the things that make me feel more comfortable when a student is caring for my patients. After all, once you leave, I'm responsible for anything that's happened that I may or may not know about.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2008

I discovered that if I stood in the hall and stopped any nurse with linens I could get in at least bed changes. They'd always ask, "Do you really want to do that?" And I would answer, "Oh, I'm sure you have more pressing nursing duties. Please, let me." And they would happily give it up.

Do the same with the PCT's.

:)

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2008

Eight patients is a totally unreasonable amount to care for, how could she possibly have time to incorporate the needs of a nursing student into her day? I'm sorry for the patients, the nurses and the students for having be be in an environment that thinks a 8:1 ratio is okay.

As far as her comment, she might not have worded it well, but she is voicing her frustration that she not only has to care for 8 patients, but also take time to run into a room everytime a student needs to even turn a patient! When I was in nursing school the instructor came in if they required us to be observed.