Student Nurses

[childcare1]

Today i had a student nurse come in to shadow me, it was a quiet day not to much excitement. I tired to make it interesting by showing her how i chart explaining how IHPs work and other school nurse stuff, but i feel like i lost her.

So any suggestions on how i can keep her attention tomorrow? i know school nursing is not for everyone, but i really want to show how important our jobs are.

[sailornurse]

Doesn't the student have course objectives or a skill checklist to complete? Ask her to bring her textbooks, look at the syllabus. Is she assigned a project to do or a report/daily log of what she is observing? You might want to get in touch with the faculty supervising her clinicals while she is at the school. As former faculty, all the things I listed are possibilities. She is not just there to hang out with you. Our students had to do a teaching & present to a classroom. Immunizations are another area that the student needs to learn about. You can also give her an assignment depending on the age group of your school. She can do a poster or bulletin board if she is there for a few days. Some of my students had to help teach the menstruation to 3rd graders/9 year olds!

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

I review the 504 vs IEP process, Immunization schedules, emergency care plans, the differentials I use when assessing a complaint.

Abdominal pain (especially in a female) can have so many causes and how I systematically go through the symptoms and what they may (or may not) mean.

[Purple_roses]

A student nurse DOES have course objectives. My instructor encourages us to check that list before clinicals and to be prepared to ask specific things. In my opinion, you are doing exactly what you need to be doing...it isn't your job to make her learn.

On a side note, thank you for being a nurse who is interested in helping the student learn!