student nurses: What (realistically) would you like to see from the staff nurse you are with(either following, or you just have their patient)
Nurses: what would you like to see from "your" student with your patient?
AND, for both roles, do you feel you do well at the nurse/student relationship?
As a nurse, I would just like the student to be well prepared, of course. Ask questions, but not ones that you should already know (stuff you should have found out in your info gathering the day before).Don't be afraid to ask about anything you don't understand. DOn't act like you have superior knowledge we don't have. Be eager to try new things, even if nervous. Make the most of your learning experience.
And I do try to make good at the nurse/student relationship. I make sure the students know I am available to them, that they can ask questions. When I have good procedures (iv start, wound vac change, etc) I go to the students and ask if any of htem would like to do it. If the instructor is too busy, I walk them through it. I try to make chit chat w/ them, just to help make them comfortable.
i do feel like I am not so good at constructive criticism, though. If I am not pleased w/ something they did (poor documentation, for ex) I am not as good at talking about that. Especially to students older than me (I'm only 24)
1-Respect that will be reciprocated in the manner in which it is or isn't given.
2-Instruction. I am new and you are experienced. I am not a mind reader, but I take instruction very well.
3-Patience. I do things by the book right now, because it's all I have known. I am certainly open to nursing tips.
4-Advice. I look up to you. I am working my butt off to be in your position and any knowledge you can bestow upon me is welcome.
5-Kindness. I understand you may prefer to not have me around...it may not even have been your choice. But let's make the best of it.
What should my nurse expect from me:
1-Accountability. I am training to be a professional, thus I conduct myself accordingly. I am responsible for all my training, even if it was just a "two hour lecture." I still have to seek out literature and experience to grasp the meaning, thus I am accountable for all my actions!
2-Preparedness and Punctuality. I am providing medical care to another person. It is my responsibility and mine alone to make sure I have all the necessary info to provide safe care.
3-Communication. I have one patient and you have many. I will seek you out to keep you updated on the status of the patient I am caring for, since it is you that is ultimately held legally responsible.
4-Motivation. I will bug the crap out of you to do every little procedure I can get my hands on so don't laugh at me when I almost do a cartwheel over getting to give an enema!:roll
One thing I have noticed in my geographic location is that birds of a feather tend to flock together. We have one particular hospital that seems to have staff that is abusive and unfriendly to the students. Many students have been offended, blamed, or verbally attacked unjustly at this facility. However, at another hospital in the same community, the nurses bend over backwards for the students. It is a "teaching hospital" as well, so they really push education. I loved it so much, I got a job as a nurse tech in the ICU despite the fact the other facility is 30miles closer and pays $3 more an hour. Atmosphere is more important to me...
Awesome post. I appreciate that you're looking at both sides.
One thing bothers me about your post and other posts are the words "abusive", "verbally attacked" and "screaming at me".
Abuse and screaming at students has to stop. It should not be tolerated. There should be a chain of command to stop the bullying.
Unfortunately I've seen nurses, curt and short with students, but fortunately no abuse, verbal atacks and screaming. I'd like to think that as a hospital that has students from LPN, ADN and BSN schools that it would not be tolerated.
I had typed a long message that got wiped out. How frustrating!
Anyway, I am just gonna share a quick thought.
My nursing student class consists of people that are pretty smart. Everyone has a great GPA, because our program was really competitive, so there are some real stuck up witches in our class. My thought involves comments that I have read in other messages about students being above doing certain things, so
One of the things that makes me feel better is visualizing these stuck up people wiping a sizable amount of diarrhea :chuckle .
Anyway, thanks to everyone. I would also like to say that I am the kind of student that will do anything. I have never said no, although scared and nervous.
I love working with students. :) What do I want out of them? Basically someone who will communicate with me, eager to learn, a person who is not a Know it all, and curteous!
I am 26 and a RN. Admittedly, I do look young for my age. So alot of people treat me differently because of this. I will NEVER forget the time that a nursing student (not taking care of my pts) came up to me and tried to delegate tasks. I was floored! My badge has RN in big letters on it! I kindly reminded her that I am busy doing my own thing, but if she needs HELP (not handing off the task) I can find someone to help her. Honestly, she was one of the students that thought they knew it all. It wasn't like she said "could you take the vitals?"...She came up to me and handed me all the equipment and said "I need you to get my vitals now" WTF:angryfire
I have never had a student like her...I still love working with students!
I'm fresh off orientation, been working as an RN for 3 months now, and the programs in my area usually place 2nd year students in my unit. There aren't many times when I'll be at work and have a student there on an evening clinical, those hours aren't the norm.
But, I think I'd actually prefer to not have students giving meds on my patients, until I have more experience. On nights the 9pm med pass is when I give snacks and sometimes sleeping pills, and shortly thereafter do preps on pre-procedure patients, so altering the routine for me during that time of the shift just makes me play catch up till after midnight (depending on what my load is).
I guess I don't have a good enough handle on my own work at the moment, to be able to handle someone else's as well.
Where I work, the instructors and students arrive the day of clinicals, usually between 0630 and 0700. Sometimes an instructor will come at 0500 and will actually talk to the staff in regards to patient assignments (rare). Here students are not researching their patients ahead of time, bad idea IMHO. I asked an instructor why this is being done this way, the response was the shorter hospital stays of patients. I think because of the lack of communication between the instructors and the staff and because students are arriving on the floor unprepared in regards to their patient assignments has created a less than optimal learning environment for them here.
The problem is that students are researching their charts at change of shift. Sorry, but I'm not in the mood to search for charts after running my butt off for 12 hours. Let me describe change of shift: it looks like someone let the animals out of their cages at the zoo (no, not because of students, most mornings it's just that way).
Please at change of shift, with doctors, residents, pharmacy, CNAs, et al making their rounds, please leave the charts alone, it's frustrating enough to have to limited access at this time to my patient's chart without having another group of people at the charts.
Equipment, please work out amongs yourselves to share equipment.When my sister was a nursing student, part her clinical group was on my unit. I told them what equipment to use: 1 thermometer and 2 manual BP cuffs to share amongst 5 people. We had 1 dynamap at the time and I said that since they had just learned how to do manual BPs (which I knew to be true) they should take the opportunity to become more proficient with that skill. Apparently some in this group thought I was a B---- over this, their instructor disagreed. 5 people taking all the dynamaps and thermometers is not courteous. The RNs and CNAs still have patient's they need to do VS on.
Courtesy and respect both ways. Courtesy and respect to the non-nursing staff also: housekeepers, transporters, etc. They talk also by the way and will have an opinion in regards to students. Don't assume what one's job is. "Isn't that the CNAs job?" "Isn't that the houskeepers job?" does not give a good impression.
Tolerance and understanding also goes both ways. Most nurses remember their student days and what it felt like, a few have foregotten (unfortunately). Bear in mind that until you are out their working, you only have an idea of the stress of the job and or what it is like to actually do the job. No students are not there to be abused or degraded, that should not be tolerated. Please be understanding when we are obviously stressed and harried, it may not be the best time to appoach us with questions, however the phrase "Can I help" in these situations will do wonders for both here. It is also an opportunity to interact with staff in a positive way along with providing students the opportunity to learn.
Phrases like "Can I help?" "I've never seen that, can I watch?" "Is there anything that needs to be done?" "That's interesting, could you tell me more?" are music to my ears. It shows initiative and motivation. I expect students to ask questions, if they're not I'm worried.
Basically, I usually have had good experiences with students. I will reiterate that students should not be subject to abuse or degregation. I will also reiterate that respect and courtesy goes both ways.
You are a nurse, trained in forming working relationships, and this has been assigned to you as part of your job, so even if you aren't wild about working with a student, please do not REFUSE to give report or interact. Treat it like your job, which it is, and give it at least the minimum of attention. So far my experiences at clinical have been very good. I am scared to bother the nurses, and some just leave me to it 100% (which also isn't that good. I mean, I research the pathyphysiology, complications to watch for, my meds, and make my own care plan-but I'm still a beginner!). I like when I feel like I have some input and also am able to help the nurse in some way. The RN should get something out of the relationship too.
As far as not taking charts, please understand students receive mixed messages. I was told to take my chart into the conference room and to never stand at the nurse's station. But then a nurse screamed at a fellow student for taking the chart away from the station. So, now I've started reading mine at the station even though my instructor said not to.
I think on both sides a lot of it has to do with acting like a real person, admitting mistakes or making a joke if you obviously put your foot in your mouth. Some students and also some nurses just don't handle it well.
Students: always report to your nurse when you take vitals, ask your nurse after the doctor comes by if you should be doing anything different now. Make it clear that while you are trying it out on his/her patient today, you are also available to be his/her underling. If you see them in the break room, ask if anybody needs an accucheck done now or anything. Be helpful. If they play a joke on you or ask you to bring them a drink, take it as a joke but still do it!
Almost all the nurses I have had the honor of working with have been great.
But what gets me, is senior students, from OTHER SCHOOLS, delegating work to our clinical group! In our second semester, a Sr. Student from a 4 year college was delegating vitals etc to a student in my clinical group! The student did the vitals, having no idea how to handle it! And why didn't the other student's preceptor mention that we aren't the CNA's and have our own patient assignment to care for!
I think that from a nurse with whom I am working, all I really ask is tolerance and patience for the questions that I ask--I really want to learn!-- and a willingness to let me do stuff.
I guess when I am a nurse, I will want a student who asks questions and wants to do stuff.
You are a nurse, trained in forming working relationships, and this has been assigned to you as part of your job, so even if you aren't wild about working with a student, please do not REFUSE to give report or interact. Treat it like your job, which it is, and give it at least the minimum of attention. !
I enjoy working with students. HOWEVER, it is NOT a requirement that I work with one. It is not even in my job description. I do not work at a teaching hospital, but we still get some students. If I wanted to, I have the power to refuse working with a student. But, like I mentioned, I love working with students and I am the nurse they all want to be with since I enjoy it so much :)
So, now I've started reading mine at the station even though my instructor said not to.
Thank you for doing that! It is really frustrating when we need a chart and it is off the floor.
I am a nurse of 13 years ( yikes where does the time go?) I had many unpleasant experiences as a student. My first beign on the maternity rotation when our instructor ( A homecare/ med/surg nurse with no maternity background!) told us she was going to rely on the staff nruses as much as we would be! Then on the first day when she was trying ot show us around and the nurse manager came around the corner , our instructor stopped her and aske dher if there was anything she wanted to say to us. Her response? "No I can't think of anything." And she walked away. Turned me off to maternity nursing completely because her staff was the same. One nurse yelled at me for not helping a mom while she was breastfeeding. I knew nothing about breast feeding and felt very awkward just being in the room ( I was 20 and not a mom!) All the other nurses just couldn't be bothered with us and this was a teaching hospital. I really don't remember having any nurse in particular who was excited to help me or extended real kindness. When I became a nurse out on the floor I was the complete opposite. I loved having students and went out of my way to help. I miss that interaction now!
I have seen a simliar thread goes through most of the postings here adn it is one of respect. Students who come through as though they know it all and can teach us a thing or two are , to be blunt, annoying. Students who are EMTs or who have some other medical background can reach an almost intolerable level. And I say some! I have had students who were awesome and just wanted to learn and others who couldn't be bothered to help their patients get onto a bed pan. Which brings up the question of why become a nurse. No bedpan duty is not exciting but sometimes it is just part of the job and when someone needs something it is our job to help them.
ANd of course students deserve respect because we have all been there and it is stressful and overwhelming to not be familiar with a floor and feel awkward and then not have support from the staff.
My advice to students is, introduce yourself not just to your nurse but any nurse or CNA on the floor. Especially CNAs. They can be a huge help!! And make your needs known. ANd be very willing to help if your patient doesn't require much
Wow that is long!!! I will end here even though I could go on forever. Nurses need to respect each other more , from students to new grads to the experiences. That's where it starts!
I was so glad to see this posting! I am beginning in a career in nursing, I have not even finished my pre-reqs and already I am hearing horror stories about evil nurses and how the eat their own and that sort of thing. What's that all about? Aren't we in this together?
Look, I know just enough to know I don't know anything and will really need someone to guide me and make me great but I am terrified that I am going to get my face ripped off by some nurse whose been doing this for 25 years and for some unexplained reason expects me to be on the same level of knowledge as her. I have visions of me trying to calmly explain to this ever impatient nurse I'm supposed to look up to and respect that I'm not a idiot, just on a really steep learning curve and a little patience would go a long way towards success!!!! Can I say stuff like that? Will I get kicked out of the program if I stand up for myself? I would do this respectfully of course but I'm not one to get my face ripped off and not respond in some way. I'm a redhead and well you know what they say about redheads. :rotfl:
On the flip side, if I went on the floor with no experience and was totally unprepared for the day ahead and then acted like I was somehow superior to this nurse with 25 years experience, I should expect to get my face ripped off. If you are a nursing student doing this, just stop it. Save your fellow nursing students the headache of reaping what horrors you have sewn and just stop. Please.
Okay, how stressed am I about something that hasn't happened? You nurses out there, stop with the eating their young story...it's freaking us nurse wannabee's out! We just wannabee great like you:rolleyes:...we're just really scared so take it easy when we seem lost in the fog. Hopefully, one day the fog will lift and you will actually enjoy our company. tee hee.
Tweety, BSN, RN
36,345 Posts
Awesome post. I appreciate that you're looking at both sides.
One thing bothers me about your post and other posts are the words "abusive", "verbally attacked" and "screaming at me".
Abuse and screaming at students has to stop. It should not be tolerated. There should be a chain of command to stop the bullying.
Unfortunately I've seen nurses, curt and short with students, but fortunately no abuse, verbal atacks and screaming. I'd like to think that as a hospital that has students from LPN, ADN and BSN schools that it would not be tolerated.