Switched to LVN from the Business World and am UNDERWHELMED!

[Guest1188630]

Have been attending an LVN Program in since August 2021-I keep thinking things are better but they do not improve- I came from the business world and had the opportunity to work from some nice places.  This place is really yucky.  The administration and operations of this school has been, well, awful. And they charge 36K for a 13 month program. They are always out of everything and all the equipment is broken down. The clinical site where they have us is awful as well and after 7 weeks we are still doing CNA stuff , not passing meds.  We have to bring our own washcloths and N-95's and face shields and have to wait outside in the cold until our teacher gets there. She is always 10 minutes late. They won't even let us have water or heat our lunch up anywhere. There are not even enough chairs for us all to sit in the room they give us, and they make us switch places all the time.     It is so unprofessional all across the board- are these normal standards for LVN- are we like the trash nurses because we are not RN's yet?  I am in California so I would love to hear if this is the norm.  When I ask questions they just explain this is how it is because of COVID-but the students in other clinical sites in our school are not experiencing this.  How do you even deal with this-I tried to email the Clinical Instructor Coordinator and she blew up at me- I don't feel like asking for water and a chair is out of line.  Is nursing like camping?  Do they even have break rooms like most companies do?  I just don't know what to expect.

[Chey McCue, BSN]

So I’ve lurked here for years and finally decided to make an account just to talk about the chair injustice that’s going on here.

First off, I don’t find it unreasonable at all that you expected your school to provide you with a friggin chair. 

I really am just at a loss at how a school doesn’t have enough chairs for the students. Like this is a thing? Have I been under a rock and missed the great chair shortage of 2022?

For nearly 40k, someone had better find me a damn chair. 
 

IDK, maybe I’m overthinking the whole chair thing? It just blew me away is all LOL ? 

[delrionurse]

31 minutes ago, Cheyenne McCue said:

 

For nearly 40k, someone had better find me a damn chair. 

Yeah and not complain about it.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

5 hours ago, Cheyenne McCue said:

So I’ve lurked here for years and finally decided to make an account just to talk about the chair injustice that’s going on here.

First off, I don’t find it unreasonable at all that you expected your school to provide you with a friggin chair. 

I really am just at a loss at how a school doesn’t have enough chairs for the students. Like this is a thing? Have I been under a rock and missed the great chair shortage of 2022?

For nearly 40k, someone had better find me a damn chair. 
 

IDK, maybe I’m overthinking the whole chair thing? It just blew me away is all LOL ? 

It's not the school, its the clinical site. The clinical site is required to provide nothing but a safe experience. The clinical site generally gets 0 dollars from students being there. There may be sites that get paid, but not in my area. Many sites are saying no anymore due to covid, staffing and liability, so maybe it's one of those deals that 'be glad you got the experience vs no in-person experience'. It's easy to say that the school should provide. They don't control amenities at a location that they don't own

[delrionurse]

4 hours ago, Hoosier_RN said:

It's not the school, its the clinical site. The clinical site is required to provide nothing but a safe experience. The clinical site generally gets 0 dollars from students being there. There may be sites that get paid, but not in my area. 

Who cares about getting paid, they get free help. 

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

3 minutes ago, faithjohn said:

Who cares about getting paid, they get free help. 

Nursing students are not "free help". They add to the workload.

38 minutes ago, faithjohn said:

Who cares about getting paid, they get free help. 

No they are not getting free help...wth.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

1 hour ago, faithjohn said:

Who cares about getting paid, they get free help. 

In many settings now, students are doing much observation, but not a lot of hands on. 4 nursing students that work as techs in my clinic. This is their complaint. I give them the gentle reminder that at least they are there in person, not in a sim lab ?‍♀️

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

1 hour ago, Rose_Queen said:

Nursing students are not "free help". They add to the workload.

Thanks, I don't think many realize this. Regardless of how much a nurse enjoys taking a student, it adds to their workload

[2BS Nurse, BSN]

Most employers DO have a microwave and a break room. I choose to bring my own water from home because I don't trust the cleaning of their machines. When it comes to clinicals, you gotta do what you need to do to pass. 

If you're transitioning from the business world to the health care world, you're going to be very disappointed. You aren't going to see the same standards you may be used to in the business world. 

[amoLucia]

4 hours ago, 2BS Nurse said:

If you're transitioning from the business world to the health care world, you're going to be very disappointed. You aren't going to see the same standards you may be used to in the business world. 

This is ever so much true for all folk out there who seek nsg as a second career option.

Such wise words infreq spoken!

[amoLucia]

Amazing how times have changed! Way back, I remember some facilities being similarly cheap & not very hospitable. But by and large, almost all clinical facilities were really receptive to nsg schools and other students. And that was back at the time when there was a truly palpable hierarchy among the nsg schools. The diploma students were at the top of the pecking order. But even we 'outsiders' were welcome.

Some of the ammenities incl the sole use of clinical conference rooms for our use. We even would receive food/beverage vouchers from some. I remember being incl in some of their conferences with guest presenters.

I wonder what real underlying reason has occurred. 

[gemswanson90]

Woo! Times they have been changing. As a nursing student, do not expect Anything; the best you can hope for is a fairly nongrumpy preceptor who will agree to let you be involved with any actual patient care...and that is only if you are Not an entitled uptight know-it-all. Show some respect; you are not owed Anything from us.  Your job is to beg borrow and hope for meaningful clinical experiences.  You are not owed a chair in report, respect from the CNA or LPN on shift,  or me.  Earn it.  Or lose it.