I hope that every nurse here is one that is kind, sympathetic and welcoming to new nursing students on clinical rotations in your department. If you are one of those who shuns students, treats them as if they are invisible, are rude and "bothered" by them, then you don't deserve to be a nurse. It's insane to me that this is a common thing. We have a critical shortage of nursing staff, yet you want to push these future nurses away.
Also, if you're so short-staffed, how are you welcoming new nurses into your units by giving them a bad impression? Do you want to continue to be overworked and understaffed? It only takes one first impression to ruin your chances of having new nurses fill your unit and decrease your nurse-to-patient ratios.
All these old threads getting bumped, but this is worth commenting on.
The above has pretty much nothing to do with the reason staffing is so poor.
Staffing is poor because businesses want it that way. Period.
Reality is that if I were still working in a hospital I would not have time to teach others the way I was taught, despite believing that it is the right thing to do and despite a desire to do so. It's not an excuse, it's just a sad reality. And it is not controlled by those working. Healthcare corporations have decided what is important and worrying about the needs of nurses or future nurses isn't one of those things. They don't need to impress students, they have a steady supply of applicants thanks to their constant cries of "nursing shortage."
We should stay focused on the actual problem instead of criticizing each other. Whether you're the over-worked nurse or the nursing student, put yourself in the other's shoes for just a few seconds, imagine what it's like, then instead of wasting precious time and energy being upset that person, proceed in the way you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes.
It isn't difficult. If you're the nurse, kindly tell the student to stick with you then go about your day. If you're the student, pay attention.
Correction: didn’t say that was the main reason. That is one of the reasons. I know this to be true because I just graduated recently and a lot of students were bummed that they had been paired with nurses who were not treating them respectfully and vice versa. These type of experiences can create anxieties and fears to the new learner and hinder their desire to learn and much more importantly—work at such places. Everyone gets the way the system of operations works in a hospital (I worked at Phx VA for 8 years—believe me I know) and by any means do we think that will change anytime soon. Nonetheless, that shouldn’t mean that people should get treated disrespectfully whether you are the student or the the teacher.
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
Carla N. V. said:
Correction: didn’t say that was the main reason. That is one of the reasons. I know this to be true because I just graduated recently and a lot of students were bummed that they had been paired with nurses who were not treating them respectfully and vice versa. These type of experiences can create anxieties and fears to the new learner and hinder their desire to learn and much more importantly—work at such places. Everyone gets the way the system of operations works in a hospital (I worked at Phx VA for 8 years—believe me I know) and by any means do we think that will change anytime soon. Nonetheless, that shouldn’t mean that people should get treated disrespectfully whether you are the student or the the teacher.
I'll treat you respectfully. So much so you won't know that I'm dealing with a major mental illness exacerbation, with psychotic features. I'm not telling you this so you can feel sorry for me (I don't care). A work mate who is an amazing nurse is currently dealing with her mum who is approaching the end of life stage. Another colleague, his brother committed suicide right on Christmas
Now if you told any of us that we would be taking a student, I think we'd all be less than thrilled, may possibly grimace, appear to storm off the ward when in reality its to find a quiet corner to cry in.
Nurses are exhausted right now. While that does not excuse bad behaviour, it does excuse nurses being unwilling to put another straw on the camels back.
Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about, always be kind (Robyn Williams)
What you said directly and through implication was that staffing ratios would be improved if new nurses "fill[ED] your unit" because they were not treated poorly by staff nurses.
Yes, sometimes students/new nurses who do not want to work at certain places because of the staff's poor attitudes--that part is true. And people should be kind to newcomers, yes. What is not true is the suggestion or idea that generally speaking staffing is poor because staff nurses are mean and that if they were nice staffing would be good.
But it's good for large corporations when we think that's a big enough problem that it IS what is keeping us from better staffing and better patient ratios; it takes the heat off of them if they can just keep the hens pecking at each other.
Carla N. V. said:
Nonetheless, that shouldn’t mean that people should get treated disrespectfully whether you are the student or the the teacher.
JKL33
7,043 Posts
All these old threads getting bumped, but this is worth commenting on.
The above has pretty much nothing to do with the reason staffing is so poor.
Staffing is poor because businesses want it that way. Period.
Reality is that if I were still working in a hospital I would not have time to teach others the way I was taught, despite believing that it is the right thing to do and despite a desire to do so. It's not an excuse, it's just a sad reality. And it is not controlled by those working. Healthcare corporations have decided what is important and worrying about the needs of nurses or future nurses isn't one of those things. They don't need to impress students, they have a steady supply of applicants thanks to their constant cries of "nursing shortage."
We should stay focused on the actual problem instead of criticizing each other. Whether you're the over-worked nurse or the nursing student, put yourself in the other's shoes for just a few seconds, imagine what it's like, then instead of wasting precious time and energy being upset that person, proceed in the way you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes.
It isn't difficult. If you're the nurse, kindly tell the student to stick with you then go about your day. If you're the student, pay attention.
That is all.