Walking on eggshells at clinicals

muffie, RN · Mar 4, 2007

we were all students once upon a time...

we love sharing the workload with students

i'll count myself as a lucky nurse on a lucky floor

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2007

I agree with you. There is no excuse for that kind of behavior. Just take note. This is definitely not a unit you want to work when job time comes along. Part of the problem is also the person(s) supervising and managing the staff. If they are permitting the staff to treat others this way, there are other things that are allowed to slip by as well.

zilla704 · Mar 4, 2007

I agree with you. There is no excuse for that kind of behavior. Just take note. This is definitely not a unit you want to work when job time comes along. Part of the problem is also the person(s) supervising and managing the staff. If they are permitting the staff to treat others this way, there are other things that are allowed to slip by as well.

I agree. The nurse that got so irate with the student the night before stayed in the report room the entire day on her cell. Everytime I walked in there to do my paperwork, she was in there. How can you nurse like that? I've found 2 new grads that are heaven-sent. They are so eager to teach us, and let us help. Without them, I don't know what I'd do.

BVFD 333 · Mar 4, 2007

zilla, make sure you fill out a clinical evaluation on this floor.

RANCH GIRL · Mar 4, 2007

Hi Zilla704 - Yes, we also had this problem just a few weeks ago and also on a total joint floor! We spoke with our clinical instructor about the situation, and she informed us that interventions were underway so the next group of students will hopefully have a more positive result.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Mar 4, 2007

For those RNs who have worked with students on a floor before, is this sometimes possibly indicative of the relationship the staff might have with the clinical instructor?

Nursing in 09 · Mar 4, 2007

Anyone else feel like this? My group has had a few bad encounters with the RN staff. I feel like we are bothering them and they HATE us. One of them flogged another student on Thursday evening while we were there to get our MAR's and round reports for the next day. One refuses to let us help him. He's needed a BGL, or TED hose, or vitals and when 2 different SN's said "I'll take care of it for you", he's said "no, thanks. I'll find my CNA". So to keep the peace we ask as few questions as possible and stay out of the way. It's in no way a learning experience, for sure. I had one nurse who hung blood on a patient that I was assigned to do vitals for during the transfusion. She hung the blood and left. At the first 15 minute increment, her temp had gone up 3 degrees. I went to look for her to let her know and she had left the floor. She didn't tell anyone she had just hung blood, just left the floor. I asked and they said "Oh, she went upstairs, she'll be back in a few minutes", meanwhile I'm terrified this patient is having a reaction. I've hated every minute of this semester's clinicals and I dread every Friday. My clinical instructor said because it's a total joint floor and they are so overworked they are just tired and cranky. I just can't accept that. This is a teaching hospital.
Are you guys having similar problems?

I am in my second semester of my ADN program. Last semester my clinicals were at a magnet status hospital and most of the staff was great. This semester I have 2 clinicals per week, one on the day shift and one on the evening shift. The staff has been rude if not downright mean since day one. Their manager and our teachers believe it is us that is the problem, we are told we are a bad group, don't smile enough, don't respect the staff enough. I have had staff snarl at me and say "What are you smiling about?" Their is a shortage of equipment on the floor, we search for thermometers and BP cuffs as well as pulse ox. They hide equipment from us. It is insane. I hope this isn't what nursing is really like. I believe a GNA even talked bad about me to a patient because my patient was happy and talking, laughing, then after the CNA was in the room the patient requested I not care for her. Of course the manager and my teacher made it out that I must have really done something awful. I have 1 week left on this crazy floor, I sure hope I make it.

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Mar 5, 2007

Don't let the staff weed you out....the problem with some nurses is that they have forgotten how to teach and that they were once students.....Also, many CNA's(long-term) are jealous of us that are furthering our education and going to be supervising over them when we get hired somewhere.

Clinicals are crazy....often because instructors are overworked and underpaid. But for every learning expierence I've had this semester, I hope that I can someday pay it back to a student.

Keep the faith, clinicals are only part of what we have to do....ever notice how a RN license magically changes a lot of perceptions?

Mudwoman · Mar 5, 2007

I have always loved to have students. Since most of the nurses I used to work with did not like having students, it was not uncommon for me to end up with all the students. That was okay with me.

Anytime you have problems with a nurse on the floor, you should be contacting your instructor to get up there. Ultimately, it is your instructor that is responsible for making sure that you do your clinical assignments and have what you need and have a positive learning experience. If there are problems on the floor, it is her job to fix it.

Realize that most nurses get anxiety when placed in a "teaching" role---they hate teaching. Also know that most nurses feel that if the instructor is not there, they are ultimately responsible for your actions and they do not want that responsibility-----if it is a really busy floor, they have enough problems without making sure that you do skills correctly. I always had the instructor discuss the student's role that day with me so that everyone was on the same page. I then knew what the student had been checked off on, the time frame the student would be there and what role I needed to play if any. It made for a pleasant day for everyone.

nurseangel47 · Mar 5, 2007

I would make a list of the above behaviors (totally unacceptable and nonprofessional, in my opinion) to present to your clinical instructor the very day of closing clinicals on that unit. I would also make a copy to be sent to the dean of nursing and to the nurse manager of the unit. How does one nurse even with helpful nursing students when he/she is on their cell phone all day in the call room or med room or wherever it was ... no matter how many students one has, the one assigned to that pt. is ultimately responsible for their care! Oh my....I'd never work in a unit like this after graduation! I personally loved getting students! I think ya'll are the sweetest and most likely to help or volunteer to help and so eager to learn. Don't know why some folks are so bitter and resentful. Maybe they need a change of venue. Perhaps even a different career! Hang in there, kid. You won't be an abused student forever!

Kiringat · Mar 5, 2007

We were treated pretty horribly by the OB nurses. They wouldn't even let us shadow them (or speak a word in their direction), never mind doing procedures or patient care. I can understand why on some level, but it is soooo flipping depressing to be treated badly by some one who's job I respect and admire.