What a coincidence. . .every single student nurse who shadows me. . .

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2012

I just knew I'd p i s s off a bunch of people by making the comment that I am tired of every nursing student standing there talking about how they are going to go to CRNA school and make a zillion dollars instead of actually paying attention to what I was trying to teach them. Whatever - we all have our opinions and we all feel so good about them lol. Good luck with reality, y'all!

Aren't you a peach.

studentnurse96 · Jul 28, 2012

Honestly, this reminds of a situation I encountered with my sister a few years ago and I think it serves as a good analogy to my point. Here is the example:
My sister was pregnant for a few months (cannot remember exactly how long, I only know she was not yet 7 months), and I was a mother of two toddlers. So like every normal pregnant woman her body changes were a hot topic.
Her, "I am so sick of feeling sick to my stomach every day", Me, "Oh, you have just started this fun journey, you have (x) amount of weeks left before that goes away, usually its the worst in about (x) amount of weeks, you'll see."
Her, "Ugh, I did not sleep at all last night, I think I had to wake up and pee 4 times, I am so tired." Me, "Oh, you just wait til the baby is huge and is always squishing your bladder, 4 times will seem like nothing."
Her, "Wow, I have been pregnant forever, I am just so ready to meet my baby outside of my belly." Me, "Well the best time in pregnancy is usually between 3-6 months, this is as easy as it will ever get, you need to enjoy it while you can, you might miss being pregnant once you deliver."
Her, "I don't know how I am going to get everything done that I need to do before the baby is born." Me, "Pfft, talk to me about obstacles in your path once the baby is out. The second you start something the baby cries, just wait."
So it went, until one day she blatantly told me that just because I had already "been, there, done that" didn't mean she didn't deserve a chance to experience things and go through the motions and feelings of each current step. She told me she would "get there" eventually and understand the inner workings of an experienced mother when she got there. So even though I thought I was being a good big sister and trying to prepare her in ways I wasn't prepared (hopefully to alleviate some unnecessary stress in life", I had to step back and realize how right she was. So she journeyed through the experience and once she was on the other side she was able to look back and laugh at herself for buying the newest greatest gadget that was useless and collected dust even though I told her it would be a waste of money!
Student nurses lack the wisdom of experience, not intelligence or common sense. This is where the feared and respected seasoned nurse comes in to guide us along until we get there.

Well said!! I wish more seasoned nurses saw it that way. Seems like us new nurses are a nuisance, or at least treated that way. Its a shame really.

tokebi · Jul 28, 2012

Seems like us new nurses are a nuisance, or at least treated that way. Its a shame really.

Know-it-all new nurses ARE nuisance. While there are plenty who approach their preceptors and experienced co-workers with respect and humbleness, and take every learning opportunity, a few with annoying attitude leave a bad impression that's hard to forget.

lilarox · Jul 28, 2012

I am not sure how many of the students actually consider CRNA for the proper reasons, however I’m inclined to believe that salary is a significant factor and if it is the sole determinant, this is cause for a serious internal evaluation and self-searching because he/she could be trouble if or when he/she realizes they made a mistake in career choice.

I had a friend inside and outside my nursing class that switched from ASN to a fast track BSN during her sophomore year. This was an option since at some point she finished all of her pre-req's during a previous college stint. Aside from the pre-req's, she was doing the same thing the ASN students were doing, in a slightly different structure, with a little variation on the area emphasized and she graduated at the same time. However, she and many other students stated how much easier and more lenient the BSN program was compared to our ASN. I realize this is probably just a fluke at my school, but it was stated multiple times.

Every person deserves credit for academic success, obviously higher levels deserving a higher level of credit and respect that increases accordingly. I do not have any ideas at the moment regarding how this credit should be recognized, just that it should be validated.

I am tired of every nursing student standing there talking about how they are going to go to CRNA school and make a zillion dollars instead of actually paying attention to what I was trying to teach them.

I totally agree this is disrespectful and rude. I think an open, broad, and well-rounded mind is important in nursing. While I may not have shared the love the clinical instructors felt about his/her specialty, I was grateful for the privilege of the ability to learn from an experienced nurse. I do not understand how students are permitted to move forward in nursing school when they exhibit appalling, disrespectful, and egotistical behavior during a clinical experience. As a recent graduate and former student member of this site, I am ashamed at some of the actions of other students and/or recent graduates. It is because of this, that I feel compelled to defend myself, or at least exempt myself from some of negative perceptions seasoned nurses have regarding those people.

MedChica · Jul 28, 2012

Are you kidding me?

How can anyone on this board judge the student nurses on planning ahead, when the bulk come on here whining, crying and singing their sad songs day in and day out?

>>>cue the violins

"Oh, the doctors are mean to me..." ; 'The pts are rude and mean to me..." ; "The other nurses are bullies..." ; "Everyone treats me like a slave..." ; "Everyone blames me for everything...." ; "The young nurses act like ________ and I'm tired of it!" ; "The old crabby nurses act like _________ and I'm tired of it!" ; "I don't get lunch breaks..." ; "Everyone's against me!" ; "I have 40 pts to myself..." ; "I'm a new grad and my preceptor threw me to the wolves..." ; "I can't do it all!" ; "I'm so overwhelmed..." ; "I'm entitled to act like a ***** to student nurses. I don't like my job. I don't like the pts and I'm gonna take it out on everyone because I wasn't raised right and don't know how to NOT treat everyone like ****!" ; "Who wants to talk about 'Nurse Burnout'?!"

Every freaking day nurses are on here with this melodramatic 'Dynasty' type crap:

- There's always a group that's conspiring against them....

- There's always some broad at someone's job who is 'trying to DESTROY' them. LOL

Meanwhile --

LOL

I'm on the cusp of my pinning ceremony and passing my boards. I've a job lined up (I'm a go-getter). I see over the horizon. LOL I know what I'm in for as a new nurse and nurse, in general. What I see on this board? Con-firms!

An advanced degree nurse? Why not?

You may hate me for being observant. Don't hate me for using my critical thinking skills to evaluate the situation and formulate a contingency....

LOL

I don't see the big deal. I don't really understand why everyone gets all bent out of shape when talk of career advancement occurs. God forbid anyone wants to get a BSN. It only seems to happen in the nursing occupation, too. How odd that anti-intellectualists would be concentrentated in one occupation.

Why is that?

For my part? I'm not exactly 'green' to healthcare. I know enough about nursing, have worked around enough nurses - am related to enough nurses - to know that I don't want to be in bedside or on the floor until I drop.

The specialities that I like?

- ER, Psych and Geri.

- Strangely, I feel a pull towards maternity. I'm sure that, like gas, it'll pass though.

- ICU/Med Surg? Eh, not really my cup of tea but I'd work in one. I believe that it'd make me a stronger nurse. I want to ber very skilled at what I do.

- I've seen a dialysis nurse at work. The work seems very challenging, but I hate 1X1's.

- Wound care looks really fun. I don't want to be a Wound Care nurse. I would like to work in the capacity for a short time. Pick up some pointers. Some good skills. The Wound Care nurses at my clinical site kicked butt. The progress and healing time in such a short amt of time was just amazing. I look at some of the residents in my facility (LTC) who practically nurse the same wounds over a period of months and I see where things could be improved.

For higher-level positions? I'm thinking: CNS, healthcare/nursing management or NP.

CRNA...? It's challenging, I bet. I've just never liked the OR. It's a boring place to be. I've never been up there as a nurse, though. Maybe thats the difference.

Either way? It'll be good to be a traditonal nurse for 15-20 years, then I'd like to progress UPWARDS from that point.

I'm really not going to be 60 and 70 years old (like some in my family) coursing up and down these halls whining abut my feet and back. Sure, they make much but they're tired as all get out. I'm not.

At 45-55? It's time to move on.

I don't see 'bedside' as a step-down. It's a 'stepping stone'.

I'm merely expanding my knowledge in my chosen area of expertise. I see things that could be changed for the better at my own facility and fast forward >>>>> In management, with my 15-20 years of ER or Psych or whatever experience, I'd be more than just a suit. I could understand things from the perspective of the nurse's in my charge. I could implement more effective policies. Etc...

Now, see -- THAT.... is starry-eyed idealism!

LOL

If I choose that route, I'm sure that it won't be that easy. I can't help dreaming, though.

The goal for my first year? Get my IV cert/ACLS...get as much exp as possible this first year and network my *** off.

So far, I WILL have psych and geri under my belt. There's a wound care nurse there (new position) and I'm kind of hoping that I can pick a few things up from her.

Then, my mission is to get into RN school and work my way into a hospital (in the works).

To get into these positions, yes - you have to network, finnagle and bust your butt. By what degree? Depends on where you live and the saturation of your area.

I'm not 21. I'm 31. An adult. Not a child.

This is common sense.

eleectrosaurus · Jul 28, 2012

Looks like its gonna be one of those threads...

RN58186 · Jul 28, 2012

I was totally convinced when I went into nursing school that I wanted to do either L&D or mission work overseas. Well, I fell in love with one specialty just before I graduated and have worked renal ever since. This was not the plan I had whay back when, but I would not change the last 20+ years for anything. I will be a renal nurse until I retire.

Everyone deserves a chance to dream. Entirely possible those students so intent on trauma flight mursing, ICU, emerg, or whatever now will find something else that they love. And whatever specialty that may be, my hope for all of us is that we can find that one area that we love to work in. When I have student nurses working with me I will ask what their goals are, I will listen because I am truly interested, and then ask if they are open to being flexible. I have reminded many of them that their plans may change with time and experience. But I like hearing of everything they want to be - it reminds me of myself so many years ago.....

Pets to People · Jul 28, 2012

Are you kidding me?
How can anyone on this board judge the student nurses on planning ahead, when the bulk come on here whining, crying and singing their sad songs day in and day out?
>>>cue the violins
"Oh, the doctors are mean to me..." ; 'The pts are rude and mean to me..." ; "The other nurses are bullies..." ; "Everyone treats me like a slave..." ; "Everyone blames me for everything...." ; "The young nurses act like ________ and I'm tired of it!" ; "The old crabby nurses act like _________ and I'm tired of it!" ; "I don't get lunch breaks..." ; "Everyone's against me!" ; "I have 40 pts to myself..." ; "I'm a new grad and my preceptor threw me to the wolves..." ; "I can't do it all!" ; "I'm so overwhelmed..." ; "I'm entitled to act like a ***** to student nurses. I don't like my job. I don't like the pts and I'm gonna take it out on everyone because I wasn't raised right and don't know how to NOT treat everyone like ****!" ; "Who wants to talk about 'Nurse Burnout'?!"
Every freaking day nurses are on here with this melodramatic 'Dynasty' type crap:
- There's always a group that's conspiring against them....
- There's always some broad at someone's job who is 'trying to DESTROY' them. LOL
Meanwhile --
LOL
I'm on the cusp of my pinning ceremony and passing my boards. I've a job lined up (I'm a go-getter). I see over the horizon. LOL I know what I'm in for as a new nurse and nurse, in general. What I see on this board? Con-firms!
An advanced degree nurse? Why not?
You may hate me for being observant. Don't hate me for using my critical thinking skills to evaluate the situation and formulate a contingency....
LOL
I don't see the big deal. I don't really understand why everyone gets all bent out of shape when talk of career advancement occurs. God forbid anyone wants to get a BSN. It only seems to happen in the nursing occupation, too. How odd that anti-intellectualists would be concentrentated in one occupation.
Why is that?
For my part? I'm not exactly 'green' to healthcare. I know enough about nursing, have worked around enough nurses - am related to enough nurses - to know that I don't want to be in bedside or on the floor until I drop.
The specialities that I like?
- ER, Psych and Geri.
- Strangely, I feel a pull towards maternity. I'm sure that, like gas, it'll pass though.
- ICU/Med Surg? Eh, not really my cup of tea but I'd work in one. I believe that it'd make me a stronger nurse. I want to ber very skilled at what I do.
- I've seen a dialysis nurse at work. The work seems very challenging, but I hate 1X1's.
- Wound care looks really fun. I don't want to be a Wound Care nurse. I would like to work in the capacity for a short time. Pick up some pointers. Some good skills. The Wound Care nurses at my clinical site kicked butt. The progress and healing time in such a short amt of time was just amazing. I look at some of the residents in my facility (LTC) who practically nurse the same wounds over a period of months and I see where things could be improved.
For higher-level positions? I'm thinking: CNS, healthcare/nursing management or NP.
CRNA...? It's challenging, I bet. I've just never liked the OR. It's a boring place to be. I've never been up there as a nurse, though. Maybe thats the difference.
Either way? It'll be good to be a traditonal nurse for 15-20 years, then I'd like to progress UPWARDS from that point.
I'm really not going to be 60 and 70 years old (like some in my family) coursing up and down these halls whining abut my feet and back. Sure, they make much but they're tired as all get out. I'm not.
At 45-55? It's time to move on.
I don't see 'bedside' as a step-down. It's a 'stepping stone'.
I'm merely expanding my knowledge in my chosen area of expertise. I see things that could be changed for the better at my own facility and fast forward >>>>> In management, with my 15-20 years of ER or Psych or whatever experience, I'd be more than just a suit. I could understand things from the perspective of the nurse's in my charge. I could implement more effective policies. Etc...
Now, see -- THAT.... is starry-eyed idealism!
LOL
If I choose that route, I'm sure that it won't be that easy. I can't help dreaming, though.
The goal for my first year? Get my IV cert/ACLS...get as much exp as possible this first year and network my *** off.
So far, I WILL have psych and geri under my belt. There's a wound care nurse there (new position) and I'm kind of hoping that I can pick a few things up from her.
Then, my mission is to get into RN school and work my way into a hospital (in the works).
To get into these positions, yes - you have to network, finnagle and bust your butt. By what degree? Depends on where you live and the saturation of your area.
I'm not 21. I'm 31. An adult. Not a child.
This is common sense.

Huny....if I could....I would "like" this a THOUSAND times!

Pets to People · Jul 28, 2012

The majority of nurses are women, and for women pregnancy and babies are things we know a little something about, so many may tend to gravitate towards NICU, peds and L&D for that reason. I personally am not too interested in these areas.

Of course many see the ER as exciting, who wouldn't? I'm sure TV has contributed to that, certainly. I have experiance working in an animal emergency facility, and as an EMT. I found that I do really well in emergency situations and enjoy the challenge. A flight nurse would simply be an extension of that, the next step up in the challenge of emergency nursing, if one was interested in advancement.

I do not want to work med-surg or LTC, because of what I have seen and heard concerning the many issues that nurses deal with in these areas. I don't see being a "med-cart pusher" as doing anything to strengthen me as a nurse.

I have always been fascinated with medicine but was never able to follow the dream of becoming a doctor. Then I found out about the advances in the field of nurse practitioners....and all of a sudden I found out that this dream I had given up on could actually come true! Will I be able to do it? I don't know, it will depend on a lot of different factors, but that doesn't mean I won't try, or enjoy thinking about it or sharing the dream with friends. The great thing about NP education is that there is no rush...until I can apply I can spend my time gaining valuable experience.

metal_m0nk, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2012

Looks like its gonna be one of those threads...

You gotta find a new gif, man. Variety is the spice of life.

leenak · Jul 28, 2012

I'm not a student (yet) but I have no interest in NICU or flight nursing and definitely not L&D. And no interest in CRNA.

I'm pretty open though, I wouldn't write off something like ER and I think I may even like peds (I have no kids, no interest in having kids but I'm pretty patient with other people's kids). Who knows though, I think someone wouldn't really know until they get in there and try things out.

Jmira.BSN.RN · Jul 28, 2012

Please stop generalizing. Most students do NOT want to be CRNAs and NPs. Most of us would be grateful to have any nursing job that comes our way after graduation. Yeah there's a few who run their mouths and think they're God's gift to nursing. No need to discorage them, their attitudes won't allow them very far. Encourage them in whatever ways you can

Us students don't generalize that all veteran bedside nurses are a bunch of crabby, cranky, burnt out old you know whats just because theres a few who actually are (and there are!). I am grateful to the positive, encouraging nurses whom I have encountered and I plan to treat students in this same manner someday

I am nice and respectful to each and every nurse I come into contact with during clinicals. I pick their brain and jump at any opportunity that comes my way. I'm a student, I'm there to learn. But I do recognize my strong points and I am a natural born leader. I hope to one day use that strength in my nursing career even if it means not being a bedside med-surg nurse for my entire career.

I have goals and dreams that I will achieve whether or not the negative nancys think I should.