What would you do? Need Advice!!

Trauma Columnist · Oct 6, 2005

I would tell her that she must tell the instructor what happened, otherwise you will. You are right, this is the adult world - if you lie during clinical and break the rules, this will carry through when she graduates. It's always best to come clean when you goof up.

Jolie, BSN · Oct 6, 2005

I would also question the judgement of the staff nurse who allowed this student to "help out" without an instructor present on the unit. What was she thinking?

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 6, 2005

I would also question the judgement of the staff nurse who allowed this student to "help out" without an instructor present on the unit. What was she thinking?

I can't believe someone would risk their license like that.

NAA's mom · Oct 7, 2005

When I was in nursing school, I experienced a similar situation with a student. She wasn't on the floor prior to class, but wouldn't complete her assignments, didn't show up and when the instructor wrote her up she asked me to put in a "good" work for her. When I told her that I couldn't do that in good faith she attempted to bring me down in front of the other students and instructors. It was uncomfortable, but in the end I felt better about myself for standing by my decision of being honest. This is a difficult situation, but you might ask yourself, if you would like this person to take care of yourself or a family member when they can't be trusted. I'm not sure if the person I had to deal with went on to become a nurse, she didn't come back after that semester. By being honest and trustworthy to yourself, your peers and instructors you will get so much more out of your educational experiences and have many good references for after school. Hope this helps.:)

NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2005

I say let it go. She'll accumulate enough rope to hang herself with eventually. As for your instructor's license being on the line, I'm not so sure that's true. A student nurse is held to the same accountability as a professional nurse. Believe me, this was drilled into our head's ad nauseum when I was in school. She is jeopardizing her potential license, but not your instructor's. It does not sound like this is the last stupid thing she'll do. It will all catch up with her.

Hoozdo, ADN · Oct 7, 2005

Well, Monday she showed up for clinical without a complete careplan because she said that her pt. had just been admitted about an hour and a half before clinical started. We have been told explicitly by our instructor NOT to be on the floor or in pts. rooms until she is in the hospital because her license is on the line.

Didn't your instructor notice her care plan was incomplete? I wouldn't report her, she isn't going to make it through nursing school pulling stunts like that in the first semester.

I'm in my last semester and during all of my clinicals if you don't show up with the info you are supposed to have you get sent home from clinicals. Your stuff is checked before you even make it out to the floor in preconference. The instructor will catch on if she's the least bit attentive.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2005

Just guessing but i would think this instructor is intuitive enough and has enough feedback from staff where you conduct clinicals she will find out soon enough. I would keep my mind on my own clinical objectives and leave her to answer her own questions. Of which the instructor will have many for her im sure.

You have your own business to attend to and its not worrying about how someone else is getting their information. Your studies should be your priority. Its hard enough to get through without taking on someone elses issues.

Students need to realize that the instructors have more contact with staff and managers at their clinical sites than they know. Just because you dont see it doesnt mean she isnt in there long after your gone or long before you get there. They see staff in the cafeteria, the bathrooms and at the local grocery stores and they do discuss. At least most competant instructors do,, they arent fluffs or they wouldnt be where they are.

My guess is this instructor already knows she hasnt had enough patient contact yet to have enough information to have started that plan yet, so someone will have to answer to how she got it if she had only been in clinical for a few minutes that day.

Dont sweat someone else's problem.

DusktilDawn · Oct 7, 2005

I'm a first semester student and have come across a situation that I need to get some feedback on. There is someone in our class that has already been written up and reported to the department coordinator for her inappropriate comments and behavior during clinical. She just found this out yesterday. Well, Monday she showed up for clinical without a complete careplan because she said that her pt. had just been admitted about an hour and a half before clinical started. We have been told explicitly by our instructor NOT to be on the floor or in pts. rooms until she is in the hospital because her license is on the line. Well, come to find out, this person had been on the floor for a couple of hours helping the nurse do this admit. If something had happened to this pt. while she was helping my instructor would be liable. It infuriates me that she, this other student, would have the nerve to do this. I'm not tattle tale but this is the adult world with real consequences for our actions. Would you report her or would you wait and see if she pulls that again? She knows she was wrong because she asked the other students if they were going to tell on her? What a dilemma. Thanks for your input.

As a student you represent the school you are being educated by, and the instructors that teach you.

I would tell her that she must tell the instructor what happened, otherwise you will. You are right, this is the adult world - if you lie during clinical and break the rules, this will carry through when she graduates. It's always best to come clean when you goof up.

I really like this suggestion by TraumaRUs. You've place the ball in her court, she has a choice: to fess up or you will do it for her. You've given her the opportunity to be responsible for her actions, which is what a mature adult should do.

Anonymous-student · Oct 7, 2005

In my state the student nurse practices under the license of the instructor. Besides people who feel they have been injured because of someone's negligence is going to go after anyone who could remotely be involved. It could be argued that the instructor was negligent in insuring that her students had a full understanding of the rules. It's a stretch but we live in a litigious society and people explore all the angles.

I say let it go. She'll accumulate enough rope to hand herself with eventually. As for your instructor's license being on the line, I'm not so sure that's true. A student nurse is held to the same accountability as a professional nurse. Believe me, this was drilled into our head's ad nauseum when I was in school. She is jeopardizing her potential license, but not your instructor's. It does not sound like this is the last stupid thing she'll do. It will all catch up with her.

Anonymous-student · Oct 7, 2005

Thanks to all of you who replied. I think it's wise just to hang back and wait and see what happens. She's already in hot water over some other stuff. If she doesn't turn it around, she will, in fact, hang herself without any help from me. I truly hope the best for her. I would hate to see anyone kicked out of nursing school after working so hard to get there. Thanks again for all the advice.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2005

Dear Anonymous-student, I would report this student to your instructor. If I were your instructor I sure would want to know that this other student had put my license in jeopardy so she can deal with her. If you let this go, it is very likely this student will do this again. She is obviously more concerned with her grade than with the patient's welfare. Someone also needs to report the staff nurse who permitted a student to help her knowing full well there was no instructor around to supervise her. Staff nurses all went through nursing school and know the basic rules regarding patient care by students and the times the students are in the building.

I do not subscribe to this belief that we should just leave incidences go. Imagine how badly you would feel if this student comes in early and does something that ends up permanently injuring or killing a patient. How would you feel about it then? A rule is a rule for a reason. This silly student is putting your instructor in jeopardy and not even caring about it. That is disrespectful and she needs to be restrained. As a manager I had a very serious incident occur resulting in a serious injury to a patient due to the wrong actions on the part of a nurse only to have other staff members come forward afterward and tell me they had been seeing the nurse doing the same thing before but they would have felt uncomfortable tattling on her. I was so angry I could have strangled them! Had just one of them said something to me, the big incident that ended up occurring would have never happened and a patient would have been spared from being injured. Just take your instructor aside and tell her what you know and that you are telling her because you are concerned for her, the instructor, and that if it were you in her place you would want someone to tell you.