What would you do if???

[flwannaB]

I was at my clinical site doing my workups. Part of my workup requires us to do a patient interview. After interviewing my client, an LPN that works there called me out of the room and in a very loud tone, began to ream me out. The LPN told me that pts. answer enough questions and that if I want infomation, I was to go to the chart or ask another nurse. I tried to explain to him that the interview was a requirement and I did go to the chart. He repeated himself as if he was not listening to me so I politely told him again that my instuctor requires us to do that, but I will tell my instuctor that the nurses do not want us to do interviews. I believe our school wants us to get familiar with the client and have the client get familiar with us. Granted, some of the questions are very redundant but I truly have no say in the matter. Nurses work very hard and I know it must be annoying to have students there all the time, but in order for me to be a good nurse, I need to do things that nurses do. I was somewhat embarrassed that he was yelling at me in the hall in front of the pts. room. So nurses, how could I have handled this better? My instructor is not there on workup days and I will tell him.

[tookewlandy]

I am not a nurse yet, but I think you handled this fine. I think that the LPN that was raising his voice while talking to you was not behaving professionally though. There is just a certain way you go about doing things, regardless if they are annoyed with students or not, he should have calmly told you what he needed to tell you, not yelled or got an attitude with you. You were only doing what you HAVE to do. Nurse do work very hard, but that is still no excuse to treat anyone with disrespect, imo.

Andy

[prmenrs, RN]

You did well in that you referred him to the instructor. You could just keep repeating that, and that it's an assignment, you have to do it.

I would have had a smart-alecky remark to the effect of "I don't thing they heard you over in the next county, you may want to repeat that louder next time", but it would have only gotten me in trouble, so don't do it!

[Butterflybee]

Ahem, you dont sound like a child to me and he doesnt sound like your parent. He had absolutely no right to voice, no berate you.

I am in clinicals also. I would have walked away from the yeller and continued what I was told to do.

If he would have started haranguing me again, I would have calmly but firmly told "him" to speak with the instructor or the nurse that you answer to at that facility.

What a nerve!

If I would have been spoken to in a normal tone, that's different.

What a nerve!

I hope you told your clinical instructor about mr. yeller.

[GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Wow. When I was a student the patients LOVED student nurses b/c got so much individualized care, and got to tell their whole medical history since they can remember. Some people just like helping others, too. Especially the elderly. It makes them feel important. My paitents LOVED getting interviewed! Sounds like you got stuck with a cranky nurse that day. I hope you can get your paper done. No advice, but good luck.