Why is it bad to ask for help during Clinicals, but when you are actually working its fine?

[Convoy2022_TrumpSupporter]

When I was in school, I would be terrified to ask for help because my clinical instructors were not really nice and if I asked for help on some things or say that I am not comfortable yet, they would not be happy and would report me to the clinical coordinator jeopardizing my semester. So I would discretely ask for help from other Nurses. I understand that you have to come prepared at all times, but its like I am there only once or twice a week.

Now where I work, they train you on properly giving needles, how to change a colostomy bag, how to judge a pressure ulcer/wound, anything you can think of or not being comfortable with. Now, they are not going to do your job for you but they want to help you to make you feel welcome. I think they realized that is the problem, of Nurses not helping one another so if that is the case the Nurse would just quit and they would be short staffed if someone books off. I was surprised, some Nurses at work offered to show me lots of things until I was comfortable with it and they did not report me or make me feel any less of a Nurse. But at school it would have been a problem. I am thinking because at school you do not really have a Union, where at work you do have one. I even have the Clinical Educator offering to shadow me for my first few shifts.

[Emergent, RN]

It sounds like you have been very fortunate and where you got hired. Fortunately you made it through school and now are in a nurturing environment.

It might be that your clinical instructors were not that comfortable themselves. I had some clinical instructors who were not really that up-to-date. It sounds like you handled the situation wisely.

[Daisy4RN]

Agree with Emergent, sounds like you have landed in a good place to work. I also had some Instructors in school that were not helpful and didnt like any question, that is just sad because that is where you are supposed to be learning everything you can. Hope your place continues to work out for you!