Will I get kicked out for this?

[missa-almost-RN]

We were at clinical today and a few of us (students) were sitting with two of our LTC patients, filling out packets that were assigned to us about our views on growing old and health care. One of the questions was what role do we feel government should have in health care. I explained how I wanted to answer the question to another student, and asked her how to best word it in my answer. I won't go into who had which position on this sensitive issue, but the charge nurse happened to be doing meds at a cart right next to our table, and literally butted into our discussion (which wasnt even really a discussion at all at that point) and made some rude comment to me about my answer (basically attacking/challenging my belief). I questioned what she said to me, and basically stated why I felt the way I did...I did not get loud or in any way abusive or anything with her, but I did strongly disagree with her back and forth for about 30 seconds. She told me to "get a clue, girlie" and another student came to me and said to "come over here" to me, and I walked away.

Now I'm nervous that this nurse will make a big deal about this to my instructor/school, and I'm petrified of getting kicked out for lack of professionalism or something simialar. We were not loud, and no one was around except for two patients who can't hear well and didn't seem to be bothered at all or even aware that a disagreement occured (no one was yelling or anything even close to that). I'm just so worried now and regret engaging back with her and not just ignoring her comment. Do you think this is something that will cause problems for me?

[Merlyn]

I find frankly the discussion of politically charged topics in front of others to be far more concern than the paperwork issue. Maybe the OP will come back and update us. I am certainly hoping nothing at all came of this.

I hope nothing cam from this,but in today's climate,I don't know

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

I'm another who will pipe up in SUPPORT of the OP doing paperwork at clinical b/c she was told to do paperwork at clinical.

I'm also a nursing student, and my program also has paperwork we have to do AT clinical, plus information-gathering that we have to do at clinical in order to be able to do MORE paperwork AFTER clinical. We're also not allowed to be on the floor after the time of our clinical shift, because then we would no longer be under the supervision of our clinical instructor.

When my paperwork that is required and my information that I need is recorded and my assigned patient's assessment has been completed and charted and my assigned patient's care has been completed, I am more than willing to answer call lights, reposition patients, do bedpans/commodes, do bed-baths, feed meals, change linens, or whatever else needs to be done for whatever nurse needs an extra pair of hands. But my FIRST responsibility is to my nursing program -- that is the primary reason I am at that hospital on that day.

At no time have I done "homework" for my lecture/class at the clinical site -- it is always paperwork that has been assigned related to my clinical shift, and it's always the portion of that paperwork that I cannot do from my home (like recording every single lab value, every single medication, every single diagnostic test, etc.).

As much as we'd love to be wiping every butt on the floor so that the staff nurses don't have to be bothered, the fact of the matter is that we are there b/c we are in nursing school, and we have to do what the nursing school requires us to do if we want to graduate. I don't know why some people have such a hard time understanding this concept.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Uh, I don't. I just graduated. And doing clinical paperwork is not the same as doing homework.

[mindlor]

The battleaxw should have minded her own own business.

You did nothing wrong. In fact, what you displayed in standing your ground says to me that you have the chutzpah to be a nurse.

Well done

[nursel56]

Yes - I agree with Brillohead. It isn't always easy to reconcile the two but it doesn't sound like the nurse who barged in had an issue with the homework/paperwork. She just overheard a remark and decided to butt in, while she was in the patient's room passing meds. Whether they were alert and oriented doesn't really matter. That tells me the charge nurse might be a bit of a loose cannon, especially when she wrapped it up with "get a clue, girlie".

As students it can be counterproductive to always assert the right to broadcast your opinion. Your goal is to get through school as smoothly and productively as you can. Demanding the right to argue with the charge nurse at your clinical site may win the battle and lose the war.

I think the OP realized that. Hoping for an update from her!