Would Love to Hear Worst Student Nurse Fumbles

Specialties Educators

Published

Hey All!

I'm an I.C.U/ E.R. nurse about to get into the precepting game. While it's not quite the same as teaching newbies (I'll be teaching mostly experienced nurses) I would absolutely LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT SOME OF THE TRICKIEST, STICKIEST AND MOST UNBELIEVABLE SITUATIONS YOU HAVE FOUND YOURSELF IN WITH A NEWBIE!!

Thanks so much-

Looking for lessons to learn from and get a chuckle or two while I can-

Sonny

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Sounds like fun! Let's hear it from Educators and Preceptors! What were those moments when you had to struggle to keep a straight face. . . or pick your jaw up off the floor? :imbar :chuckle

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Many years ago ... a good friend of mine in college had trouble cleaning a patient's bottom. She scrubbed and scrubbed to know avail -- until someone told here that "those" were hemorhoids.

Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

Back when I was a student, I came onto my shift and was told a lady needed to be helped to the bathroom. Super student nurse that I was, I walked confidently in, and helped her to the bathroom, but we only made it a few steps before she had an explosive bm...all over me, herself, the room. I had neglected to get vital information that she had just had an enema and using the bedside commode would have been better than walking to the bathroom with her.

Sometimes nursing clothes should be like fatigues in color I think.... code brown!!

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Many years ago ... a good friend of mine in college had trouble cleaning a patient's bottom. She scrubbed and scrubbed to know avail -- until someone told here that "those" were hemorhoids.

OUCH!!! :o

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
OUCH!!! :o

I figured someone would say that. We've teased her about that for years! ;)

Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Do any of you remember Harris Flushes? When I was a student I gave my patient a Harris Flush. All went well until my instructor stood beside me. She used to make me so nervous. Anyway, I finished, pulled out the tube but forgot to clamp it. The entire pail of stool, flatus and what-have-you emptied all over my Nursing School Instructors nice white uniform, stockings, ....the works! I was horrified! All she said to me was, "Miss M, you make my BUN rise!"

athena

Iraq

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Oh, my. The Harris Flush. As a student. n i g h t m a r e -- the "Miss M" thing is so funny under the circumstances!! No first names even in the classroom! I'm sure that's gone by the wayside.

Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

Had a student hook an NG to a Foley...not a foley bag but to the actual catheter. Poor little patient looked like a pretzel. Every time he tried to lay flat he'd yell "hey my ---- hurts". He had dementia so it took awhile before anybody figured out why.

giving my first shot as a student nurse, my instructor insisted that I use the 1 1/2 inch needle on a very thin man. So, scared to death, I go in, have the man turn over so I can give in his glut. okay, here we go...put the needle in and hit...bone! the patient said "wow! that really hurts!!" my reply, "well it is a shot and they do hurt".

I am new to the educator role so trying to prove myself to the nursing staff as competent as well as the students. Last semester, my first, a student was bathing a newborn and removed the infant security tag (somewhat logically, after all she wanted to clean underneath it!) and set off the alarm. Code Pink! Security came running to the floor, nurses guarding the exit, elevators shut down. Nursing instructor sheepishly walking out to tell everyone what happened... Not as bad as some I am sure but bad for me and my poor student;)

Specializes in Burnout & Resiliency Coaching for Nurses.

when i first started, i was changing a patient and going rather fast because i was thinking about all the other things i had to do that day. i reached between his legs to grab the diaper to pull out....i didn't grab the diaper. the nurse who was helping me teases me about it to this day!

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