You won't believe.....

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Oct 11, 2013

The student was aggressive and downright rude. If that had happened to me, I would have set her straight by pointing out that her attitude had better change quickly if she expects to succeed in clinicals on my floor. I love having students, and I spend my time teaching the ones with good attitudes and who demonstrate curiosity and enthusiasm. This one would not have earned a millisecond of my time.

Based on what the student said, you have assessed she was rude and would have straightened her out.

Any unit I have worked on, the students evaluate us( by name) and we'd best be supportive to all, not just the ones we feel are worthy.

Your response was quite judgmental and hostile.

TheGooch · Oct 11, 2013

The nurses that are offended by what the student nurse says need to grow a thicker skin. As for the OP if you could manage a mumbled "hi" then surely you could have also managed to take a second to acknowledge the student in a more friendlier way. Just like you have taken the time to come here and vent about the obvious "sin" she did I am sure she has also told her fellow student nurses to "watch out for THAT one, she doesn't like student nurses".

wooh, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2013

So OP wasn't "friendly enough." In what world does that justify an outright attack?

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Oct 11, 2013

In my opinion this whole thing is blown way out of proportion. The nurse was busy. The student did not get the attention she wanted within 2 seconds and so called it "eating their young". Seriously?

Sounds like a 2 year old demanding attention to me.

I am all about treating with respect and nurturing, but when you are concentrating on something even the devil himself may need to wait a minute.

Dranger · Oct 11, 2013

I would have just lol'd and went back to reading.

In all honestly (without her being blunt like that) it's kinda true. The only time in my experience of being a student that I had nurses who gave a dang about me and my experience was at a teaching or military hospital. Most of the time it seemed like I was just in their way. However, I KNOW they were getting paid extra for taking on students and I would have liked at least some engagement on their part because we were all students once.

In this situation she was a bit brash but eh oh well.

wooh, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2013

However, I KNOW they were getting paid extra for taking on students and I would have liked at least some engagement on their part because we were all students once.

Where is this magical place that nurses get paid more for taking students?

allnurses Guide · Oct 11, 2013

Maybe clinical instructors are somehow conveying to students an inaccurate set of expectations now? I remember being a student and quite satisfied if a nurse made an audible noise that seemed to be directed toward the space I was occupying at that time.

I would say that it's unfortunate that Sally probably won't learn some important lessons from the encounter about assessing a situation before you interrupt someone who is clearly concentrating on something else, no matter what it was. The NETY comment was totally inappropriate and - hopefully the lack of verbal impulse control was a one-time fluke, for the student's sake. NanikRN, maybe you could attempt to talk to her about more effective ways to communicate with others in the clinical setting and save her from worse than your supposed rudeness.

Dranger · Oct 11, 2013

Where is this magical place that nurses get paid more for taking students?

One of the systems I had clinicals at, I had a friend who worked on another shift with CC students and got a dollar extra.

SaoirseRN · Oct 11, 2013

I don't condone what the student said in fact, I am pretty mortified for her... That being said-- I feel bad for her, too. I am just finishing up with schooling and can easily place myself in her shoes. I can picture her all excited to start clinical, but very nervous to be intruding in someone else's space. You squashed her and then bragged about it here... I don't care if I am reading a freaking memo from Jesus himself... if a stranger is invading my space, I expect an introduction of some sort. "hi I am CJ student." A proper response wouldn't have killed you.[/quote']
Where was the "squashing" and bragging? The OP was on a break (ie, personal time), clearly engaged in reading something, and the student interrupted. OP didn't squash -- OP just wasn't enthusiastic.
I don't read the post as bragging, rather as being surprised at the student's overreaction.

SaoirseRN · Oct 11, 2013

I would have just lol'd and went back to reading. In all honestly (without her being blunt like that) it's kinda true. The only time in my experience of being a student that I had nurses who gave a dang about me and my experience was at a teaching or military hospital. Most of the time it seemed like I was just in their way. However I KNOW they were getting paid extra for taking on students and I would have liked at least some engagement on their part because we were all students once. In this situation she was a bit brash but eh oh well.[/quote']
I take students every spring, sometimes two back to back (a third year, then a fourth year), and I don't get paid an extra cent. I do it because I enjoy the one-to-one teaching, because I'm certainly not getting any financial reward for it.

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Oct 11, 2013

I wonder if the OP would have responded in such a way if a colleague or better yet the CEO of the hospital would have walked in.

GREAT point.

wooh, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2013

I wonder if the OP would have responded in such a way if a colleague or better yet the CEO of the hospital would have walked in.

I would think if a colleague or the CEO walked in, they'd have the sense not to get their panties in a bunch just because OP didn't jump up and give them a hug after interrupting her.