I am a B.S.N. Student in Texas. After talking to several other students from my school, it seems that very few nurses we have encountered even acknowledge that the students are there in the hospital. I feel as if they do not "wish" to have time for us. These are nurses with four or five patients who seem to have plenty of time for everything else but no time for students. Granted, I understand that students can get in the way and slow nurses down but most of us truly want to help. Maybe my persepctive is a lot different because I am in school and I see things idealisticly. I know everyone was a student once. I am just wondering how nurses feel when students are in the hospital? Do you personally feel differently about nursing than you did when you were still in nursing school?
I hope the nurse preceptors working with the individuals students are nice and welcoming to them. The rest of the staff has their own agenda. There's a culture you're walking into and you are strangers. Newcomers to a unit take time to fit in and feel welcome and you are there for a few days a week to learn and then you move on. Just make the most of your time there sucking up all the knowlege you can.
If you feel a sense of entilement about having the welcome matt rolled out in front of you forget it. :)
Usually when students are upset that nurses are mean and unwelcoming it's usually only a couple of nurses, or the CNAs that make them feel that way. While the overwhelming majority of the staff is o.k. or neutral about them being there.
When I was a student, yes, there were a few nurses who were not very friendly. I finally got over it when I realized that their indiference was not personally directed at me.
I showed up for clinical, kept my self busy, found that special individual who loved to teach and picked their brain.
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
I don't mind student nurses at all with what little experience I had working with them (I didn't work hospital for long). The only thing that got old, but understandable was how many questions I had to answer with some while I was having to get things done (I am talking about the serious..'why are you doing it that way...why are you doing it that way" with EVERYTHING I did...but it isn't like I didn't do that too at times...LOL!), but I simply would explain that this was part of my job I have to do this...and let me get this one thing done then I can get a chance to explain/discuss later...As long as I did this in a positive mannor, it was received quite well. I would even offer a small coffee or tea break after shift for Q/A time (and to discuss stressors and how to cope with them!). A few times I would even get home, and write them a note or summary so they could get answers if we ran out of time! (they loved those because I intermixed things with humor and other lessons..on occassion I would throw in an ethical delema they may not have noticed to think about!).
I really wished I could have done more teaching! That is what I wanted to do most, but I don't get that opportunity at all anymore...I guess that is why I love this forum! So many students, so many great questions! Wished I had known about this place when I was a student!!!!
It seems that very few nurses we have encountered even acknowledge that the students are there in the hospital. I feel as if they do not "wish" to have time for us. These are nurses with four or five patients who seem to have plenty of time for everything else but no time for students. Avery
I think some nurses forget that they were once students too.
I really wished I could have done more teaching! That is what I wanted to do most, but I don't get that opportunity at all anymore...I guess that is why I love this forum! So many students, so many great questions! Wished I had known about this place when I was a student!!!!
It sounds like you would be a real good teacher. When I was in LPN school I asked one of the RN's if she could answer a question for me and she threw up her hands and said "I don't have time for this right now" and hurried off. Later she came back and said "Now, you said you had a question?" but I didn't want to ask her anymore...wanted to stay as far away from her as I could...would have made all the difference in the world if she had said instead of "I don't have time for this...blah blah blah" but "I'm sorry I'm very busy now but perhaps we can talk about it later..."
Oh well, I don't figure I'm any worse off for that experience anyhow...
I see it just like the cycle of abuse. When you've been abused you have two options: 1) pass on the abuse to the next generation or 2) stop the cycle and make a conscious effort to not treat others the way you've been treated.
We were ALL abused at some point during nursing school. I remember being treated like crap by so many nurses and promising myself that when I was in that position I would do everything I could to make students feel comfortable. When I get a student I let them know it's ok not to know everything and not to be afraid to ask any questions. That's how we learn!
The best way to handle difficult nurses is to understand it's them, not you. Many people are miserable in their private lives and carry that attitude over to work. Unfortunately, students are often on the receiving end of their misery. :angryfire
I think there are a lot of factors as to why some units/nurses are more welcoming to students than others and that we should get them out in the open, acknowledge them, and deal with them. Here are a few of the relevant factors that I have seen:
1. How frequently do students come to that particular unit?
2. What is the student to staff nurse ratio?
3. How prepared are the students for their clinical assignments?
4. Does the faculty member regularly embarrass the staff by criticizing their care?
5. Does the faculty member report every break in policy/procedure that she finds to the unit management?
6. Do the students arrive on the unit at the appropriate time?
A few examples: (And by the way, my hospital hosts the pediatric rotations for over 400 nursing students per year from 8 different nursing schools. For some units, they have students almost every week day and some Saturdays.)
1. We ask schools to have their students there on time for report so the nurses don't have to give a special report to the students immediately after the regular morning report. We have a couple of instructors who like to meet with their students before clinical -- causing them to be late for report or to miss it entirely. We have asked them not to do this, but they continue to do so. Who can blame the staff for being a little irritated by this? When the nurse receives report, she doesn't know if the students are simply late ... or if clinical was cancelled ... or the student calendar is wrong ... etc. Then, after report is over, the students arrive and want the nurses to repeat the report.
2. We have some instructors who regularly criticize and embarrass our staff in front of the students. They also report any discrepancies in practice they see to the unit manager or educator. Can you blame the staff for trying to avoid that instructor and her students?
3. We have a couple of instructors who make their assignments the night before clinical -- or at least far enough in advance that the students have an opportunity to read up on a few things ahead of time. That's great! But we have some instructors who don't make assignments until 10 minutes before the students arrive on the unit. Those poor students are clueless as to what their patients' diagnoses are, and know little more about the assessment and care that they need. While we feel sorry for those students, the staff really doesn't have time to be the substitute for a textbook at that moment.
4. Some of our schools assign their students to the same units several times, giving the students a chance to get oriented to the place. Other school put the students on a different unit each week -- never allowing the students to get oriented. This makes it more difficult for both the students and the staff.
I didn't mean for this response to become a rant against schools ... and certainly not against students. Many of the students are delightful as are some of the instructors. However, sometimes there are factors beyond the control of the staff nurse (and the student and the instructor) that are causing the situation to be stressful and a burden. These factors need to be acknowledged. It's not just whether the nurse is nice or not.
Hi, I'm new to this forum, actually this is my 1st post.
Sorry this is so long, it didn't start out that way!
I have had many good experiences in my clinical and some bad. I have only had one nurse act like she didn't want me around so I left her alone. The following week she was very nice and helpful. Perhaps she had just had a bad day the prior week. It happens! We don't know what is going on in their personal lives before they came to work that day.
Another who was very technically proficient but had a very bad attitude about nursing (nurse burn out) She was willing to teach me what she could in her busy schedule. She was nice to me but rude to patients. That was a bit confusing! I had learned the following week one patient had asked to not be assigned her again but they were happy to see me. The family even pulled me aside a couple of times to be sure I knew that they were not upset with me. Perhaps because I had gone back several times to check on them to be sure they and their families were okay.
One of my 1st clinical experience the patient was delirious and very, very combative. Eventually it became necessary to put him in restraints. At that time 5 RN's rushed into the room to physically hold him on the
Bed. They never said anything but I think they were impressed that I was the only one able to calm the patient and make them understand that we were there to help him and distract him while the secured the restraints. I think my prior take charge type career/attitude kicked in.
I have found that most nurses don't mind questions or being shadowed and some even enjoy it and will seek out the student to show them new procedures and illnesses etc. if they know the student wants to learn. I have RN's seek me out when I go to clinicals now and request that I be on their floor I think because they know I am there to learn and not to judge, I am willing to do what ever they need me to do, even the unpleasant chores. This also frees them up to do more teaching of technical skills.
I may ask procedure or equipment type questions in front of a patient (i.e.: how does this work) but NEVER a nursing procedure question in front of the patient. (i.e. Why did you do such and such) I think the RN's appreciate that respect as to not being questioned in front of patients. It instills confidence in the RN for the student that we are there to learn and not hinder the RN and does not embarrass them in front of the patient if they are not good at explaining things.
All of us are not good at explaining things and should not be put on the spot in front of a patient or even another RN.
Basically, It is been my experience that if the student comes there with a GREAT ATTITUDE they will get GREAT TREATMENT from the staff.
If the student seems unsure of themselves the staff is less helpful.
Students must remember that we are working on THEIR LICENSE. Our mistakes are their mistakes and they have worked hard to get to where they are so it should be understandable why some are a bit gun shy of students and that's OKAY. Its their right.
If you are unsure of what you are doing tell the RN up front, most will appreciate your honesty and will talk you through it before entering the room and are very patient with you during the procedure.
Bottom line is it has been my experience that if I come in with a great attitude, a smile, and great the RN and show respect and space if needed then that same then they will treat us the same. Maybe not at 1st but eventually when they come to trust you. This works on the patients too.
One other observation that I and my significant other (20 year nurse) have observed is that the Male nursing students seem to get more respect ,attention , and better treatment than the Female students from both the Male and Female RN's. Personally I think this is due to the 1.) natural male/female companionship drive in all of us and in the Male/Male relationship it is more a kindred spirit thing going on.
I see it just like the cycle of abuse. When you've been abused you have two options: 1) pass on the abuse to the next generation or 2) stop the cycle and make a conscious effort to not treat others the way you've been treated.
We were ALL abused at some point during nursing school. I remember being treated like crap by so many nurses and promising myself that when I was in that position I would do everything I could to make students feel comfortable. When I get a student I let them know it's ok not to know everything and not to be afraid to ask any questions. That's how we learn!
The best way to handle difficult nurses is to understand it's them, not you. Many people are miserable in their private lives and carry that attitude over to work. Unfortunately, students are often on the receiving end of their misery. :angryfire
Keep your head up!
Totally agree w/ that.. ther was a tym when i was doing my student placement in a surgical floor, and this particular old charge nurse wld make use of negative reinforcement.. She'd lemme do things and after that, picked up on my errors and errs to reiterate in my confused brain to do 'em correctly.. She made me feel like im a complete dork all the tym and i dreaded her. To make things worse, she wld even tell the other nurses of my blunders w/ or w/o me around.. Lost my confidence more than halfway thru when this remarkable article on a magazine abt knowing thyself, loving thyself.. from ther i gained a new perspective, and took her as a challenge.. I studied harded and the nyt before my shift i wld visit the floor, ask permission and check for the cases currently admitted..noted their medications and its significance, usage, etc.. w/ that m ready to face her the ff day..
m glad ther wer staffs who noted that i was perplexed by that (witch)RN and told me that she's just stressed w/ her own lyf!! family falling apart, etc, etc..
So you see students, unhappy people tend to displace or project their frustrations towards vulnerable beings -- in this case, the students. They cld be having a miserable lyf and they r jus draggin u into theirs as well... Pathetics.. Hmp..:angryfire
I remember as a student going to one facility where one unit was dreaded. Years later its still the same. Students were seen as extra pairs of free working hands. And I do mean we worked hard. Put a lot of people off LTC.
Active treatment was much better, fewer NA's. Working alongside a good NA is a wonderful experience and you can learn patient care rapidly.
Now as a working LPN it was great to have a student that wanted to learn. We got assigned student rn's and lpns's to work along side of us. The hardest to preceptor were young NA's. I've been verbally abused by one, who after reporting the incidents to her instructor still passed the course. "She's far from home and this is her first time in a big city" Duh, I was up all night with a dying dog, but still went to work and gave that girl the best I had. Or the student rn who will say to the LPN, "I should be with an RN there is nothing to learn from an LPN". -- I think they should be educating each level of nursing as to what the role in the healthcare system is of all the careproviders. I've had an RN who graduated in the mid 70's tell me that today's LPN has more skills than she had when she graduated as an RN.
Also, instructors need to be up to date on their skills. I've seen one who gave a diabetic two syringes of insulin at the same time, because she couldn't remember which was drawn up first, clear or cloudy? We had a poster on the med room wall with that info on it!! Or the one who tried to remove a Penrose drain by tugging on it. Forgot about the safety pin.
There are good students and good nurses out there. I don't try to eat any young meat. These are the men and women who will be looking after my generation in a few years.
When I have students around and im just so busy, i feel very guilty fot not being able to share or impart anything to them wc they cld take home w/ them as the shift ends..
As much as possible, even if Im not assigned to tag along the student w/, I make sure the stude will be given a chance to observe or assist bedside procedures w/ supervision.. I wanted to make it a point that if the tym comes the student has left and we meet again, I will be remembered as somebody who tried to be helpful w/ his learning experience and not somebody as b#*chy as my nightmareRN in the past.. Tym flies so fast, we'll never know.. one of these students myt be looking after me when its my turn to be confined on that right middle bed beside the confused lady who keeps on accuusing me of stealing her dentures ... So to all unhappy nurses, dun make lyf too hard for the ones next in lyn..
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I think most students are amazing...and really I learn from many of them. They are very observant (seeing somethings I have missed) and helpful. I have had a handful of "lumps" who hide out in our breakroom, doing nothing useful and being more of a hindrance than help. I wonder what kind of nurses they will make, if the indeed graduate and hope none come to work with me. They are the rare exception.
I remember my student days well, and really try to treat them how I would want to be treated-----and avoid being treated horribly like I was by some RN's. It's the ole Golden Rule, like anything else, that applies here.
Tweety, BSN, RN
36,470 Posts
I hope the nurse preceptors working with the individuals students are nice and welcoming to them. The rest of the staff has their own agenda. There's a culture you're walking into and you are strangers. Newcomers to a unit take time to fit in and feel welcome and you are there for a few days a week to learn and then you move on. Just make the most of your time there sucking up all the knowlege you can.
If you feel a sense of entilement about having the welcome matt rolled out in front of you forget it. :)
Usually when students are upset that nurses are mean and unwelcoming it's usually only a couple of nurses, or the CNAs that make them feel that way. While the overwhelming majority of the staff is o.k. or neutral about them being there.