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 had an interesting rotation last year, working with a nurse, a rad tech, and an MD. At one point, the rad tech chewed me out pretty good (not entirely undeserved, but it's hard to show a lot of initiative when you don't know what to do or even where anything is). Then we had a lull and I went to the restroom. After I returned, the rad tech was almost too polite, and the nurse had this wry little smile. Hmm.
I've been lucky. The nurses I've worked with in clinicals have been great. Many seem like they might enjoy being instructors themselves. There is a certain satisfaction to be had, showing off your expertise, and I have worked around nurses enough to know when they're too busy to bother. Usually.
I had one nurse set me up in first semester by handing me some applesauce to feed the patient, never knowing the nurse had crushed the patients meds. She went to get my instructor who witnessed me administering apple sauce (laced with the patient's meds) and I was given my first strike as we were not yet able to administer meds. Very dirty trick.
Wow. That's just sooooooooooo nasty.
I haven't had any students yet (still a new grad) but I do look forward to it! I hope I won't be like some of the nightmares described here.
I think the only circumstance under which I might get short is if my pt is crashing ( I work SICU, this can happen pretty quickly), and even then I would say something like please excuse we'll discuss ------ later, my pt is not doing very well.
It was a staff nurse that I, as a student RN had been "buddied up with" who crushed the patients' meds into some applesauce and instructed me to "feed the patient". I didn't see the meds but this staffer then went to get my instructor, who witnessed me feeding the patient and wrote me up for administering meds. It was first semester in med/surg and my first strike. Yes it was a dirty trick by the staff nurse who really was the most disgruntled person I had met in a long time. I wonder if she is still at this facility?
Did you ever find out WHY this nurse did that to you?
It adds to the stress to have a nursing student watching you because you feel pressure to not make one little bobble or sure enough it will be spread all around how "nurse so and so" didn't check the patient's armband or wash her hands before leaving a patient's room. One thing you will learn is that real world nursing isn't the same as textbook nursing. Even though we all had to be student nurses once right or wrong I know a lot of nurses feel this way about students.
I hope you wash your hands when you leave the patients room, and when you enter, and between patients in the same room. I also hope you check each and every name band before giving meds, and doing procedures. There are just some things that should never be looked over.
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?
Thanks for any thoughts or advice.
Avery
There is a lot of inmature nurses out there, and they are vary rude, as they are unhappy. Stich only with good ones. I loved working with students, they are the future of the nursing profession. I was idealistic as a student as well, and yes I have learned to feel different about nursing over the years. I loved it, than I hated it, and left it. I'm going to return to nursing, and finish my MSN. Always hold your head high, nursing is something to be proud of .
This coming semester I will be starting clinicals. I usually read all of the postings but have never replied or put up a posting regarding my feelings on certain subjects. This particular subject about how nurses treat student nurses has got me thinking about a few things. From what I can tell whether you are in an LPN or RN program we all basically learn the same things. The RN programs require a few more classes, but not that many more, and they are also required to do more clinical hours. In the end though, aren't we all becoming nurses for the same general reasons? I find it particularly appalling that some nurses, once being students themselves, have utter disrespect for nursing students. It makes me wonder if these same nurses treat their patients the same way they treat the nursing students.
I do applaud all of the nurses out there who do their best to teach and help the students. These students are the next generation and they could use your wisdom and talent. I pray every day to have patience with the nurses who choose to ignore the students or act like they are dirt under their shoe. Eventually those nurses will have to answer to SOMEONE about their actions in life.
Whenever I am fortunate to work with students, either LVN or RN, I always make it a point to COLLABORATE with them when providing care to the patient. I incorporate some humor, a bit of hand holding and a hug, (I had a student take the death of her patient very hard and she required a bit of sensitivity but was able to express her feelings to the family at the bedside, we all wept shamelessly) and I am notorious for writing each and every student up for some aspect of the care that they provided to the patient, the family or being a team player. I hand write it, make 2 copies, one for the student and one for the instructor and always focus on the positive. In case you can't tell, I have had some very distressing experiences in nursing school. I had one nurse set me up in first semester by handing me some applesauce to feed the patient, never knowing the nurse had crushed the patients meds. She went to get my instructor who witnessed me administering apple sauce (laced with the patient's meds) and I was given my first strike as we were not yet able to administer meds. Very dirty trick. I believe I am a better nurse because I had role models that were happy with the job, enjoyed people and had a sense of compassion and humor. They may not have been rocket scientists but they were heroes to me, and if I can leave the same impression on a student and they leave at the end of the day seeing me doing my job and loving it, then I serve them, the patient, my profession and myself. AMEN!
Too bad your'e not in Indiana.... There must be someone like you here somewhere..............
You'll run into a few different breeds of nurses, besides nursing is infamous for "eating their young" but just remember when you are finished to never treat students like that. I think students are fantastic for any unit, they add to the skill level, they are truly happy to be there (unless the staff are a bunch of old cranks) and as an RN I get the opportunity to both share and gain knowledge. Besides they say you learn 90% of what you teach others! So hopefully the majority of the nurses you run into will want to act more as a mentor or educator instead of a cow. Best of luck to ya in your program!
Specializes in primary care, pediatrics, OB/GYN, NICU.
I like having students.and I truly believe the best way to learn is by doing...however the only students that have bugged me are the ones that act like they "know it all", have an attitude that "this is stupid" or keep interrupting while I'm trying to answer their previous question. I also prefer that students have done their reading. If a student has an excessive number of questions, I often ask them to write them down - especially if they are things he/she should have already researched or looked up ("what's hemoglobin again?") We have patients to take care of too! I am happy to work with students who are eager and prepared and willing to learn. Hope this helps and best of luck to all of you in your training
nursemike, ASN, RN
1 Article; 2,362 Posts
I had an interesting rotation last year, working with a nurse, a rad tech, and an MD. At one point, the rad tech chewed me out pretty good (not entirely undeserved, but it's hard to show a lot of initiative when you don't know what to do or even where anything is). Then we had a lull and I went to the restroom. After I returned, the rad tech was almost too polite, and the nurse had this wry little smile. Hmm.
I've been lucky. The nurses I've worked with in clinicals have been great. Many seem like they might enjoy being instructors themselves. There is a certain satisfaction to be had, showing off your expertise, and I have worked around nurses enough to know when they're too busy to bother. Usually.