From a nursing student to nurses...

22 [FONT=comic sans ms]THANK YOU!!!
I'm in my third semester (psych/OB/Peds) and have been assigned to a lot of different nurses by this point. I have been guided, mentored and encouraged by some wonderful nurses and pcts. Even nurses I meet outside of clinical love to quiz me, encourage me and give me advice.

I appreciate the chances to practice my skills and observe when something is over my head. When I'm on a floor and the nurse seems overwhelmed, I tell her that I want to make her day easier. I am one of those who jump in for transfers, hygiene, and distracting the confused patient.

Nurses eating their own? I don't think so. I understand it's tough in this job market, but I think this career is worth it.
No, thank you. Remember this enthusiasm when you are working and you have days from hell. We really are all in this together.

Ive have had a good and bad experience. During nursing school the teachers disliked me and I almost got into a lawsuit based on discrimination. I have been a LVN for two years now and I am nice to every person.

Ive had the worse to the best instructors. I dont mind strict instrcutors if theyre fair and dont just go pointing out everything you do wrong. Ive had awesome instructors too who just want to help you and instructors whove made my life hell. Today was my first day as an instructor. I tried my best to be kind and fair and help out when needed and to teach everything to know and not be B/ch because ive got authority.

Loved your post and your enthusiasm....we need more of that in this field. I wish all of my students were like you....

I hang around AN a lot. I just noticed that a lot of students complain about their experiences. It's really not that bad (for most of us). I've been lucky to have my lecture instructors as clinical instructors. I must say, it must be stressful to have 10 newbies running around the floor, doing who knows what? I know us students are in your "house" so to speak, it can't be the easiest thing to clean up after us.

Your attitude is refreshing. It can also be contagious......so I hope your classmates, as well as other students here, will catch it too!Beautiful post. Thank you. :heartbeat

I love students! I remember not having the greatest clinical experiences but I knew that every single nurse could teach me something. Sometimes they taught me how I didn't want to be when I became an RN. Because of that, I try to make sure to treat students with respect and make sure I try to show or teach them at least one thing while with me (same goes for new staff, new grads, etc) and include them in the patient care. So fun to be the one to share with a student a new lung or heart sound. I imagine you are a great student for RN's and classmates to work with. Someday you will be a great colleague to work with.

attitude is everything. You go girl!

thank you on behalf of all fellow nurses, i just have one thing to ask once you become a nurse yourself, pay it foward , to the new nursing students that you will encounter in the future... as i wish you the best of luck always...aloha~

Great post! I had excellent nurses as my mentors while in nursing school and amazing instructors who still work as staff nurses. Like many have said remember how you felt as a student nurse when you become a nurse yourself. I am taking my experiences as a student nurse and making sure to do my best to be one of the best mentor I can be while on the floor. Everyone has been a student nurse some just choose to forget, but do not become discourage- every experience teaches you something you just have to look at the bigger picture and see the lesson.

I also had the same experiences in school, some people habitually whined. One even sent an anonymous letter to the director of the program stating she couldn't wait to leave the program.Its tough, plan and simple and as a student when you meet a good nurse during clinical, enjoy the blessing.

I always make sure to thank the nurses, CNAs/PCTs, and patients at the end of every clinical day. Every now and then you'll come across a nurse who doesn't particularly care to be precepting, but by and large my experience has been that they'll make a point to show you something, let you do things, and the nurses and CNAs appreciate that extra body to take vitals, answer call lights, do morning care, etc. This week the CNA thanked me right back when I thanked her, because my being there reduced her load and allowed everyone to have more quality time with the patients.And I do stop in and say goodbye to my patients and thank them for letting me work with them that day. They have a right to refuse care by a student, and I appreciate them being willing to give me a chance to care for them.One thing that my clinical instructor does, which I think should be standard practice in every learning facility, is to only assign students to RNs who don't mind having students around. Certain people, either due to past experiences, personality quirks, or whatever, just aren't good preceptor material -- intentionally NOT assigning students to those nurses makes for a more effective and enjoyable experience for all involved.