jump to navigation

Tsk! February 27, 2010

Posted by futurenightnurse in Clinical, Just a Nursing Student.
Tags: , , ,
4 comments

84

Dear annoyed family member(s):

I know you are concerned about your loved one, but it’s not going to benefit anyone to grill the nursing student. I do not write orders for meds or procedures or tests. I do not control the ET tube or vent, except to maybe suction when necessary (or during assessments). I do not titrate the meds to sedate, relieve pain, maintain the blood pressure or rate heart of your loved one. The doctors are out in the hall, the RT is across the hall and the nurse is in the next room. Let me get one of them for you, take your pick.

Yes, there’s a bunch of stuff I can do, but it’s often under the supervision of a licensed R.N. I certainly cannot and should not give you any medical-related information relating to the condition of your critically-ill loved one.

So please, please, please… when the student nurses tells you, “I’m sorry I cannot answer those questions, you may ask the RN when she comes back.” Don’t look down your nose at me in disgust and suck your teeth to say, “You’re just a student,” as if student were a dirty word. Because, yes, I am a student. Just like I first told you when I introduced myself… and there are things my facility will not let me do, like talk about your loved one’s medical condition, so please stop asking.

Sincerely,
Just a nursing student

Hmmmph! February 5, 2010

Posted by futurenightnurse in Clinical, Just a Nursing Student.
Tags: , ,
2 comments

Dear med student or intern or whatever the heck you are,

I did not know who was coding, just as you did not know who was coding. I only knew the room number, just as the whole hospital knew the room number after the code was called. I came to the damn room, just as you came to the damn room. So when you ask me who the patient is and I tell you the room number instead of the name, you don’t have any right to look at me sideways and snicker. If you didn’t know YOUR OWN PATIENT’S NAME, how the heck am I supposed to know when I’m working on the other side of the unit???

Signed,
Just a nursing student