They say nurses eat their young. I never understood that. Sure it takes a while longer to give a med, hang blood, insert an NG, basically explain every move you make, but if you don’t take the time to teach them now, who ever will? Why wouldn’t you want to share what you know? Aren’t you proud of your profession? Aren’t you excited to have some help?

These students are your co-workers and your future care givers. Don’t you want them to be the best they can be? I want to know that the person I’m working with knows their stuff. What better way to be sure of that, than to have taught them yourself.

Sure, there are all kinds of residencies now for new grads, but a missed opportunity to do a procedure or treatment, teach discharge instructions, or participate in any way, is lost experience and experience is where we draw critical thinking from. The more we have seen, done or experienced the more capable we are to critically think through a situation.

We are fortunate at my hospital to have 5 RN nursing students in our perianesthesia areas that will be graduating in June. This is their last student opportunity before they join the real world of nursing. They are a hard working, fabulous group of young men and women, so eager and dedicated, working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for the last 2 months of their schooling. Wanting to do it all, so excited when they got the IV in the first time. Remember that?

Next time you work with a nursing student don’t “gobble them up”, take them under your wing, nurture them, protect them, teach them. You’ll find renewed passion in your work, just by sharing what you know.