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.