Caring for the Religious
People are People
Are Nursing
Students Ready?
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Post Author: Dr. Ellis
- Should Nursing Students be asked or allowed to work during a pandemic?
- What are the liabilities when having Nursing Students work during a crisis?
- Nursing students, is it worth the money?
- Nursing students, is it worth the risks?
12 thoughts on “Are Nursing Students Ready?”
I think Nursing Students can be allowed to work during Pandemic. It is a very good experience for them to see how to relate when they are out working on their own. The important thing is to make sure they are protected at all times. But the experience itself is a great thing. Also by participating in a Pandemic situation, they will then go home with lots of questions waiting to be answered for their future.
Nursing students should be allowed to work during the pandemic as long as their protected and have enough PPE
Thanks for your response Pam. One of the areas Nurses are great at is improvising. Have you seen the garbage bag usage during this crisis? Baptism by fire works for some and certainly adequate PPE is imperative.
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Jackie, thank you for your response. As an experienced Director of Staff Development, my concerns would be the proper orientation which includes hands on, over time. There is also the mental and emotional component that comes with experience, again over time.
In a situation such as this, there is little time to prepare. Some will take it by the reigns and excel, while others need more nurturing.
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Yes, I believe nursing students should be allowed to work during a pandemic. Students add value to organizations. This is an opportunity for students to gain experience, build confidence and help them transition into the workforce. In addition, this is an opportunity for employers to recruit new nurse.
Thanks Phyllis for responding. Organizations who invest in Nursing students as interns are smart. Grooming them can lead to a loyal and long term relationship. As a Nurse Leader, what are your thoughts on how much training might be offered to a Nursing student?
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I think nursing students should be used throughout the year . There are per diem positions that are vacant that would be ideal for nursing students. Per diem would provide flexibility and a student could earn income to support his or her education. For example, I could use a student to assist me. In turn, the student would see nursing from an administrative point of view. I dont believe nursing students receive direct hands on leadership training. I had a nursing student who spent a few hour and that was the extent of his training. There are other areas in nursing where students can gain experience . Students could work in staff development working as a lab tech. Guidance and training would be beneficial.
Thanks for your comment Phyllis. I wholeheartedly agree. Nursing students can have a great learning experience, in the trenches, all the while being an asset to the organization, the interdisciplinary team, patients and families. I have taught Nursing Leadership Clinicals for several years. I do my best to bring a different approach so that the students leave with some real leadership skills. I put them in the role of charge with some guidelines and watch them work! At the end of this past semester, I had them do peer reviews. Although we were online, you could feel and see the hesitancy. It was a great task for them. I like all of the ideas you mentioned where Nursing students could benefit. Perhaps you and your CNO can develop such a program. I’ll be watching you!
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I believe nursing students should be allowed to work during the pandemic to gain valuable work experience. However, I do agree with Pamela White, regarding nursing students having to wear required PPE. Though, I believe a nursing student can be a carrier of the virus and not show any symptoms, so I am not certain how effective PPE will be in this instances.
This pandemic is creating a challenge for both patients and nursing students. Patients are in need of medical assistance and some home health agencies are closed due to the pandemic. Nursing schools are teaching students remotely thus providing minimal hands on experience for nursing students. To ensure patients continue to get care, I believe nursing students should be allowed to work.
Thanks for your response Gina. There is valuable information for students to learn during this pandemic. My only concern would be proper and maybe even extensive orientation. The questions is whether or not the staff development team has the time to do so.
You raise an important issue regarding home health agencies. Perhaps student nurses could help in the homes, again with adequate training.
As an adjunct Professor, Nursing students have shared some challenges with remote learning. The clinical experience certainly requires faculty to be creative. Presenting discussion topics, case studies, and articles are just a few tools used to offer students the opportunity to think critically. Connecting virtually has proven to be quite the experience.
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I believe the risks working during the pandemic is high for patients, nursing students and professional nurses. Besides wearing gloves, washing hands and masks, are there additional measures people can take to protect themselves?
Gina, thank you for your response. You are correct, everyone is at risk. The additional measures recommended by the CDC is of course social distancing. This is not realistic in the clinical setting. I believe one of the most important areas is not just the physical protections, it’s the psychological, spiritual, and emotional impact our frontline heroes are encountering. The inability to have real rest and relaxation when they are off from work, is unsettling. Their unwavering support for one another keeps them engaging in the day to day, even when they are off. I’ve seen this with one of my peers. I believe an additional way to protect oneself is to keep connected with supportive measures such as faith, family, and friends.
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