CMC 101

Humph. I just got home from my second-to-last day of this clinical rotation. I have one more day in ICU, and then it's on to psych. I'm looking forward to that, more because I can't wait to be done with ICU/CCU/ER and less because I'm looking forward to psych. But anyway...

So, in the type of rotation that has students scattered across different units, the clinical instructor plays a much smaller role and the nurses on the floor play a much larger role. It can work out exceedingly well; most nurses love to precept and they do a much better job (read: less stress) than the instructor does, a lot of times. However, you could always get THAT NURSE who can't be bothered with a student, who doesn't like people in general, or who was born on an iceberg and hasn't thawed out yet. I didn't really get a chance to assess what the heck was going on with my preceptor today, but I'd venture to guess all three apply.

I don't know about you, but when someone asks me a question, I answer them. If I don't know the answer, I'll say, "I don't know." I might even say, "Ask so-and-so, " if I know someone who does know the answer. If I am busy, I will say, "Hang on a sec," and if I think the person asking the question is a moron and should know the answer already, I will make eye contact with that person and maybe cock my head to the side, wait, or say something like, "Well, what do you think?"

Under no circumstances would I ever, ever walk away from someone who has spoken to me without at least acknowledging I had heard them, if nothing else. I find this particularly rude when a question has been asked; it's not as if it were possible that the situation didn't require a reply. I also find it particularly rude to answer someone as I am walking away from them. If I am in a hurry, I will say, "Walk with me, I've got to _____," but at least I will answer.

If you haven't figured it out yet, my preceptor today needed a lesson in communication skills. I can't imagine a behavior that is more demeaning than ignoring someone. She filled out my evaluation with mostly 3s on a scale of 1-5, three being average. She wrote at the bottom, "Decent job." I thought, This woman obviously thinks I am a shoddy nurse. But no! I was wrong! She apparently thought I did a wonderful job. She said "Good job today," as I was leaving, and she made a point to tell my clinical instructor that I had done well.

Huh?!

What the heck is going on here? You don't treat someone like that, regardless, but especially if you appreciate the work that they are doing, WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU MAKE THEM FEEL AS IF THEY WERE A BURDEN? She went so far as to ask me where I'd like to work after I graduate and lamented with my instructor that I was not interested in ICU. Again I say, Huh?!

I am told that this particular woman gives no praise, and "Decent job" was actually quite a compliment. I am also told that she does not 'tolerate fools,' and the fact that she left me feeling hung out to dry speaks volumes for the level of trust she must have had in my competency.

I don't know, I'd rather have a nurse in my business and watching my every move, at this point. I like the support.