Student Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities while Precepting

• Student nurses are accountable for their own actions and must be aware of their own limitations. Student nurses are expected to seek assistance as necessary in any situation. The expectations and responsibilities of the nursing student include:

 

• Submitting weekly goals based on preceptor evaluation. 

 

• Writing goals for each clinical; based upon accomplishments, strengths, and weaknesses from the previous clinical experience.

 

• Completing all paperwork in a timely manner and submitting paperwork to the clinical instructor by the mutually agreed upon submission time.

 

• Submitting self-evaluation of clinical experiences, indicating strengths, weaknesses, and goals for each clinical, how goal was or was not met, and establishing new goals for the next clinical.  (Goals should be objective and measurable. Goals stated as “I will give good patient care in a timely manner” is not an objective and measurable goal.  A good example is “I will pass all AM medications within the time limit as ordered by the physician”. Together, the student and RN can evaluate the care demonstrated to see if the goal was reached).

 

• Working assigned clinical hours in designated specialty care or medical-surgical unit.

 

• Participating in procedures routinely performed by RN’s in the course of patient care with supervision, unless otherwise instructed by the RN preceptor and/or instructor(s).

 

• Performing complete assessments on all assigned patients per routine and as necessary.

 

• Observing and assisting with admissions, transfers, and discharges of patients assigned to the unit.

 

• Observing and participating in the care of acutely ill, chronically ill, and status-post patients, reporting any condition changes to the appropriate persons.

 

• Administer oral, subcutaneous, and intramuscular medicating on assigned patients with RN preceptor supervision. Students must know action, effects, and nursing responsibilities of the medication prior to administration; as well as following the 6 Rights of Medication Administration.

 

• Administering and maintaining IV medications and drips on assigned patients with RN preceptor observation. Students must know action, effects, and nursing responsibilities of the medication prior to administration; as well as the following the 6 Rights of Medication Administration.

 

• Monitoring all test results on assigned patients and report to appropriate persons as indicated.

 

• Documenting all nursing interventions and observations on appropriate documentation system in a time appropriate manner.

 

• Assisting physicians and other health team members as indicated.

 

 

• Assisting with the development, review, and evaluation of the Interdisciplinary Plan of Care of each assigned patient daily.

 

• Implementing patient and family teaching daily on all assigned patients.

 

• Utilizing therapeutic communication to provide support to patients and families.

 

• Observing and assisting in the care of the grieving patient/family with the death/dying process as indicated.

 

• Observe, trial, and analyze various leadership styles, including delegation to various levels of the health care team.

 

• Developing beginning leadership styles that increase the student’s organization, time management, critical thinking and decision making in the care of a group of patients.

 

• Assisting with any other care designated by the RN preceptor within the scope and practice of the clinical facility.

 

• Demonstrate professional behavior, maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality.

 

• Evaluate own strengths and weaknesses realistically and seek own learning experiences.