Ready to Quit

I have recently started a new clinical placement and I can safely say that I am not enjoying it one bit. I have spent every shift following my mentor around like a puppy dog, which seems to be here style of teaching. I have also been shouted at every day for the most trivial of things. The majority of the staff on the ward are great and have made me feel welcome but out of two final year student nurses, me being one of them, I got the short straw. My male colleague got THE best mentor ever and I got the rat shite. It sucks.

On my first day I upset the ward sister. Not because I harmed a patient or misbehaved but because I spoke to a Dr. Yes, I spoke to a Dr. My patient returned to the ward after having major abdominal surgery, his blood pressure dropped and he became restless and clammy. I informed the outreach nurses and called the on call Dr. To cut a long story short, the Dr approached me to give me some instructions regarding the patients care, so that I could pass it on to my mentor. When the Dr left and I turned around there she was right behind me, arms folded.

'Why were you talking to the Dr?'

'He was giving me some instructions about Mr Smith for the next few hours'

'But your not the registered nurse'

'but...'

'my office on Friday please'

....and that was that. I had the meeting where I was verbally kicked in the ribs for being an 'insolent' student who disobeyed orders. Hardly fair eh?

I have four more weeks left on this ward, lets hope I survive it.