Do You Let Students Buy You Stuff?

Sasha

Sasha

Forum Chief
Messages
7,667
Reaction score
11
Points
0
We were talking about this in the chat last night, so I figure I'd pose the question.

Preceptors. If a student offers to buy you lunch or a snack, do you let them? Do you feel they're trying to buy a grade and creates an obligation to give them a good review?

Students. Have you ever brought donughts/food to a clinical or tried to purchase something for your preceptor? Do you feel like you should get a better grade because of it?

Not gonna lie, when someone wants to buy me something it makes me happy. It is more money in my pocket (and to be honest some of my students make more than me!)

I also have partners who offer. Sometimes it's "No, but thank you so much for offering!" and sometimes I let them, but I usually return the favor next time we work together or later in the day.

I also was that student who stopped by DD on my way to the clinical in order to bribe my preceptors into good spirits.
 
When I did ride time at the firehouse, I always brought along some ice cream. If I was on an ambulance that only posted, I offered to buy my crew coffee, though I don't think any of them ever took me up on it.
 
A cup of coffee, yes, lunch? probably not. I have had doctors riding buy lunch, I'm more than happy to let them, but not students. Not saying your wrong if you do.
 
To be clear, sometimes I accept from students, sometimes I don't. It depends on a few things.
 
I do, it goes both ways. Sometime the student buys lunch, next time I do, then the next time maybe my partner will. I look at the student as another member of the crew. I've honestly never even thought of someone buying me lunch as a bribe.
 
I've bought my preceptor and partner lunch, and they've bought me lunch, it goes both ways. I know that my preceptor will grade me fairly no matter what, if I did something wrong, she'll let me know, if I did well, she might let me know :P

Sent from my mobile command center
 
Maybe at the end of a class, or for the whole class.

Done that as a student.
 
As a student: I've never offered to buy anything for the crew but I frequently bring food to the station. It's sort of more like a potluck though because we usually try to make dinner at the station if we're there. I've brought desserts and snacks for everybody just randomly though.

I have had preceptors pick up the bill on lunch or a bottle of water or something. It's not expected but it's always appreciated. It's a small company though so they're coworkers and friends. Though when I ride at other companies it's a much different situation, I don't bring anything and they don't buy anything.

As crew with student: I once had a student send me and my partner thank you cards after her ride time. I thought it was a really nice gesture and it showed she really put a lot of thought into her ride time.

None of this affects grades. We don't have a technical grading situation though. Paperwork is filled out and the preceptor can choose to leave comments on things done really well or poorly. I could bring a catered lunch and I'm pretty sure I'd still hear it if I screwed up on a call haha. That's just the way it is.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I never ever expect to get special treatment or good marks just because I bring food for everyone at the station. If I did bring anything, it was always out of appreciation of their willingness to endure my fumbles as a student.

Most of the time I brought my sack lunch with me.
I have had some stations invite me to there meal without a "fee", so I would return the favor by bringing root beer floats or something next time I was at the station on there shift.
I personaly dispise the act of buttering people up for better grades/reports. Do your absolute best on each call, pitch in with station chores, be repectful towards the crew, study hard, and strive to know your stuff, or get out of the game.
 
Brought cookies, brownies, etc most of the time I've rode with fire PD or EMS. I've never been on a ride along for a grade. I brought food because I know having a student or rider can be a pain in the butt and I appreciate the hospitality.

Sent from my telefono
 
As a student, I always offer to pay for lunch, and I really hope my preceptors take me up on it. It has nothing to do with any sort of grading benefit, I just like to show some appreciation for them allowing me to be in their way.
 
Chief Complaint said:
As a student, I always offer to pay for lunch, and I really hope my preceptors take me up on it. It has nothing to do with any sort of grading benefit, I just like to show some appreciation for them allowing me to be in their way.
Click to expand...

Thats how i saw it as a student and see it now.

I dont get paid extra for taking a student and its extra work. I cant sleep, read or run errands during post time with a student, and i have to work faster to have time to teach them because we dont get any extra time on the call. Theyre still up our butts if we take more than 30 minutes on scene even if im helping the student learn how to take bps or showing them something in the chart or telling them about something found in assesment.

I dont mind students but its nice to see our efforts are appreciated.
 
I would usually bring donuts in the morning.

I did my clinicals on a Special Hazards and Operations Team, and these guys were a pain in the *** about collecting money for dinner and who owes who.

I remember we went out and brought a grill for the station, and before the next morning, we had chained and padlocked the grill shut so that C shift could not use it until they had chipped in.

This station would offer you a cup of coffee and then ask you for a buck, every other fire house I had ever been in coffee was on the house.

Edit: I stopped bringing donuts to this firehouse after a few shifts, but at other houses I gladly bought donuts in the morning.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As a student, I always brought a snack for the crew as a thank you. One crew I rode with loved my cooking, so I always offered to cook. And since I cooked, they all chipped in to buy. I think it all depends on the traditions at the service.
 
Lifeguards For Life said:
I remember we went out and brought a grill for the station, and before the next morning, we had chained and padlocked the grill shut so that C shift could not use it until they had chipped in.
Click to expand...

At all the stations I went to, there was 2 or 3 fridges (usually 3) per station and there were a few stations that had bike locks on their fridges. Sad but true.

We were always told to bring our lunch and not expect anything, and that's what I did. My first clinical, we stopped at Publix and got subs, and I paid for my own. The station chief was kind enough to put them in the fridge for us when we got a call halfway through the sandwiches. Other stations, I just brought what I wanted to eat. One of the stations invited me to help myself to their cabinets, but I didn't feel comfortable and politely declined. I considered bringing in cookies for a bit (my FF/M neighbor suggested it and told me all his coworkers would love me) but it never ended up happening. Maybe once I start medic and am with these guys more than once or twice...
 
I definitely started this topic in chat the other night :P

Chief Complaint said:
As a student, I always offer to pay for lunch, and I really hope my preceptors take me up on it. It has nothing to do with any sort of grading benefit, I just like to show some appreciation for them allowing me to be in their way.
Click to expand...

This was where I was going with it, but I wont lie, I really hope they don't take me up on it ;)

They are letting me ride in THEIR ambulance and taking the time to teach ME.
Just a way of showing appreciation to the crew for their time and effort. Now, if the student is straight up awful and trying to bribe their preceptor into a better review then that is downright wrong.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
sirengirl said:
At all the stations I went to, there was 2 or 3 fridges (usually 3) per station and there were a few stations that had bike locks on their fridges. Sad but true.

We were always told to bring our lunch and not expect anything, and that's what I did. My first clinical, we stopped at Publix and got subs, and I paid for my own. The station chief was kind enough to put them in the fridge for us when we got a call halfway through the sandwiches. Other stations, I just brought what I wanted to eat. One of the stations invited me to help myself to their cabinets, but I didn't feel comfortable and politely declined. I considered bringing in cookies for a bit (my FF/M neighbor suggested it and told me all his coworkers would love me) but it never ended up happening. Maybe once I start medic and am with these guys more than once or twice...
Click to expand...

I understand locking the cabinets, and fridges, but I think chaining up the grill is a bit overkill.

I don't think it is necessarily stealing or wrong to borrow some ketchup or something from another shift's cabinet, with every intention of replacing it, but forget to do so.

I think in the a fore mentioned case, or if you realize an ingredient is missing, it is reasonable to borrow it. I also understand it not being fair to the other shifts if you forget to replace it, so I think locking storage units is fair game.

Almost every shift we ate as a crew, and we all paid whoever was cooking 5 bucks. I have been at other station where every meal is done individually, either cook it or go out and get it
 
I'm a gifter and always have been. If I volly with a crew lunch is always on me and i generally bring cookies/donuts Ect. I also always bought lunch for my preceptor. I don't expect to get anything special out of the gifting. In a way it makes me feel less guilty because I know it's a pain having a new guy along that you have to hold by the hand. There is also the fact that at least with some of the crews I ride with I know I'm making more money than they are and again it makes me feel less guilty about making them work harder to pick up my slack. I image some of the crews I red with probably thought I was brown nosing initially but now that they know me I think they see it for what it is. A tangible way of saying thanks for helping me.
 
We generally take turns buying coffees, but over here our clinical supervisor doesn't have a huge impact on our progression unless we really under perform. Mind you, we are students for 2.5 years though. I wouldnt specifcally buy food for anyone, and people at the station occasionally bring stuff into share
 
I'm so broke in class. PB&J and top ramen on my filed internship. The crew is making all kinds of good meals. They feel bad that I'm not joining in and they all allow me to eat with 'em. Last week was shrimp fajitas. I always feel like a freeloader. But happy to know they don't mind and understand.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top