Nursing Students Online Shop During Class, Sparking Debate

A recent viral TikTok that revealed nursing students planning vacations and shopping for engagement rings during class is giving future patients great cause for concern.

The students in the clip are also shown online shopping, playing games such as Stardew Valley, and watching shows on streaming services.

“Y’all better start working out and eating healthy,” TikTok user Daphne (@daphnemorejon) writes on the overlay text. “These are nursing students during lecture.” In the caption, she jokes, “for legal purposes…this was taken during break.”

@daphnemorejon for legal purposes… this was taken during break 👩🏻‍⚕️ #studentnursesoftiktok #studentnursetok #nursingstudent #nursingtok #nursinglife #nursingmajor #studentnurse #nursingschool #nursesoftiktok #nursinghumor ♬ original sound – Beth Anne Brice

However, many users in the comments justified the nursing students’ actions.

“Cause the professor reading the same damn words on that PPT,” one revealed. “Shoot, I can do that at home.”

“Tbh I have always taught myself since they read straight from the slides, even in NP school now I don’t pay attention bc they read straight from the slide,” another agreed.

Those in the comments agreed that real learning takes place in the workplace.

“Soo true but that’s because the real learning was in clinical!!!” a viewer commented. “We could all read the slides on our own time.”

“Dw guys u learn more on the job with a preceptor who hates ur guts,” one added.

And one commenter said jobs often keep necessary information on hand for reference.

“I work at a dentist and even our head doctor keeps a binder full of notes and what to do for more complex procedures,” the viewer wrote. “No one’s remembering ts.”

Many claim they turn to informative TikToks for their nursing education, such as Nurse Sarah (@registerednursern.com) who teaches nursing skills in her videos.

“My professors were the worst,” one affirmed. “I would just go home and watch Sarah RN after.”

“Listen my girl RegisteredNurseRN be teaching me more than any lecture,” another agreed.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing expects nursing shortages to intensify as the American population ages. And TikTok may have a greater hand in educating those future nurses if universities don’t step up their teaching strategies.

The Daily Dot reached out to Daphne via TikTok comment.