I have to just sing the praises of my instructors (so far). I just had my first week of classes in a BSN program and every instructor has just been so supportive, student-friendly, patient and enthusiastic. I know I am lucky and I know things can change too but right now I am feeling so blessed that my program is rigorous AND supportive.

In pathophysiology today, I went down to introduce myself to the teacher (it's a big lecture hall and she was just sitting there during break; i like to introduce myself to make it a more human experience for us all). She immediately asked me if I was a RN because, "I have that look of knowledge." Well, no, I am not a RN but it was a huge compliment and made me feel that she is on our side, you know?

How are your teachers?

Okay, I know I am super positive right now but my anxieties are just as intense. What a rollercoaster ride!

Some I love...Some I don't...but no matter how much I love them I can't wait until I don't see them on a weekly basis! haha

I know exactly how you feel! I had a pretty rough first semester, but I am truly LOVING nursing two. My instructors are downright awesome. They are so smart and patient with us. I feel like it's ok that I'm a student, I don't have to be perfect like I felt in nursing one. In nursing one if you made a mistake you were written up and scolded. In nursing two if you make a mistake they gently correct you and they don't seem to hold any grudges about it. It's a liberating feeling knowing that you are allowed to be human and you're allowed to make mistakes.

I'm in awe of how competent, kind and supportive they are. I feel like I'm getting a very good education. If nursing one was like nursing two is, I think we'd have about 15 more people in our class right now.

You are very lucky having good instructors. I am in the nursing program and my teachers are horrible. They told us at orientation that they don't like any of us. They also brag about being such a b*tch. I couldn't believe my ears when I first heard them. I asked a question one time and one of them told me to just go look it up. Everytime we get up to do check offs I feel like crying because they intimidate you so bad. Everyone in my class thinks they are rude to. Its really made me reconsider on how long I can put up with this. If you do one little thing wrong they hold it against you for a while. I just feel like I am paying them good money for them to treat everyone like this. Any suggestions??

I love my clinical instructor. My program has a bunch of teachers doing 1 class and then they all take a few of us on clinicals. My clinical instructor is just wonderful. We had heard she was horrible and mean...so wrong. She is so friendly and smart. She's always questioning us beyond what we learned and she realizes we may not know the answer but she wants to help us think. I just adore her. I hope I can keep her ALL year long...I'm afraid they will make us switch up each semester. We are assigned to the instructors....so no picking.

I'm actually really enjoying most of my instructors. They're knowledgeable, seem to have things together, have no problems when you ask a ?, allow us to make comments about something we are learning/seen in healthcare/etc. Doing demos is actually better so far. I haven't had ANY of our lecture/clinical instructors for demos and the two I've had actually seem nicer! If you happen to be in the lab practicing something and someone doesn't show up for their time, and the person after them isn't there, they'll ask people in the room if anyone wants to do anything...kind of nice.

However, the only issue I'm having is with my clinical instructor. She contradicts everything the other two say, shows up late, was late today for our clinical practice(my best friend called on cell, daughters getting engaged, blah blah blah...and you're late because??). Then she will not accept anything but the way "she" does things, without explanation. I wore dress slip-on shoes today and apparently they looked a little too athletic for her. I had to drive home and back to school after test (15 mins each way) to change into dress shoes. Told me to double-check my handbook, but "it's ok, it's just the first week." Am not looking forward to research, because apparently she has her "spies" that tell her who shows up without proper clothes on. It's going to be a long clinical this semester. I'm just hoping that it goes fast, gets easier, and I impress her best I can. Ok, rant over...

To mjb: There's not much you CAN do, except perhaps realize that they are probably TRYING to drive you out. Test you to see if you can take it, etc. Just remember that eveyone was a student once, even them. Don't let them shake you when you know the skill, no one can diminish what YOU think of YOURSELF....

All of my teachers are amazing too!!! I can't get over how much they LOVE us!!! I almost dropped out 3 wks into the program & all of them contacted me & were so supportive & understanding. I thought they were going to think I was an idiot for missing a few classes & then changing my mind to come back. butcha know what, they were THRILLED I was coming back. I honestly want to grow up to be just like my prof. nursing instructor. It just makes my day when she gives me a hug out of nowhere. Whenever one of my friends or I get a hug from her we kinda brag to each other about it! That's how much we all love her.:wink2:

You are very lucky having good instructors. I am in the nursing program and my teachers are horrible. They told us at orientation that they don't like any of us. They also brag about being such a b*tch. I couldn't believe my ears when I first heard them. I asked a question one time and one of them told me to just go look it up. Everytime we get up to do check offs I feel like crying because they intimidate you so bad. Everyone in my class thinks they are rude to. Its really made me reconsider on how long I can put up with this. If you do one little thing wrong they hold it against you for a while. I just feel like I am paying them good money for them to treat everyone like this. Any suggestions??

i am so sorry that your instructors are so difficult! i am pretty shocked at their behavior and i guess what i would do is

1) seek some guidance from a counselor on how to deal with the stress

2) try to focus on the lesson that they are examples of what NOT to be like

3) not let them take your power from you! this is your program, your experience and will be your success. don't let them take that from you.

good luck to you and all!

i also have had the "good and the bad" i really tried to make the best of it with the ones that weren't so supportive. it was definitely frustrating, but we learn from everyone and some of what i learned from them are things i would never subject a patient to.

the good ones however, i am forever thankful for!

MJB26 -- sounds like that "gotta break you and then build you up" bull. Just know your stuff, do well on tests and in clinical and study, study, study. You will eventually earn their respect. Never let them see you upset or ruffled. That's what they are looking for -- weeding out those who aren't going to make it. I'm 41 yo and my classmates say nothing upsets me. While that is not true, I just don't let it show at school or clinicals. Confidence is the key. I don't know everything and never will but what I do know, I know well. Good luck to you!

I like some better than others, but I am getting a great learning experience. I just had my post clinical conference and my instructor was so supportive. It's nice when they ask your opinion as to how they could improve our learning experience. My opinion DOES matter!

I'm at an understaffed community college and I have two instructors who are amazing. They're overworked and probably underpaid, yet they really go out of their way to help us learn by taking into account our individual strengths and weaknesses. Then there's another instructor who's mediocre, but I love her just the same. I think she's a bit overwhelmed by the strong personalities in our class.