Complaints against a school

pokey sn · Apr 23, 2003

That is awful!:uhoh21: I think that he has the right to know what everything is about. He should at least get a chance to defend himself. UNBELiEVABLE!! perhaps when everything is sorted out, he will be able to makeup the missed clinical. Or maybe he should just transfer and get a fresh start. Whatever you two decide, good luck.:kiss

BABNRS · Apr 23, 2003

Thanks Pokey!!!

He is definately going to a different program, but it would be nice if he could get through 2nd level since there are only 8 days left of the semester!! I just hate to see him have to repeat it!

susanmary · Apr 23, 2003

Your husband has a solid average for the lecture portion of his nursing degree. There must be a significant complaint/concern regarding his clinical performance -- and the professors may, in fact, need time to get the information straight. Why are you assuming that the teachers are "trying to fail him?" Perhaps they are trying to piece together what happened during the clinical. He needs to do the same. What exactly went wrong? He should have some kind of clue. Have there been other complaints, med errors, etc. -- perhaps there have been & he is unaware. There's a great deal of information you are leaving out. After the professors sort out the information/complaint, etc. -- they should meet with him to discuss the complaint (not necessarily who made it.) He needs to learn and grow as a student nurse from this situation. His clinical instructors need to ensure competent, safe care by their students. He needs information which will be forthcoming. Hiring an attorney may be a good idea -- especially if he caused some harm. You need to see both sides to the situation. I hope things work out for him. Good luck.

Sue:) :)

AmyLiz · Apr 23, 2003

Have you tried going to the Dean? Or maybe the Ombudsman's office? Just a thought. Might try those avenues before hiring a lawyer. ($$$)

BABNRS · Apr 23, 2003

He did go to the dean today and is following a chain of command with a written complaint. In the meantime, he is missing clinical!! He can recall no event from clinical that could elicit a complaint. His patients loved him, he did not pass meds or do a procedure - merely assessed the patient and charted. No harm came to a patient, I assure you! There is a history with a specific instructor at the beginning of this semester telling my hubby that she would be grading him harder because I (his wife) am a nurse and because he works at a hospital as a tech. The snowball/avalanche started when his 1 1/2 inch thick OB clinical packet was turned in. He was to turn it in on a Monday, but upon reviewing his packet, he realized that 2 pages were incomplete. Rather than turning it in late, he chose to miss lecture (the only 2 hours he has missed all semester) to complete the work and turn it in 1 day late and accept a 10% penalty on the grade. The next morning, Tuesday, he had clinical. I personally took the packet to his school and put it in the instructors door. A week later when he met with the instructor to go over his packet, she gave him a 61!! She took 20% off the top citing it was turned in 2 days late because she didn't get it until Wednesday. Then she ripped it apart for the other points deducted! I personally (I am an OB/NSY nurse) looked over his packet - it was good work. During that meeting he asked her if he could take his packet home to go over what he did wrong and was told "You can't have it back until after the end of 4th level, if you make it that far". When he tried to talk with her, she stood up and said when he didn't bother to turn his paper in on time it was like he told her to F--- off! He was blown away! From that point on, it has gone down hill. She is out to get him!! There is much much more...trust me. Now, he is 8 days away from the end and this! What more can one person endure?

Katnip, RN · Apr 23, 2003

First, what does the syllabus say? If it says he gets 10% off for being a day late, then she can't take more off because her feelings are hurt.

Can he go to the chair of that department or the dean and request that another, impartial instructor read it? I'm sure he's got a copy backed up somewhere.

And I would definitely talk to the dean about all the rest. Even if they are taking time to review whatever the problem is, you should at least be told that that's why he is missing clinical. Also, if the accusations prove to be unfounded they should have to provide an opportunity to make up that clinical without penalty.

BABNRS · Apr 23, 2003

Thanks Cyberkat - He did not make a copy of his OB packet - it was all handwritten on the prepared forms of the program. He did appeal the grade to the Director and he had a meeting - Picture this! At the bottom of a stadium seating lecture hall is a long table with 3 chairs behind it. Seated within these chairs are the Instructor in question, the Lead Instructor for 2nd level and the Director. On the second row of seating, sits my hubby. The instructor in question wrote her rendition of the exchange between them when they went over his packet - which was bunk and barely reflected the details of the meeting. He asked if he could have an impartial person review his packet. She said that she asked another instructor to look at it and that instructor said she had been lenient!! He inquired how it could be impartial with all the red marks all over the packet - she just shrugged her shoulders. That was his appeal!

The dean told him not to worry about the missed clinical pending the outcome of this appeal. AHHHHHHHH---I WANT IT TO STOP!

Disablednurse · Apr 23, 2003

What school does he go to? That does not make any sense to me!!!

gwenith, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2003

Okay - the words you want to use are "DENIAL OF NATURAL JUSTICE". It is a basic premise of the system of justice hers in Australia, in England and in America that the accused has a right to know the nature of the accusations and is able to adequately prepare a defense. That means - they HAVE to let him know and they have to give him time to prepare a defense - not just accuse and expect a reply straight away.

You go to the dean - or higher (and there is always a higher you just have to find the avenue) and present your case stating that there is a denial of natural justice. This should at least get you a hearing.

Detail as objectively as possible all the incidences where this instructor has been predjudicial.

Be prepared you may have to allow the instructor to actually fail him before you have enough evidence of predjudice.

nurse-in-boots · Apr 23, 2003

Anyone remember "Mario" guy... ? Think that happened to him too. Ended up getting kicked out for an unvalid complaint.

kimmicoobug · Apr 24, 2003

To share a story here, I have a friend who got failed out of the program. He had a B plus average in theory and had a B plus in clinical at midterm. He is also one of those guys that is happy go lucky, and could be seen as cocky. You either love him or leave him. I actually like this guy, but can see how others could dislike him. Well, this one instructor, just hated him. She just couldn't stand his personality. So, she comes to him right before his final and tells him to not bother taking the final because she was failing him. He went through the chain of command and unfortunately, the student lost his appeal (can't remember why since it has been while since he told the story)....but to make a long story short, the instructor ended up losing her job for discrimination. The point to this story, I can empathize with you and your husband as this has happened to a friend of mine and it really sucks, but hopefully all will work out in the end the way it is meant to. Good luck.