Group work mishap

[its_meee]

My nursing program puts us in teams of ten. The group you are put into is the same group you will be with all semester. Any time we do team work in a nursing class we gather in our groups. One of my classes has a monthly online quiz that we take individually, however for our last quiz my instructor decided to let us take the quiz as a team.

Everyone in class was excited to take it as a group because it would hopefully result in a better score. I had gotten two 98%'s and a 100% on the previous individual quizes, but we got a 78% on our group score quiz!! I've came to the conclusion that I do NOT like group work. The quizes are timed so anytime someone disputes someone else's answer, there is not enough time to discuss it.

In the same class we were required to work as a group on a 4 page report. Within our group we handed out responsibilites; several people did research, several did APA formatting, and one person was responsible for submitting our report online to our instructor. Two days before the report was to be turned in, our team member sent it to all of us to approve. I then sent him a message asking if he had turned it in yet...I did not receive a reply. The next day in class, I reminded him that it was due the next day and told him not to forget to submit it. He sort of blew me off and said yeah, I already did, don't worry so much! I knew my group had did an awesome job on the report so I was excited to check my gradebook; this assignment was worth 20 points and should have bumped my grade from an A- to an A. So, I was devistated when I saw a big zero in the gradebook for our report. Next to the zero was the words no submission. What? The guy that was responsible for the submission told our instructor that he forgot! I had asked him prior to the due date and he told me that he had already sent it!!! I also told the instructor this so, luckily she gave us the points. I'm just so tired of team work projects, and irresponsible team members! Okay...sorry that was so long but I needed to vent today! :)

[BostonFNP, APRN]

Ouch! Make it clear to your partner that he should be taking full responsibility and you shouldn't be punished.

These will pop up throughout school and they really are a glimpse into what life in the workforce can be like. Hopefully you get to pick your partners and you have a few people you are confident in.

[emlam]

Group work is not fun! I will agree that they suck! But, the outcome of it is TEAMWORK...Can you work as a team and succeed? Communication, organization, leadership, seeing differences, etc...

My experience was joining a class (group communication: BSN requirement) a day late. The instructor randomly groups and I was placed in the fewer members group to make it even. Knowing that they already did the introduction/ice-breaking ordeal, I felt a bit awkward, lost/confused at my 1st meeting, their 2nd meeting. We had to create a Nursing In-Service that could be picked up by any person wanting to move the project forward. Therefore, the In-service had to be broken down, detail by detail in a binder and later presented to the class (for 1 grade for all!!!) I admit, I try to be an over-achiever student because I want to do the best I can to learn and succeed. I don't just do "half-bootie" just to pass. Well, somehow, I ended up being the LEADER! Picking up certain people's slack because they either didn't meet mine and/or group members criteria or they didn't care as much or in your case "forgot." I guess what I am trying to say in this confusing comment is that Group work sucks, especially when your grade depends on it. Yet, if you are as assertive as you want to be, you can try try to get things done the way you want to. If there was a chance to repeat what happened, could you have sent the assignment to the teacher instead of waiting for the "forgetful group-member." I know that sounds bad to intrude on other's responsibilities, but my grade is important to me, I sometimes gotta do what I gotta do :)

Overall, it's good that you vented out your frustrations, but Group work isn't as bad as it is...(I think? ).

In addition about my group project: I ended up purchasing additional material for our project, create ppts, flyers, almost everything on my own and we got a 20/20! Did I think it was fair for the slacker to get the 20? NO! but he did! The other groups got B, C, and C- for their project! I did learn that the teacher always knows what's going on within groups! She knew that everybody in my group was counting on me and that it wasn't fair, but she couldn't do anything (???)

About your Quiz thing....I have to take a quiz by myself prior to taking it with a group because once I figure out why I chose that answer, I can rationalize or rethink my answer!

[NICU:)]

I started a thread very similar to this a few weeks ago... If you can go back and find it I got some very helpful replies.. They were very encouraging!!! I am going through the same thing with my group that I have for the semester. I tend to be the leader for all of the projects because I write down EVERY DETAIL that is said in class, including examples at the beginning of the semester when we have no clue what we are getting into yet. So, somehow, that doesn't help me except for my ending grade. I wish you the best in school, I am done in May and cannot wait to get away from some of the lazy people I have been stuck with for group projects so far.

[Sadala, ADN, RN]

I hate anything in which I have to completely depend on someone else for part of my grade (or paycheck, or whatever). It's a control issue probably, but it is what it is. In those situations, I just pray for competence (on the part of the others AND myself, because now I'm partly responsible for their outcome as well - not too fond of THAT concept either btw).

On the other hand, I LOVE my local study/support group of students. Going over all the material with them helps so much and because of geography we were scheduled for clinicals together and they were such a huge support to me. Just in the moral support area.