how to report a teacher to the BRN?

Nursing Students General Students

Published

On a clinical day my instructor patted me down and searched me looking for my cell phone, which she found, yelled at me for a while then sent me home. I feel violated and humiliated. I want to know my rights as a student and her rights as an instructor (whether or not she can touch or search me). I would like to bring this to the attention of the BRN but don't know how. Any ideas how to handle this?? i've been so distraught over this here i am at 1 am thinking about it when i should be sleeping!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Let me guess -- you're not allowed to have your cellphone in clinical?? It doesn't sound like she did anything which would be a violation of a state Nurse Practice Act, which is what the BONs enforce. I would encourage you to start by raising your concerns within your school (the Dean or Director of your program, or whoever is the supervisor of this instructor) and see where that goes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

thank you for the help. i will definitely start there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma & Emergency.

She must have had a reason to suspect that you were carrying your cell phone. In my program if you are found to have your cell phone in clinical it is grounds for immediate expulsion as you may be violating patients rights through video or picture. Even at my job as an LPN every week at the top of our checks states if you are found to have a cell phone while on the floor working it is grounds for immediate suspension pending termination.

If you have children that you are worried may be attempting to call you..always provide the child's school with your school information, they will be able to properly direct the phone call to the clinical site if necessary. If you aren't in the situation that you MUST HAVE THE CELL PHONE (which there are many ways around anyway), then leave it in the car. Make your phone calls & check your messages on your break.

As for reporting the teacher, tread lightly..I don't know how far you are into your program but you aren't going to want other instructors knowing you for "reporting an instructor", it's very easy to fail students on jeopardizing patient safety even if it wasn't intentionally. If you really feel that strongly about saying something maybe you should speak with the instructor first.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.

Let me write this from a different perspective. I'm a licensing board member that receives a complaint from a nursing student. The student is upset because her RN instructor patted her down during clinicals. The purpose of the patting down was to locate an object that the student shouldn't have, that the student knows she shouldn't have - an object capable of violating patient confidentiality.

The student is apparently incapable of following a very simple rule. This student wishes to have patient lives entrusted to her in a mere matter of years, or even months.

I'd be more interested to know the student's name, not the teacher.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

As for reporting the teacher, tread lightly..I don't know how far you are into your program but you aren't going to want other instructors knowing you for "reporting an instructor", it's very easy to fail students on jeopardizing patient safety even if it wasn't intentionally. If you really feel that strongly about saying something maybe you should speak with the instructor first.

Isn't it sad that we have to feel this way?

I had a situation with my last clinical instructor that was like this. I got a failing grade for the day for saying that the med I was giving was given slowly, over 1-3 minutes. Our drug book says over at least 15 seconds. I knew I had to have gotten that idea somewhere so I reinvestigated the drug and found where I had studied that info. In another drug book we had that was spectific to IV meds, it said the drug was usually given over 15 seconds, but the preferred time was 1-2 minutes. I was immeadiately dismissed (she actually waved her hand like she was saying "get this out of my face") and told me we had to be real world.

So I wanted to take it further and "clear my name" but I don't want to be red flagged. You can tell which students are red flagged because every teacher knows who they are the first day of class without having met them and the look on their faces when the red flagged student has a question/comment.

Welcome back to high school.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.

Seems unreasonable to get a fail on a whole clinical day for stating "1-3" minutes when the teacher believes it should be 15 seconds. It's not like you said 15 seconds when the answer should have been 1-3 minutes. Now that may have been unacceptable. I would have wanted to meet with the teacher after clinicals were over to discuss.

Another thing though....going over your teacher's head to her supervisor to discuss a grade is a lot better than thinking you should go to the board of nursing for a non- patient care related issue!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CTICU.

Why on earth would you think this is reportable to the nursing board????

Either speak up for yourself, or talk to your school.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Acute Rehab.

Why can't a simple rule be followed? Can a person nowadays not live without their phone for a few hours? It's not like there aren't land lines around if you use the excuse "that I have to check on my family, etc." Out of all the rules in school, this one is so easy to follow, but there is always someone who has to break the rule!

As for patting you down, I would not like that either, and you would need to check with your school's policy of certain boundaries (right term?) as to whether an instructor is allowed to touch the students. JMHO.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The Board of Nursing does not oversee individual faculty. The Board of Nursing is responsible for academic programs (your school) or for individual nurses. If you feel that you instructor is a terrible nurse and violates the state Nurse Practice Act, then report him/her. But not because they would not let you take a phone to clinical.

If you have a problem with an instructor, talk to the instructor and then to his/her department chair if warranted.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

unless you consented to the search, you may have grounds for battery, if you really want to go there....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

thanks for the comments. i already have a meeting set up with the instructor and her immediate supervisor. i was just wondering if there was something else to do possibly more along the lines of the school district than the BRN. I am upset about the touching/patting down more than anything. I don't want to be 'flagged' but i also spoke with other instructors in confidence and they encouraged me to speak up for my personal rights.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment