Nursing instructor putting student through embarassment and singles out

MORNINGSTAR99999 · Oct 7, 2009

To: Live to Learn

It's 9:56 PCT. Whoa girl, whoa girl!!! You sure did vent alot. It's okay to let your frustrations out. We all have to make choices. I apologize for upsetting you. Then again you have the "Employee Assistance Program" - I'm sure your job offers it. I read the person's response and I emailed her my opinion. I didn't expect anyone like you coming out of the bushes and derailing me with this thread. If you don't like what comments I said on the thread; then maybe you should enjoy your day off. Everyone has an opinion. Whether you like it or not. According to your email, that's your choice to become an employee in the hospital and in classroom clinicals.

I guess you didn't take a good look at my email. Read it carefully. I like older instructors. They offer greater insights. But there those younger instructors who would bash at their students, unlike they were bashed when they were students. Some instructors teach you well. And some will demolish you. That's why there is Jesus Christ and there is Satan. There is good and there is evil. There are good instructors and there are bad instructors. That's why there is a harvesting time.

You can't speak for the others, unfortunately. And I can't speak for the others, as well. You didn't appreciate my comments. It's okay. I have to appreciate your input. This is why I never liked nursing. I can just feel the negativity and the heavy burden I have to carry. We all have to make choices. If Adam never of partaken of the fruit; we would have wonderful nursing instructors. But we don't. On this blogger, we will have disagreements. It has to be clean, though.

You don't have to come out strong to make a comment like that. Do you like your job? Why are you so defensive?

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 7, 2009

Why are you so defensive?

Maybe because you accused "most instructors" of being teachers either because they didn't like their clinical jobs or because they like to play power games. When you start making broad accusations like that, you should expect that some of the people you are insulting will defend themselves.

I see that you are new here in this community. You should probably familiarize yourself with out culture before insulting so many of our members. Most of us try to avoid broad accusatory remarks that might be offensive to our colleagues here.

rubiehoun · Oct 7, 2009

I would definately report it. Your time as a student is very limited and goes by extremely fast. This instructor is hampering your education as well as the class. Dont be surprised that she exists at your college. Perhaps people did not have the courage to stand up to her. Turn this nasty situation around and take it as an example of how not to let people treat you. Make it a learning experience. In the field, you will come across negative people who treat you unfair and ridicule your abilities. These people will also need to told that you do not accept that. I agree with you, you can not learn under these conditions and you should not have to. Nursing school should be a great experience hands on. Now testing......that is another story. And for heavens sake, we spent a limited time learning bed making. I can tell you that the tucked in corners and proper placement of the folds is overrated. As long as wrinkles do not create pressure issues and you do not shake sheets wildly about, you are good to go. I have yet had to freak about making a bed as a RN.

pineapplelilly · Oct 7, 2009

You know I would do all the above. Who does the person thinks they are to do this to a student, it is obvious that she does not like the student for what ever the reason. Professional she is NOT, she should be called out even if by the other students who have witness these actions. Get a petition going with all the other students signatures and then physically present the petition, one to the instructor, Dean, and all other important ppl. THen we will see who is red faced!!!! Stick together as students!!!!!

I too was in a programs where some of the so called "christian" instructors made class hard for alot of ppl. Yea, they can lay down at night and sleep!! How I don't know. The ADN program at WKU sucks, and so most of the instructors!!! They do not respresent the nursing field as compassionate, caring, and most of all; Professional!!!

MaritesaRN · Oct 7, 2009

In my nursing lab we have an instructor who does not teach us details (such as giving us different scenarios) on handling patients. She's impatient and is not very professional by the verbal and nonverbal actions she makes towards students(ie. negative comments and making faces of disgust. Lately, everyone has noticed she has been singling out one specific student. She constantly picks on her when we practice our skills. She has trouble making a bed perfectly and every week she makes sure to yell out to her to work on one, even if she is performing other skills such as vital signs, etc. She will say something like, "why aren't you doing the bed like I told you to." Mind you, this is a BSN program. She will make remarks about her to other students like," can you help her, she still is not getting it." Everyone in class has noticed how the instructor is focusing on her, it's become pretty obvious. I think the breaking point is when we had a skills exam and she was grading her very harsh, had her repeat it and still told her she needs to go back another day. Part of the skill was something the instructor did not really practice with us.(actually there was some things she told us we had to do the day we had our exam,wth right? so many people were deducted points for that. Anyway, instructor told her during her skills exam," why do you want to be a nurse?" in a disgusted face when she was nervous performing the task. Throughout the exam, the instructor would tell her everything is wrong. Who wouldn't get nervous if the instructor is being extremely negative? How can anyone learn through embarrassment and harsh criticism? The girl cried as she left the classroom after her exam with the instructor. I think if the instructor feels a student needs more improvement, she should talk to them personally and not do it in front of others. With the stress put on her by her very own instructor, how can anyone function? It's a freaking beginning nursing class!
What would you guys suggest? Emailing the professor about the situation. Email her higher superior. Or, talk to the dean? Or, email the professor and bcc the superior and dean to let them be aware of the situation? Nursing school is expensive, I am shocked an instructor would treat anyone this way..esp if the person is very smart, kind and courteous.
Any input would be very appreciated. thanks.

:heartbeat I sympathized very much so. I almost quit nursing altogether because of an instructor like this...... I quit during the peds rotation ( I had a hard time sticking needles to infants forehead) , and she did not make it any easier for me. She definitely have a vendetta w/ me, and I did not know why....maybe I look like her ex husbands girlfriend, I do not know......................but bottom line --this is not tolerated. :no:This is harrassment and bullying and both is not acceptable. Write a letter to her supervisor, with a cc to the dean and the teacher. To make an impact , if you can , have a lawyer write this letter w/ their firms letterhead. You might need this lawyer later on, to get this woman out of teaching for good!. We need confident nurses , and we do not need insecure, crude b.....s like this to take this away from anybody, okay? Do not be afraid ...if you let someone get away w/ this, think how many students she is going to destroy???? Think how she already compromised your self confidence as a nurse !

I was lucky the dean in our school talked to me and I did not waste my studies by throwing it away, went to the LVN program and graduated in a semester, had the the most wonderful teacher there !!!! It took me years to get back to the RN program...... finally I did in another school ( fantastic teachers!) only to find out that I love nursing and found out that I am a good nurse, and I am so glad that I pursued it , inspite of that witch that almost changed my future. Do not take this personal ! Treat it like a business , that is why she must go through the consequences of her actions. :sniff:

I can not emphasize more as to how important a lawyers presence or letter could expedite this complain. If your school is a good one --they should take care of this for they will lose students because of this vulgar , insensitive wench !!!!

shera95 · Oct 7, 2009

I would be sure and get a few of the other students who have noticed the behavior to help you report the instructor to someone who is in a higher position. If it's like our program, I know, we're always told to speak to the one you have the problem with, but in this instance, it sounds like the instructor may be so caught up in her high and mighty self, that it would do no good. I just hate to hear about instructors like that. We're all there for one reason-- to learn, so why is it so hard for some of them to just help everyone do that?!?

AZ_LPN_8_26_13 · Oct 7, 2009

If there are a number of you who agree that this student is being singled out in an unfair way, you could go as a group to the instructor's superior. Be prepared to give factual, non-emotional information with concrete examples of the kinds of behavior you have witnessed.
The approach you are describing sounds highly unprofessional, not to mention demeaning and unkind.

If they explain it much in the same way the OP has posted it here (IMO she gave a pretty good & straightforward & non-emotional example of what's been going on) maybe they might have a chance. Call me a pessimist - I've seen this happen myself, and most of the time it just happens, and nothing is said. You don't see a majority of the class saying anything about it because they are scared for their own education, and don't want to cross swords with an instructor. This poor girl is going to have to suffer through this all by herself and may end up dropping out because of it. There may be lives in hospitals that won't be saved because of it. There may be patients who won't get the care they could have gotten. All because a potentially good nurse was "weeded out" by some instructor that has a dill pickle up her a**. What a shame.

I went through the same thing in pre-nursing classes. There were several instructors who singled me out for "special" treatment. I walked a fine line - I let them know that I was wise to them, but didn't do anything to compromise my good grades. Ended up getting A's and B's even with overtly hostile instructors. I've had to put up with so much s**t just to get to where I am now - I will have survived quite a bit by the time I finally get to my first day of actual Block 1. That's why I don't like even hearing about "weeding out". Nobody these days needs to be "weeded out" of nursing school. It takes too much just to get there in the first place.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Oct 7, 2009

To: Live to Learn
It's 9:56 PCT. Whoa girl, whoa girl!!! You sure did vent alot. It's okay to let your frustrations out. We all have to make choices. I apologize for upsetting you. Then again you have the "Employee Assistance Program" - I'm sure your job offers it. I read the person's response and I emailed her my opinion. I didn't expect anyone like you coming out of the bushes and derailing me with this thread. If you don't like what comments I said on the thread; then maybe you should enjoy your day off. Everyone has an opinion. Whether you like it or not. According to your email, that's your choice to become an employee in the hospital and in classroom clinicals.
I guess you didn't take a good look at my email. Read it carefully. I like older instructors. They offer greater insights. But there those younger instructors who would bash at their students, unlike they were bashed when they were students. Some instructors teach you well. And some will demolish you. That's why there is Jesus Christ and there is Satan. There is good and there is evil. There are good instructors and there are bad instructors. That's why there is a harvesting time.
You can't speak for the others, unfortunately. And I can't speak for the others, as well. You didn't appreciate my comments. It's okay. I have to appreciate your input. This is why I never liked nursing. I can just feel the negativity and the heavy burden I have to carry. We all have to make choices. If Adam never of partaken of the fruit; we would have wonderful nursing instructors. But we don't. On this blogger, we will have disagreements. It has to be clean, though.
You don't have to come out strong to make a comment like that. Do you like your job? Why are you so defensive?

WOW, that is about all I can muster up to say, that and I think Livetolearn offered awesome points, so far in my nursing school ALL of the staff I have met have been extremely helpful and supportive and try hard to be their for us. In all my college classes including all my pre reqs I have only come across one teacher that was off the rocker, the rest have been great.

Now what the OP about the instructor was completely uncallaed for (how the instructor behaved) on a different note though, sometimes STUDENTS need to reevaluate themselves and stop putting blame on everyone else. It comes with maturity.

GENJEN · Oct 7, 2009

RE: Nursing instructor putting student through embarassment and singles out

First of all I am very sorry the student is going through this hurtful thing as I work with an instructor who might be her sister! I think she should talk with this instructor herself, if no satisfaction there is someone above her. She needs to go through the chain of command because this may not be the first of complaints. Keep documentation of the incidents to be presented. I hope that she doesn't give up.

Best of luck!

AZ_LPN_8_26_13 · Oct 7, 2009

I had a similiar clinical experience. Every patient that was given to me was the most sick on the floor, my instructor was the supervisor at that hospital as well and knew it. All the other students would tell me that everytime they see me, Im giving iv medications around the clock. 2 patients that I had got sent to the icu within 20 minutes of me getting them. She would tell me daily that I could never be a nurse, that I should give up and save my money and go to school for something else.
One day she wrote me up because I didnt do a bed bath on an alert oriented patient who was 38 years old, who's husband was in the room with her. (at the time I was a 24 year old male).
I just toughed it out and made it. I hate how nursing schools are like that.

No one has a right to tell anyone that. No one.

MaritesaRN · Oct 7, 2009

No one has a right to tell anyone that. No one.

:argue:

Teachers from hell should not teach or be near any student , for that matter! They do not serve any purpose w/ their immature , arrogant , uncouth behavior. The school must know what is going on , so if you did not get any response from the above .....run and get away from that school . This is a symptom of an efficient school , and hiring bad teachers out of desperation.

AZ_LPN_8_26_13 · Oct 7, 2009

I agree with most of the statements above
What does the student that is being single out say?
Is she asking for help from the other students?
This smells a little fishy to me. Is there something the instructors knows about this student that should not be the reason of instructors biases.
Does student act unprofessional in other nursing class settings?
I seen this happen before where another instructor tells another instructor and it goes on and on...
Maybe she does not represent in her mind what a nurse should act and look like? ( I am not saying this is right either)
IMO:
It doesn't matter what she says or doesn't say.
It doesn't matter if she is or isn't asking for help (most don't - they are too upset and ashamed)
It doesn't matter how she is acting in other nursing class settings.
It is wrong. It shouldn't be happening. If this "instructor" has issues with this person, she should be talking privately with her and try to correct her. There is really no excuse for this.
It makes me angry just to know that people out there like this even exist, let alone have power to make other peoples lives needlessly miserable :angryfire