Nursing intructor abuse- Where can I find help please

[bleverett]

i was placed in a clinical group with an instructor who i reported for wrong behavior two semesters ago. she found out about it. since there were prior hostilities toward me, i realize her severe treatment toward me came from an agenda to retaliate, naïveté. i assumed i could trust the system and that the problem had been corrected. i did my best to survive and hang in there but she found a way to fail me. she gave me work i could not complete on a new needs improvement program. when i brought the work to clinicals in a huge folder, she would not receive it. i explained i stayed up 72 hours straight with no sleep to complete it and it is impossible for anyone to do it all. it corresponded with a huge comprehensive care plan due at the same time and an exam which i could not study for but passed.

if an instructor does not help a student putting forth the effort, she has let the student down. i more than made up my clinical hours. instead she said you know what that means; it means you are out of the program. i will have to fail you on theory also so you would have to reapply to this program. i was not failing in either course. i need some protection so that she will not succeed. i need help in putting together a letter to the administration of the school and any resources a student has. i have seen this done to others and now it is me.

thank you for any advice.

[bleverett]

I hear you! I have seen videos about the problems on youtube called horizontal abuse or violence

[pca_85]

Go right over her head, this is quite unfair.

[Brilliant Dreams]

Use the grievance process that is what it is there for. I would also make an itemized list of the required class work you had in one column and the additional home work in the other - outlining the pages of assignments and corresponding chapters if applicable. This is a clear way to show that you had extra work and a lot of it. Attach this to you grievance letter.

DONT FORGET: to use minimal emotions and opinions in your letter and in any future meetings. STICK TO THE FACTS ONLY!!!! It may be really really hard not to let emotions come out during these interviews, but nothing turns someone off faster than "pointing the finger" or angry words. I would write down what you want to say before the meetings and practice it a couple of times with a timer so you know what to say and how long it takes you to make a clear point. Also dont forget to take ownership where you might have made mistakes, this will show that you are being reasonable and accountable for your actions.

If this fails and you have exhausted the grievance process than you might consider other avenues of help. BUT if you do not follow the school policy by filing the grievance all the way up the ladder - every step - then you become at fault and any legal action you might take would be pointless, since the school is within their right to say that you did not give them the opportunity to respond.

GOOD LUCK

[rachelgeorgina]

Is there not someone/an authority above your clinical instructor that you can go to?

[ORRocksRN]

Is there not someone/an authority above your clinical instructor that you can go to?

Too often, its that "person in authority" that is the problem...big egos can get in the way of rational thinking in the nursing instructor profession...

i do recommend going through the chain of command though, and find someone to support you as you go through this very tough process, someone that is on YOUR SIDE. If you can;t find that person at the school, go outside the school, but find someone. Don't do this alone.

good luck