Students- I need your input please

healthstar, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2010

A great nursing instructor is:

1.Someone who is polite, respects, and wants students to succeed.

2. Someone who answers the question instead of saying "stupid question, you should know that)

3. Someone who lectures on something they can actually explain instead of telling the student " the book says so"

4. Someone who gives lots and lots of examples from their life experience as nurse.

5. someone who keeps an open door for student to come for help.

6.Someone who encourages questions

7.Someone who is passionate about the subject

8.Someone who doesn't assume students know most things because they had anatomy, microbiology, pharmacology etc.

9.Someone who gives hope instead of saying "you are not going to be a good nurse"

10. Someone who is more positive and less negative

11. Someone who gives out study guide for the final and also has a review session for the tests.

12. Be fair with all student.

By the way I had awesome professors except one.

Few more things to add

Don't give assignments during clinicals if you don't plan to collect or give points for them. Collect assignments even for no points that way students know what they are doing right or wrong. Even when grading, write as much as possible on their papers because that will help improve the future assignments.Don't be too harsh on grading.

JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 12, 2010

Your question was specifically about being a clinical instructor, so I'll address that. There are hard-@ss clinical instructors, and there are softies. The softies let you come late and leave early, sometimes call off clinicals without giving you a makeup day, don't make you hand in care plans or if they do give writing assignments, they accept shoddy work. They don't spot-check your knowledge of meds or labs. Maybe you'll get to practice some skills, but mostly your clinical time is spent sitting around and chatting. It's fun to get a softie if you want to have a life outside nursing school. But we're in this to learn how to be nurses, and ultimately, the softies shortchanged us as students. The students who had the hard-@ss instructors, on the other hand, didn't have an easy ride and were driven hard for the 6-12 weeks they had that instructor. But they came out with the skills, knowledge and confidence to be good nurses.

Don't shortchange your students. Even if they hate you in the short run, they'll thank you in the long run.

Chapis · Aug 12, 2010

the first post pretty much says it all!

i would like to add-have in mind that students are students and we do not know it all, help them, don't make or treat them child like.

teach them what you know, teach them to be as great as you. don't try to make things harder for the student. don't by sharky!!!

i think you'll be a great ci, you came here for help and asked how to make things better for you and your future students, especially because you're asking us, the students. thanks!

i understand what the second post is saying, but you can always demand the best out of everyone, but it doesn't mean you can be a witch from you know where in order for the students to be great nurses some day.

Trilldayz,RN BSN · Aug 12, 2010

i think you are awesome for considering your future students!!! i might be a bit repetitive from the other posters but oh well!

1st off i think a good instructor is a person who challenges their students, but doesn't make them feel dumb. always remember that we are individuals with little to no nursing experience, so we should not be expected to know everything that a seasoned nurse would. i have teachers that would expect us to know what she knows, a lady with 20+ years experience. i have always respected teachers who weren't necessarily easy, but who were full of energy, motivation, and drive to want to teach. an important note: please don't be afraid to admit when you are wrong or don't know something!!! (because 9 times outta 10, we already know you are wrong or don't know what you are doing!)

lead by example!! if you want us to be in class/ clinical at 7, be there 6:45, things like that. you will be surprised that we, as students, look at our professors to see professionalism, integrity, and a hardworking , humble spirit. i respect teachers who work hard to see that we succeed, just as hard as i am working to succeed as well. makes us feel like our struggles are understood and i am supported. and if i were to fail, i can never say that the instuctor didn't seem to care.

also, please try to always remember what it was like to be a student. students are people too with lives, families, jobs, extenuating circumstances, etc. beware of the students that aren't showing that they are serious, but always try to consider those who really are trying and see what you can do to help them.

i know a lot of schools that teachers help those on the verge of failing. but i believe that everyone should get help. if someone has worked their butt off, comes to you for help, shown that they want more than just a c, help them out too. i have been borderline a's before and i would hear people say they magically got bumped 4 points (from f to c) but i can't get that 1.5 points that will get me an a...not fair!

thanks again for considering our feelings as students! if i have any more ideas, i'll post them. god bless you!

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2010

My most favorite and most well remembered was one who was not a softie nor was she overly tough. She was respectful to students, other nurses, and anyone she came into contact with. She did not spoon feed us but pushed us out to test our wings solo. And if we seemed like we were not going to "soar" she was right there to catch us and show us.

She didn't candy coat anything and was very blunt but she was not one to hurt others feelings. she would tell you how it was but in a professional and caring way. We knew what she expected and we knew to bring our best game while with her. I learned more in 3 wks with her than I had in 4 months with another one.

If she had to give constructive critisim she did so by starting it with "You know Pixie, you did really well with that XYZ treatment, you did that textbook! But let me give you a suggestion for next time..instead of (fill in the blank), you might want to____(fill in the blank). Although she needed to correct me, she did it in a way that didn't seem like everything I had done was all wrong. Made a big differnece than being told "you put that bandage on wrong, you should have ___"

Be fair

Be honest

Let them know what you expect, what you will and will not tolerate

Remember what it was like to be a scared student

Treat them as adults

Don't forget to praise the things done correctly, don't always give negative feedback.

shannahan · Aug 12, 2010

Our worst clinical instructor didn't allow us to do much - said she wasn't going to risk her license! She demanded to be present when we practiced certain skills, yet she hid out and was unavailable. She seemed hesitant, which was not good for the students confidence levels.

Our best instructor came off like a real hard a$$ during orientation - let us know the bar for her students was "up here" and she would take no less. Told us she didn't like shy people and could make grown men cry. She said, "trust me and just roll with it. I know what I'm doing." She totally inspired confidence in us all, and this forced us to step up. It became apparant to me early on that this bad guy routine was to help us do just that.

She was also very active talking and joking with all the nurses. By doing this, she could more easily place us with them, as well as get feedback on our performance.

doublehelix · Aug 12, 2010

My favorite nurses were the ones who handled crazy situations very well, without stressing or freaking out about it.

The ones who, even when we were cleaning a C.diff pt who had had BM spread all over the walls, were able to laugh about it with myself and the pt, making light of it, rather than how big of a mess it would be for us to clean up.

The ones who, when I asked for help with pts (while I was a HCA) said "Sure" right away, rather than saying they had "too much" paperwork to do that they couldn't even be bothered to help me.

MInurse.st · Aug 12, 2010

Remember what is was like to be a student.

Have high expectations, but be positive and encouraging. Make your students believe that you want them to succeed, that you really are pulling for them.

cmw6v8 · Aug 12, 2010

I haven't started clinicals yet but I'll let you know what I appreciate from instructors and also trainers I've had in work situations, along with what I hope to get in my clinical experience. I like it when teachers/trainers give a thorough orientation--show you where supplies are, where the bathrooms are, along with giving clear expectations.

I also appreciate it if, when you're not doing so well or can't think of the answer, the instructor prompts you with information that might help you get there. Instead of just scolding you for not knowing.

Slimlady727 · Aug 12, 2010

i've had just one clinical rotation so far and my instructor was great considering what i've heard about other insructors from my classmates.

she was down to earth and told us stories about her times in nursing school. i think the main thing that made her likable was that she wasnt intimidating. she never tried to embarass us in front of the nursing staff/patients. she let us take some control because she trusted us because she wanted us to learn, yet didnt leave us just to do whatever.

she let us do whatever procedure on the unit that we learned in lab. she'd ask the nurse if there were any accuchecks, dressing changes etc on other patients that werent assigned to us. this lightened the load on the nurse yet gave us the hands on experience we needed. one thing that she would do was even the field with the students, if one student had an extensive patient one week, she would give them a less extensive the next. she didnt want to overwhelm us.

i would say dont be a softie but also dont be a military seargent, treat your students like you would want to be treated.

good luck with you students!

swifty3565 · Aug 12, 2010

I haven't begun my nursing classes yet, but I can tell you what impresses me in an instructor. The very fact of you asking for input is a very positive sign. I'm sure you will do great and people will see you as a role model.

Please do what you say

Please treat me as an adult, I will do the same for you. If I don't deserve to be treated that way pull me aside and tell me privately.

If I don't understand something, explain, don't belittle.

When it comes time for testing don't say study the chapter unless you are testing on the whole chapter.

Tell us about the mistakes you have made and how you overcame them.

Encourage, encourage, encourage.

Doing what you are doing is an awesome way to be the best instructor possible. I wish you the best of luck and I hope that I am lucky enough to find some instructors who care as much as you.