The director is the spawn of Satan

Nursing Students General Students

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Specializes in Ortho, Stroke, Neuro, Gyn.

Not really, but she is very clear and intimidating. She is very frank about the percentage of dropouts in our program. I was so excited when I got my acceptance letter in August, and then two weeks ago I attended orientation where she read the riot act (long-winded run while you still can speech) about how students from last year's beginning class are down from 64 to 19. :uhoh21:

I'm a friendly person and people generally like me, but for some reason this woman makes me uneasy. She is positively fake and will attempt to engage you in mock friendly banter. No matter what I do I cannot seem to be natural around this woman. I always shrivel up and feel like I've just gone ten quick rounds with Oscar De Lahoya (sp?). She has her favorites already (program has not even started). [EVIL]Bwahahaha!![/EVIL]

Also during orientation she "pointed out" at least 5 students who are making their second attempt at the program. I felt that was kind of unnecessary. Its not that I think its inappropriate, its just there was a kind of glee in her eyes when she did it. Then she made them each stand and explain why each of them failed the last year. For me that would have been like sheer torture. No one likes failing, much less telling a group of people the gory details.

When the director left the room for lunch I stayed behind because I wasn't very hungry. A few other people stayed and some others returned to the room to eat. Two of the "failures" were in there and a crowd of people were asking them questions about how they didn't make it. Eavesdropping on this conversation I felt somewhat relieved to hear them mention some pretty sensible no-no's. One of them had actually crawled onto the floor to sit while tying restraints. Another had not studied very hard ever by her own admission and a late arrival back in said that he had almost always forgotten not to contaminate his area.

Still, this woman creeps me out. She's like a politician. How can I be friendly with her when she is so quick to take you apart? Any tips? And how can I hope to do well with her breathing down my neck? :uhoh21:

Wendi

by doing your best

sounds like she just enjoys the power trip. if shes not an instructor then why would ou have to deal with her at all? i would just smile and be polite when you do have to interact with her but avoid this at all costs. lol she sounds like a troll! good luck hun!!:monkeydance:

Specializes in ICU, Mother/Baby.

I bet every school has at least 1 just like her..if not more. My advice to you is to do what is told and keep your nose clean. Play be the rules so to speak!

Good Luck and just remember when things get tough....it wont last forever !!!

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Some people see the glass half full and some see it half empty. That's just the way people are. You aren't going to change them. But you can be accepting. Why do you feel that you are obligated to interact with her? Be businesslike. If she talks to you, then you answer back in as short an answer as you can give. Otherwise, stay silent. This avoids foot-in-mouth problems. Always be cordial when you do have to talk to her. That's all.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Mine for my LPN program was a total nut job...that said I learned some very valuable lessons that have served me well as I continue on in school. She was my clinical instructor one rotation and it was probably the most stressful experience of my entire life (and I'm not a young gal, lol) but in hindsight it was also my most productive semester and I came out of it feeling very confident in my nursing skills.

Just keep your head tucked, mouth shut and you should do just fine. Good luck, Jules

Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

Our first semester I felt like I was at boot camp. Toe the line or else!! It was pretty scary, but over 2/3 of our class made it. Those that didn't either dropped of their own choice or were failing miserably on tests and couldn't have passed.

When we started second semester, I joked that I felt like we had found the Stepford instructors. This was a VASTLY different group of people we were being taught by.

Finally after I mentioned it to the instructors later in the semester during a casual encounter, they told us that they found they have to be somewhat tough during first semester or the students tend not to take this seriously. And it IS serious -- contaminating a sterile field? Not paying attention to dosage or how to safely ambulate/transfer a patient or where a drug gets injected?!?! C'mon, do YOU want a nurse who doesn't know those fundamentals?

The point was well-taken. I hope for your sakes that that's all this director was trying to do -- instill a little fear of God. Some people really need it. The rest of us just need to keep our nose to the grindstone; do what we're told/taught to do; and stay out of the way when we can. Learn everything you can and do take this seriously.

That being said, I think making the point by making a spectacle of students who are having to repeat is a bit rude. Believe me, depending on how your program is set up, you will know who they are and why they're repeating soon enough. Sometimes it IS justified, and sometimes it's just folks who struggle a bit more with the written material than the rest of us and who will eventually make terrific nurses.

I wish you the best!!

Specializes in LDRP.
Not really, but she is very clear and intimidating. She is very frank about the percentage of dropouts in our program. I was so excited when I got my acceptance letter in August, and then two weeks ago I attended orientation where she read the riot act (long-winded run while you still can speech) about how students from last year's beginning class are down from 64 to 19. :uhoh21:

I'm a friendly person and people generally like me, but for some reason this woman makes me uneasy. She is positively fake and will attempt to engage you in mock friendly banter. No matter what I do I cannot seem to be natural around this woman. I always shrivel up and feel like I've just gone ten quick rounds with Oscar De Lahoya (sp?). She has her favorites already (program has not even started). [EVIL]Bwahahaha!![/EVIL]

Also during orientation she "pointed out" at least 5 students who are making their second attempt at the program. I felt that was kind of unnecessary. Its not that I think its inappropriate, its just there was a kind of glee in her eyes when she did it. Then she made them each stand and explain why each of them failed the last year. For me that would have been like sheer torture. No one likes failing, much less telling a group of people the gory details.

When the director left the room for lunch I stayed behind because I wasn't very hungry. A few other people stayed and some others returned to the room to eat. Two of the "failures" were in there and a crowd of people were asking them questions about how they didn't make it. Eavesdropping on this conversation I felt somewhat relieved to hear them mention some pretty sensible no-no's. One of them had actually crawled onto the floor to sit while tying restraints. Another had not studied very hard ever by her own admission and a late arrival back in said that he had almost always forgotten not to contaminate his area.

Still, this woman creeps me out. She's like a politician. How can I be friendly with her when she is so quick to take you apart? Any tips? And how can I hope to do well with her breathing down my neck? :uhoh21:

Wendi

omg. she sounds horrid. geez!:madface:

Specializes in ICU, med/surg.

Just remember: the number of students going from 64 to 19 is not a reflection of the student's intelligence or work ethic. It is more the program's inability to actually teach these students the material. I really don't think they should be bragging about it!

Find a way to work with the system and you'll get by! Pay no attention to the scare tactics.

I think sometimes it is a matter of instilling fear so that students take it seriously. Not everyone needs that to realize how important this is, but some do. All you can do is be cordial when you have to. Good luck to you!

Tiffany

It could be a scare tactic, or the lady is just beastly. Only time will tell you that.

I can say from experience, however, that I have one teacher from heaven and one from the bowels of hell.

The good one actually teaches us things. The majority of the class passes her class, and walks out knowing something. We aren't on pins the needles the whole time, either.

But the bad one intimidates and threatens, making it clear that she alone has the ability to allow us to pass, or she can flunk us at will. She has already flunked 8 - 10 students. She's also an idiot, and while she has the same 20-years of nursing experience as the good instructor, she seldom answers a question correctly.

So, be glad that the director is not an instructor, and that you never need her guidance.

I feel the same way about my nutrition instructor who is also the director of the nursing program. She has her picks and those are the ones who she show a bright smile and attention to. I feel about as small as an ant when I am around her. But I suck it up and continue to do my best in her class.

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