What do I do after my clinical instructor told me I will never be a good nurse?

Nursing Students General Students

Published

I'm in my 2nd level at a community college. This is my 3rd clinical. I had no problem at all during my first 2 clinicals. The instructors told me I would be an excellent nurse and I always got a 4/4. However, in this clinical my instructor told me otherwise. I had put up a post before asking if I was sensitive in thinking my instructor was not fond of me, when I was putting 110% into my work trying to do my best. However, my instructor pulled me aside and told me I would never be a good nurse. I was just shocked. It was only my 3rd day at her clinical. I have about 8 more days left of clinicals. She told me this at the end of the clinical so when I went into my car, I just cried and cried. I have my nursing care plan due the coming week and I tried so hard, putting in extra things to show that I really want this. I don't know what to do..

Clinical teachers arggggg! Same thing happened to me. Except my lovely clinical instructor went on to tell me that he would ot let me take care of his mother because I was so terrible. I was in my senior year! Like you, every other clinical I got good reviews. I was so upset, and then got so angry, that I went to my classroom professor for that clinical class In which I was doing fine in class, (we had two different teachers, one for class and one for clinical). She talked with clinical teacher, reviewed my clinical homework, talked with the nurses at my clinical and found there was no basis for his statement or his wanting to fail me! I never found out what his real problem was. You need to talk to somebody you trust in administration about this. Teachers should be never be demeaning. That is not OK.

Specializes in Peds.

Just try to get through it, and don't do anything to make her target you even more. Alot of nursing students have been through this.....my daughters pediatrician is married to a nurse practioner.....she went to nursing school and was told the exact same thing by one of the instructors who was infamous at picking on students....literally. Do not let that discourage you.....use it to your advantage & show the instructor she is wrong....... I dealt with the same instructor that the woman did that I mentioned....and she was horrible to me & 2 other students.....to the point of me having anxiety & panic attacks everytime I went to her clinicals.....I took a semester off and ended up just realizing no one was going to break me ESPECIALLY some power tripping instructor......just do not let it get you down....if you want this bad enough do not let anyone , especially her make you feel terrible. I think some of the instructors who do this stuff really need to relearn how to teach because fear tactics & meanness are so petty & really do nothing......... maybe she's crappy & that's why she does this to make herself feel good. Unless she has validity in her words, do not let it get to you.....you don't have that much longer to deal with her.......

Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

That was very unprofessional of your clinical instructor. Did she give you any reasoning or criticism that could explain why she said that? Anything she wants you to improve on?

Make a list of the good things your previous instructors have said. Write down ways you have made a difference for your patients and positive comments they have given you. Remember why you want to be a nurse.

For the rest of the clinical, try to forget your instructor said that. Don't work hard to impress her, work hard to improve your skills and be the best nurse you can be. Prove her wrong, but do it for yourself, not for her.

Remember that Shaquille O'Neal was cut from his junior high basketball team.

Hang in there! :hug: You're going to be a great nurse, because you want to be.

Prove her wrong! Don't allow her or anyone else, for that matter, word curse you! What a horrible thing to say to someone.

Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

And she will never be a good clinical instructor.

Have pity on her. Mean people suck.

Specializes in ED/ICU/TELEMETRY/LTC.

Eight days.

One at a time.

Mark them off.

Hold your head up.

You know more about yourself than your instructor does.

I am really sorry the Clinical Nurse said that to you, but think of it this way, eight days of continuing to give your best- that is all. You have done well up until now, not counting the things you have had to do before entering nursing school. You have shed tears at the sting of the comment, now it is time to show what a caring, determined, intelligent, and classy person you really are, people can say what they want, but you will continue to learn, grow and give your best because that is who you are.

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

The only acceptable solution I can see is to go and become an excellent nurse.

I had a clinical instructor that stressed me out to the point where my hands would shake with every look. Luckily she only taught every other day of the clinical so I survived and turned into a decent nurse ( not a supernurse as far as I can tell )

Do what I did...prove that b****wrong!!!! And the ones they were always praising either failed school or the nclex. As a matter of fact, the same C.I. who told me this was confronted b/c HE was unable to perform ANY nursing skills. He was so nice to me my last semester, just kissing up. Just kill 'em with kindess....

Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

Well, my friend, you are in good company. As you can see almost all of us have had a teacher that for whatever reason decided they could be mean for fun and sport. I had a clinical instructor in my last semester of associate degree nursing that told a whole elevator full of people that I was to stupid to be a nurse because I accidently hit the 3rd floor button instead of the 1st floor button. Of course she said many other rude, mean things to me too. Just wanted to give you the perfect example. Also, I wasn't too worried because I had previously graduated from an PT program with a 4.0 GPA. Of course she hurt my feelings and made me feel bad, for a little while but I talked myself out of it.

Flash forward 8 years and I am now a traveling ER/ICU nurse who has worked at multiple level 1 trauma centers all over the country. Currently working staff ICU near my home.

There are mean people everywhere who feel insecure and try to build themselves up by cutting down others. If I were you I would not talk to anyone about it. I would simply put her out of my mind and get on with my life.

Also want to say that I know a couple of other nurses who were put down by their instructors and went on to be outstanding nurses.

I will say that although I hated this teacher I listened to her carefully in classes and 2 of the most important things I have learned as a nurse I learned from her. Everyone has something to teach us. Be open, but don't take any crap.

Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.
Prove her wrong! Don't allow her or anyone else, for that matter, word curse you! What a horrible thing to say to someone.

That's exactly what came to my mind when I read the heading.

She doesn't have a crystal ball. Hmm, maybe she does and that's the problem.

+ Add a Comment