Dear Nursing Student

I am your soon-to-be instructor. Here are my golden rules to my students. Take what you like. Discard the rest. But understand why each is important. Apply them and perhaps you will make the most of our 12 short weeks together. Nurses Announcements Archive Article

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Oceangel

15 Posts

On the yelling part - yes in a perfect scenario I would prefer to be privately counseled on my areas for improvement. However, as a student with someone's life in my hands, if I am about to administer meds to the wrong patient or perform any other act that could kill them - there is not always time to pull me away and "nicely" explain what I was doing wrong. In the midst of the sometimes chaotic treatment room - if I screw up - YELL away - it may jolt my self-esteem, but it will save my patient.

I think people are a bit too thin-skinned nowadays.

vegas2009

408 Posts

marty6001 said:
Dear clinical student,

I am your soon-to-be instructor. Know that I love this profession and have dedicated my life to it and to my patients. I consider this profession to be a calling. I did not come to this profession for money, for prestige, or for the title.

WOW!!, thank you for this. I would definitely make a printout of this article. It puts things in perspective. Hopefully, I can use it and remind myself not to take things personally. Well, I'm not really that sensitive to begin with -- but I don't like being yelled at either. I have no problems respecting instructors, since I know that they had to go through a lot of things themselves.

mspontiac

131 Posts

Our care plans easily take 8 hours to create, after we get home from patient pickup. Our instructor insists they are fully complete when we arrive at clinical at 6:30 am, with the exception of follow-up information. The follow-up information is to be completed by the end of clinical at noon...but we are not to work on paperwork during clinical because "that is time dedicated to working with your patients, not working on paperwork." Do the math, and if anyone can tell me how that works without breaking the rules, please let me know because I still haven't figured it out. Generally I finish and get to bed about 2 a.m., and get up at 4:30 a.m.; I always worry what kind of mistake may occur because of my short-circuiting, sleep deprived brain that could compromise patient safety.

Our instructor is far from a leader. She is punitive and will cut you down in the blink of an eye, and yet makes mistakes regularly herself. Heck, it's 11 weeks into the semester and she is still calling myself and another student by the wrong names, and doesn't know what work each of us have done because she confuses our names every week. She is harsh enough that one of my fellow students had a patient tell her they felt sorry for her after the instructor left the room. If she gets stressed, watch out because she is going snap at you and humiliate you in front of a patient, guaranteed. I'm a mature 40 year old, plus I am bright and work very hard, so I have pretty thick skin in regards to criticism. I just wish she could learn to deliver it in a slightly more constructive fashion, or at least pull me away from the patient to vent her frustrations.

But I digress - my point is, respect goes both ways. Instructors can be wonderful mentors, provided they view us all as individuals and not as nameless rabble who have no idea what we are doing academically. :clown:

A New Start

39 Posts

Never run from a bully wearing panties! Or any other for that matter. It makes me sick watching how some of the young people are treated around me, but I can't stand and fight their fights. It wouldn't be helpful.

Learning how to communicate with others in your profession is an essential skill for nursing. We train people how to talk to us. When an instructor or a Dr or a preceptor attempts to belittle you, stop what you are doing. (Unless you're working on a client) But at the very least get very quiet and make direct unblinking eye contact. In a calm unwaivering voice, ask them to tell you their concern in a calm quiet professional manner. Point out any aggressive non verbal communication (like finger punching) and tell them to stop it. Listen. Listen. Listen. Then restate what you think they want and repeat it back.

There's more. Read up on passive, aggresive, and passive aggressive communication. Your confidence will grow and your adversaries will respect you.

They eat you cause you taste good!

A New Start

vegas2009

408 Posts

mspontiac said:
But I digress - my point is, respect goes both ways. Instructors can be wonderful mentors, provided they view us all as individuals and not as nameless rabble who have no idea what we are doing academically. :clown:

I agree completely. The problem is, instructors like that usually don't get in trouble. Nursing schools see these instructors as just, training their students for the 'evils of real world nursing.' I can see the reasoning from it. But, it doesn't mean I like it. This is why growing a thick skin makes sense.

But inspite of the negativity, there are always instructors that are above their counterparts. They are the ones who don't 'follow' the 'norm'. Those are the ones I'm thankful for.

vegas2009

408 Posts

A New Start said:
There's more. Read up on passive, aggressive, and passive aggressive communication. Your confidence will grow and your adversaries will respect you.

They eat you cause you taste good!

Yup, no kidding .

annacnatorn

221 Posts

Specializes in LTC, Home Health, Hospice.

As a pre Nursing student, I take what you have written to heart and have put it in a safe place. I have been in Hospice for 6 years and love every minute of it. My good friend, also my mentor, an RN is constantly pushing me beyond my "job duties" preparing me for the next step. She is equipping me via challenges, she makes my brain work and sometimes hurt! 8 hours, got it. I have been fortunate enough to have been taught how to do ncp!

suzi-Q

115 Posts

Specializes in Addiction & Recovery, Community Health.

This is hands down the best posting I have ever had the pleasure of reading on this sight. It is concise and factual but leads with heart, which is what a good nurse does. Well written too. Love, love, love it. I got a little choked up....

I hope that it will serve as a kind of refresher to more seasoned nurses also.

Thank you!

makingitright

39 Posts

I can tell that you are a very caring and loving individual. I would love to learn from someone like you. I pray and wish that all nursing students would so blessed to have you as an instructor. Keep doing you.

msu2011

19 Posts

Sounds nice.... personally I have never in my life met a group of people

(RN Instructor's) that want to smash a student's hopes and dreams. Alot of these instructor's act like students are in the military. I do not understand this mentality. I remember in LPN school alot of these Rn's had "picks" or "clicks"...I never was one for a pick or click.There was that one student these RN's would pick on and try to get kicked out of the program. I am in my last two semester's of receiving my BSN degree, and have seen alot and suffered alot from these pitt-bulls aka angels in white... pffffft!. These attitudes I have seen has almost turned me against nursing. :pntrghi:You know, I do not care how many degrees one has behind one's name, who all you know, where you work, etc...it's all about how you treat people!

RPN_2012

259 Posts

Specializes in Geriatrics/Retirement Residence.
msu2011 said:
There was that one student these RN's would pick on and try to get kicked out of the program.

OMG, seriously? That's just plain evil! :devil:

msu2011 said:
It's all about how you treat people!

I agree!

:up:

sarabear44

101 Posts

Specializes in emergency.

I hope all clinical instructors are as passionate as you are (and not just doing it for the extra money). I am starting an ABSN this summer.