How My Instructor Affected My Life

For every student who looks on the bright side, and strives to do even better than her apparent best, I wonder how many others there are who, demoralized, have quit trying, or just plain quit school. How sad...

Or, what about the nurse who started out passionate and with great intentions who didnt know what the 'bag' was because it was never gone over in orientation but it was asssumed he/she knew what he/she was supposed to be doing - hence, to avoid leaving the 'bag' behind? That has got to be THE most frustrating item in nursing - to be left a bag or to leave a bag - and to have a director 'believe' one has been told/taught/corrected and that this employee is just being 'incorigable'. We do not do a good job of helping people learn. They are either demoralized publically or reported to the 'administration' for not doing their job. No one THINKS that they may not have been 'taught'! A lot of assuming goes on in nursing. It makes the legal nurse consultants rich! Rather than device a complete training program, they blame the trainee. I have seen this over and over again. How sad... negligence may also spell .. 'lack of knowledge' without intent.

Again, as an instructor, I am sorry for all the bad ones. There are some good ones out there. Where I teach, we are evaluated each semester by our students. There have been instructors who were urged to quit because of continuously bad evals. I don't believe bullying is the way to teach. I ask my students questions at clinical, but give them time to respond and try to encourage them as most people can't remember things when put on the spot. I can't expect them to know every answer, as I don't know every answer (that is where the trusty PDA comes is really handy!). Terrorizing students is not teaching. That said, there are some students who are not prepared. Some expect you to open their heads and poor the knowledge in for them. I will go out of my way to help a student as long as the student is trying. Why help someone who doesn't put forth any effort? My students and I have a great time at clinicals and in class. We all learn and help each other. Just thought you should know that there really are some caring instructors out there....