Disclaimer: This is a venting post only and may very possibly irk/irritate/anger nursing students. Please don't post about how mean and unfair I am or how I don't understand how difficult it is to be a student. I'm just frustrated and need to vent, period.
I'm an instructor in nursing and teach a lab to new nursing students. Recently we had the first set of check offs which included vital signs and some other basic stuff.
There is one student I'm very worried about. He isn't in my clinical group (we did check offs with about four other groups). Anyway, he has been quite clueless all semester and pt care begins next week. What I'm frustrated over is his lack of preparartion. He KNEW we had check offs and was told what they would be over as well as what equipment would be required to use during the check off. Student are also given LOTS of lab time to come in on their own, to learn how to manipulate the equipment.
So what happened? When he got to me to check off on the thermometer, he didn't know how to turn it on! He was nervous, so I did feel sympathetic for that. But the reason he didn't know wasn't because he was nervous, it was because he never practiced using the equipment (he admitted to this to me). I had to fail him (he will get two more chances to pass). The thing that really burns me is that he never PRACTICED. He just came in (I think he knows he is a weaker student- and I believe he tries very hard) and attempted to check off. I really don't think he has what it takes, though I would love him to provde me wrong, I just doubt that will happen. It is SO irritating to think that he has taken up a spot in a program and that there is some other potential student out there waiting who would be more successful!
Please don't come after me with torches. I am a nursing instructor who loves my students and I care about them, just sometimes my patience gets very thin!