Advice needed about clinical instructor - Page 5

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  1. Jul 29, '12 by
    My 2 cents, fwiw: I think you should go to your instructor and talk about this. Calmly, non-aggressively, non-defensively. If it were me, I'd say something like this, "I feel disappointed and a little frustrated about a couple interactions and I'm hoping we can talk about it. I know there's an important lesson for me to learn here, and I'd like to improve." Then explain that during the interview, you wished you had a little more space/time to work it out before she intervened. Then ask why she did intervene when she did and listen to her answer. This reminds me a lot of teaching my daughter to drive. It's hard to be the coach. I want to give her space to figure out how to steer and brake, but not so much space that she drives off the road or rear-ends someone. When I was coaching her driving, I tended to jump in maybe a bit too soon, but she was new and unpredictable. MY comfort zone was that she started braking early because I wasn't confident that she would stop if she didn't. Does that make any sense? The sense I get from you is that you feel like your instructor is stepping in just a bit too quickly. Maybe if you can talk (not argue or defend but talk) to your preceptor and communicate what your feelings/needs are and listen to what her feelings/needs are, you can find some middle ground to make your learning relationship more effective. This will only work if you aren't defensive and really listen. I've found that when I've been able to do this, it's helped a lot. Good luck!
    Last edit by jt43 on Jul 29, '12 : Reason: typos and sorry no paragraphs, formatting doesn't translate from my phone. :/
    GrnTea likes this.
  2. Jul 29, '12 by
    Quote from grntea
    " since you have not yet passed the nclex and don't possess a nursing license of your own, you are doing every single thing in that clinical under her license."

    common fallacy. students are not "practicing under (the instructor's) license." they are expected to practice to their own scope of practice, which is, what they've already learned in school, and not to exceed it without someone watching/assisting who has the scope of practice that can do it. schools are held accountable to see that the students behave under those constraints.

    "i think i'm learning that i shouldn't let others know that i have self doubt. it's ok to ask questions when i'm unsure... but i should never show a lack of confidence in myself. "

    this may actually be a very functional way to proceed. how would you like to be lying in the bed and sense that your nurse is full of self-doubt about what she's doing? your instructor has the background to put herself in the patient's place as well as in her instructor place, and is trying to improve your essence of being a nurse, for lack of a better way to put it.

    do your rants and self-doubts here, where no one can actually see you and no one will be marking you or paying you. get it off your chest...but never let 'em see you sweat.

    ps. i never said anything about your not being appropriate for an icu rotation. i said i could understand, perhaps, why the instructor might be seeing something you don't.
    great post. i keep reading these posts about "practicing under someone's license." i am aware of no state in which a student nurse practices on someone else's license. clinical instructors, faculty and preceptors are required to have assessed a student's abilities and supervise them appropriately. however, student mistakes (as long as they are appropriately supervised) aren't "on" a clinical instructor's license. can you imaine? no one would ever be a clinical instructor if they were at risk to lose their license over students who are just learning. my understanding is that states have exeptions to the requirement for a license for students in clinical settings. you are required to stay within your scope of practice which means not performing skills for which you haven't been educated/trained.

    op, i think you need to work on your confidence. it is important for your patients that you don't display a lack of confidence, even if you feel one.
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  3. Jul 29, '12 by
    Quote from 2bnursebet
    I learned 30 or less... and then my instructor instructed me to insert at 45. This threw me off, and I started to doubt myself. Yes I would have liked a chance to discuss it before going in the room.

    I didn't say she was "judging" me. I would have liked a chance to intellectualize the skill with her beforehand. Whoa-now got it right - I needed a few minutes to explain to her what I was going to do so that we would be on the same page.....
    But I don't think the teacher is judging me based on a fair assessment of my capabilities....

    I pulled that from your first post. Sorry, from what you said I did read that you felt she was judging you....
  4. Jul 29, '12 by
    My apologies, I am one who made a comment about practicing under the umbrella of an instructors license. This is what is drilled into us as nursing students--that if WE mess up, it comes back on the instructor as it is under her license that we are allowed to perform skills in a clinical setting. I'd be willing to wager that my school would not be alone in perpetuating that myth.....
  5. Jul 30, '12 by
    Quote from ColleenRN2B
    But I don't think the teacher is judging me based on a fair assessment of my capabilities....

    I pulled that from your first post. Sorry, from what you said I did read that you felt she was judging you....
    Colleen RN2B: Sorry, I guess I did use the word judge. However, "judging" has a negative connotation - what I meant to say is: I don't think the teacher is EVALUATING me based on a fair assessment of my capabilities...

    Thanks for everybody's insight on here - it has been tremendously helpful!
  6. Jul 30, '12 by
    Quote from ColleenRN2B
    My apologies, I am one who made a comment about practicing under the umbrella of an instructors license. This is what is drilled into us as nursing students--that if WE mess up, it comes back on the instructor as it is under her license that we are allowed to perform skills in a clinical setting. I'd be willing to wager that my school would not be alone in perpetuating that myth.....
    Yes.. I've heard the "myth" perpetuated by others at my school as well
  7. Jul 30, '12 by
    Honestly, snide remarks are totally not necessary. I've been in your shoes before. When it comes to clinical instructors, you're basically at their mercy. Some people are just pig headed as well. I've been in a situation where I was prideful, and really shouldn't have been. My clinical instructor called me out on it. I've been in a situation where I know I was giving 110% and my clinical instructor didn't think I was "made" for nursing. I've learned from both situations. Do you ever feel flustered while under pressure, especially from your instructor? I know that this is one of my weaknesses which I need to work on. ICU is a very demanding place. Strict and cautious practice needs to be in place.

    I'd be curious to know how she is with the other students as well ...
  8. Jul 31, '12 by
    i think your instructor is doing just fine. maybe it is just the way she handles students like us. my advice, just do what she says, obey her, for you will learn more. you can also confront her about the incident. i know she will listen to you.
  9. Jul 31, '12 by
    Sbe is a nurse and one thing you will learn eventually is that nurses are use to taking charge and "just doing it". I'm a new grad and I'm already getting like this. I understand exactly where you are coming from when you say that you want her to ease up a little and let you take the wheel. Maybe you should sit her down and just tell her how uncomfortable it makes you and how you want to figure it out on your own. She may not even realize what she is doing. Nurses are just use to just getting it done and moving to the next thing. And as far as choosing a preceptor, choose where you want to go and what your interests are. You will learn more, and you will enjoy your experiene much more. Hope I helped.
  10. Jul 31, '12 by
    Thanks Neena_RN for the advice to go where my interests are... The ICU is what interests me the most, so that is where I think I should go!

    My instructor is really awesome. She let me do another IV start today, and it went really good! I actually learned quite a bit from her the first time and was able to apply my learning today, which felt so great!!! I also got to do some blood admin.....

    At one point, the instructor said: "You will see a lot of this in ICU..." I don't know if that means she's reconsidering my preceptorship, and I was a little scared to ask... but I sure hope so!

    I think this was the PUSH I needed to stop hanging my head and to find my confidence.
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