Last week I had clinicals with this particular instructor for the first time. The instructor and I have been on friendly terms and have ran into each other socially a few times. She has always been quick to make a joke or laugh at mine...
A few times during lecture (no, several times) I have come to her rescue when she misquotes facts we should know and/or contradicts herself (this happens alot). I have defended her behavior to other students.
She can be terribly impatient and intimidating...even during lecture but I was absolutely stunned at how she treated all of us during clinical. Please know that I do not throw the word "abuse" around lightly. I understand that lives are on the line and tempers are at a fever pitch. I do not expect to be babied or carried around on a feather pillow. Roll your eyes, call me names under your breath but just teach me has been my motto. I worked with the public for fifteen years before I began this profession...there is not a name that I have not been called and no cut-down that has not made it's way to me at least once. But, we got much more than eye rolling and under the breath names. She was not satisfied until she had made a meal out of four other students before me (reducing them to tears after screaming that she would send them all home or reducing them to red faces demanding they answer her shaming questions through clenched teeth).
Her behavior was so hostile that two of the patients demanded that she not come back into their rooms.
She has been barred from the another hospital in our community (found this out this weekend). She also does not work any place but the school (gee, wonder why). She has been sued over a dozen times. And I have heard her verbally abuse the "president" of our program (she takes it without doing anything either).
What on Earth should I do? I made detailed journal entries on both days and discussed it with several people...
Actually I am a staff writer for the school magazine and (ironically enough) had began the research to compose an article on horizontal violence. I plan on using my instructors behavior as a example of what this is. I also found some information from the EOC that defines what harassment is...She was truly guilty.
I brought up the previous lawsuits because she actually wears them as a badge of sorts. She has told us repeatedly and in great detail about each time she was involved in a lawsuit. She is of the old OLD gaurd of nursing that sees nurses as victims of docs and lawyers, not members of the healthcare team...so she turns around and (horizontal violence) projects/vomits her helplessness onto others. You are right when you say that they are not legally relevant however, they were relevant in explaining the type of person I am dealing with.
I also have a friend that is the editor of a large freebee paper in this area that has a decent readership. If I can make the article a really great one, I am hoping he will publish it as well.
I might be very limited in what I can do while I am still in school but, I will have much more time/ability/clout after receiving my license...I might not be able to be much of a help to upcoming nursing students until then.
Report her to the dean of nursing. She should not be allowed in nursing period if that is the way she acts and talks, especially in front of the patients.
If going to the dean gets you no where, then take it to the president/ceo of the college. If that does nothing, then report her the the joint comission who does the school's accredidation. And report her to the state board. I would also speak with the director of nursing at the specific hospital.
I recently complained on an abusive clinical instructor. He's been employed at my school for 8 years and numerous other students have complained on him.
However, the school does not want to get rid of him. The salary for nursing instructors is quite low, so attracting new instructors would be hard and time-consuming. The people who are not cut out to be staff nurses or administrative personnel are the ones who will settle for the low pay of a nursing teacher. That's the way it is.
That is not true. Some people enjoy teaching and are good at it. Don't cut people down like that.
So, in response to your above post... that ISN'T the way it is.
thank you everyone...I have left a message with a good friend of mine who is an attorney to try to run down my options.
Unfortunately, none of the other students would be willing to stick their necks out to file a formal complaint (I have brought it up to each of them). They are all afraid of the consequences of raising a big enough stink to really be heard. I doubt seriously if I could count on many of the nurses that were present that day either, with the exception of one who was openly disgusted by our instructors behavior. We are already running on a skeleton crew of instructors and I feel like this is why she is retained. The college that we attend has the vast majority of its enrollments because of nursing school hopefuls. Read: big $$$. With the long wait-list, people are desperate to get in despite the reputation of some of the instructors---a calculated risk that I decided to take as well. The school would certainly fear a lawsuit but, I also fear what could happen to my education if I get wrapped up in something like this.
And did I mention that I am dead broke?
But, I am also too old to witness something like this and do nothing.
The town where we live is very small and a squeaky student could face all sorts of complications. Luckily, I do not plan on practicing here after graduation.
I am sure that my friend will give me some good advice...Thank you so much for all of yours.
What about approaching the hospital where you are doing clinicals. You said several patients requested she not come back into their room. Surely the hospital dosen't that kind of PR.
I recently complained on an abusive clinical instructor. He's been employed at my school for 8 years and numerous other students have complained on him.
However, the school does not want to get rid of him. The salary for nursing instructors is quite low, so attracting new instructors would be hard and time-consuming. The people who are not cut out to be staff nurses or administrative personnel are the ones who will settle for the low pay of a nursing teacher. That's the way it is.
I totally don't agree. One of my best instructors that I learned so much from had been a Cardiac Nurse for many years. Cardiac ICU, taking care of patients that had just had transplants. She was going back to school in her spare time for her Ph.d. Wonderful nurse who had a calling for teaching. And thank goodness she did.
Report her to the dean of nursing. She should not be allowed in nursing period if that is the way she acts and talks, especially in front of the patients.
If going to the dean gets you no where, then take it to the president/ceo of the college. If that does nothing, then report her the the joint comission who does the school's accredidation. And report her to the state board. I would also speak with the director of nursing at the specific hospital.
Some good ideas! I was going to ask if it was anything that the media may be interested in.. if somehow the school got the idea that lawyers/ media/ accrediting bodies could possibly get interested, that might make it more worth it to find another teacher than to worry about not being able to find one. Sounds like something must be wrong at the top of the program too, to allow someone so incompetent.
It would be great if some 'power that be' at your clinical sight would request that she not practice there ... then she would be of minimal to no use to the program and that may solve it!! Can you try to make her behavior apparent to as many witnesses as possible when you are there?
I feel for you, I think it's tantamount to bribery if what you describe is true... 'put up with this abuse or you loose all your money and don't graduate."
Good luck whatever happens!
PS... I think the teaching comment was low blow too... most of my instructors are great, and even the ones that aren't my faves are good people and good practitioners as best I can tell, I can't say the same for all the hospital nurses I know. Theres good and bad everywhere.
I can totally sympathize with your situation. If you think it's bad having a professor like that, try having the director of the nursing department act the same way. I endured this woman for four of the five semesters I have been in the nursing program...until she was finally asked to leave! You have gotten some really good advice and I admire your determination! Good luck in your endeavors.
P.S. Not all professors are bad, out of 4 professors and the director only the director and one of the other professors truly stink!! I love the other three for the wisdom they have bestowed on me!
I think that you're buying yourself a boot to the door.
I think you should hold off and make a stink after you graduate. Ask an instructor you trust in confidence if you can ensure that you won't be with that instructor again.
I disagree with the comment about teaching as well. One of my professors will not be coming back next year because the cut in pay has been a personal hardship that she can no longer manage. I am heartbroken to lose her.
With only one exception, the rest of my prof's are the type of people and the type of nurses that make me know that I have chosen the right field...they are beautiful individuals...
Ironically enough, I would like to become an instructor as well ...some point down the road.
This particular instructor has secured such a stinky rep in this little town that she can't work elsewhere. The tragic part is that she has amassed an incredible body of technical knowledge that we could all benefit from (and ultimately the patients could benefit from)...but she hides in it a storm of hostility and fury.
If what you are saying is true I think the school should be held responsible for keeping this person on their staff.
I wouldn't see correcting her mistakes as coming to her rescue. I know you mean well but people who corrected instructors' mistakes were soon seen as know-it-alls and that is a terrible turn off not only to the students but the instructors and people who did that where I went to school didn't last long. If she is as incompetent as you are making her sound she doesn't need to have a nursing license, much less be teaching others. On the other hand, we all make mistakes, just don't try to make it your place to educate her.
Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.
My nursing class actually banded together, formed a committee, got with the vice president of academic affairs, presented various forms of evidence, and got one abusive instructor, who had been with the program for 11 years, fired.
I mostly stayed out of it for two reasons... one, I had never had problems with her myself, and two, she was a friend of my mom's from the Nat'l Guard.
If you think it's bad having a professor like that, try having the director of the nursing department act the same way. I endured this woman for four of the five semesters I have been in the nursing program...until she was finally asked to leave! You have gotten some really good advice and I admire your determination! Good luck in your endeavors.
timewood
52 Posts
thanks everyone.
Actually I am a staff writer for the school magazine and (ironically enough) had began the research to compose an article on horizontal violence. I plan on using my instructors behavior as a example of what this is. I also found some information from the EOC that defines what harassment is...She was truly guilty.
I brought up the previous lawsuits because she actually wears them as a badge of sorts. She has told us repeatedly and in great detail about each time she was involved in a lawsuit. She is of the old OLD gaurd of nursing that sees nurses as victims of docs and lawyers, not members of the healthcare team...so she turns around and (horizontal violence) projects/vomits her helplessness onto others. You are right when you say that they are not legally relevant however, they were relevant in explaining the type of person I am dealing with.
I also have a friend that is the editor of a large freebee paper in this area that has a decent readership. If I can make the article a really great one, I am hoping he will publish it as well.
I might be very limited in what I can do while I am still in school but, I will have much more time/ability/clout after receiving my license...I might not be able to be much of a help to upcoming nursing students until then.
Thank you again...