Forgive me, but I've noticed on these boards when a student is afraid of a overly harsh clinical instructor, there seems to be a running theme: angry clinical instructors that embarrass students, intimidate them, and make them afraid of them are the clinical instructors you want, because they make you work hard?
Huh?
This is grossly incorrect, in my humble opinion. I had a clinical instructor who picked on only me in a class of eight people. She would actually chart for other students, was kind to them. When it came to me, she embarrassed me in front of patients, their families, and other staff. She talked down to me, she consistently made me feel that I was not going to be a good nurse.
Absolutely EVERYTHING I did was wrong, and nothing I did was right. Even when there were no mistakes on my charting, she made it a point NOT to tell me how well I was doing, yet did it with other students.
It had a horrible effect on me: I lost 25 pounds, I was stressed out beyond belief. I was not sleeping, and it took a toll on other classes I was taking. I am an A student, and I began to get grades that were below that. It was then that I took control of my life.
I realized that when there is a person, instructor, boss, manager, who you can NEVER, EVER PLEASE, despite how hard you work, and how correct your work may be, there may be a personality disorder there, and you may need to simply talk to other faculty who may be able to talk to the instructor. You may just need to realize that IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S THEM. And that's ok. It's ok to realize that you are doing your best, and there are people who you cannot please. But lateral violence, nurses being mean and cruel to each other, and younger nurses accepting this attitude and even praising it is baffling to me.
This harshness and uncaring attitude that some clinical instructors show to students is what fuels lateral violence in the nursing profession, and it makes being a nurse more about personality conflicts than taking care of patients. In nursing school, I have seen more times than I care to remember other nurses who are mean and cruel to new nurses, or me as a nursing student. I don't cower in a corner like many nursing students, I stand up to nurses like that, and demand to be treated with respect.
I can understand that nursing students may be afraid to cross these clinical instructors, but what kind of nurse will you be, and how can you advocate for patients, if you cannot advocate for yourself? You need courage to be a nurse, and it seems that the message on many boards is: "do what you can with mean clinical instructors, be silent, accept the abuse, and move on". This just seems strange to me since as nurses, we need to be strong for our patients.
There is a nursing shortage going on, and we don't need students dropping out of programs because they have clinical instructors stuck in the past who think it's acceptable to embarrass and intimidate students and create a hostile class environment. It's unnecessary, and we as nurses need to acknowledge it.
I think it's high time that abusive instructors and nurses who practice lateral violence to other nurses and CNA's realize just how they are making this nursing shortage worse, by discouraging bright and talented nurses who don't need the cruelty. For those of you who are reading this who practice this behavior and you know who you are: Stop It.
And we wonder why so many nurses leave the profession.
Because they can, and 9 times out of 10 get away with it. I still shudder to think of my classmate who got slapped in the face by her clinical instructor. The student was having trouble getting the needleguard up on the needle and the instructor says get away from me with that needle, and I guess the student was still struggling to get the needleguard up, and because the instructor was afraid to get a needlestick she slaps the student in the face.
That instructor is damn lucky that student didn't report her, what she did was CRIMINAL.
Because they can, and 9 times out of 10 get away with it. I still shudder to think of my classmate who got slapped in the face by her clinical instructor. The student was having trouble getting the needleguard up on the needle and the instructor says get away from me with that needle, and I guess the student was still struggling to get the needleguard up, and because the instructor was afraid to get a needlestick she slaps the student in the face.
That instructor is damn lucky that student didn't report her, what she did was CRIMINAL.
Shocked speechless by this. I wish I could say I didn't believe you but unfortunately, I do.
Did your classmate stay in the program after this happened? Is the instructor still teaching at that school?
Shocked speechless by this. I wish I could say I didn't believe you but unfortunately, I do.
Did your classmate stay in the program after this happened? Is the instructor still teaching at that school?
Yes my classmate did stay in the program and has since graduated. I think the reason she did not report the instructor was out of fear that somehow they would prevent her from graduating and she was only weeks away from graduation. This was an older student, and actually she was a kiss***, but she had no reason to lie, I totally believe her. I have no idea if she reported the instructor after graduation. I would like to think the instructor is not working at that college anymore, but I really, really doubt it.
Interesting reading here. I'm currently in CRNA school, and have experienced exactly this same kind of clinical instructor behavior. Inappropriate and unprofessional behavior, extreme hard-ass on students (even when we were totally green and brand new in clinicals), and just generally a jackass. Not sure what the motivation of people like this is, but it does nothing whatsoever to make people want to stay in the profession. If all they're looking for is a bunch of cowering sheep, that may be what they get. I'm an older student (mid-40s), and I have a hard time putting up with behavior like this from anyone - whether a physician, teacher, or whatever. I may yet get in trouble with this person, but there is only so much I'll put up with.
We had an evil clinical instructor too, who would love to pull students' legs and make them fail out of the school. She finally started trying to get the instructors in trouble! can you believe this?! Thankfully, she got fired this semester for causing too much trouble! Thank God.
As a nursing instructor, I can say that I find students have the best retention and success when I ask a LOT from them, but am open about all my expectations up front. I expect the best from all of my students, and will push them to excel. However, this does NOT mean being rude, abusive, unfair, or harsh. The students respond best when they know I will never let them off easy, but that they will never be abused. They feel safe to learn and grow, knowing I am not trying to fail them, but also that I am not just "letting them loose" unsupervised with no expectations or rules.
You can "make" someone bend to your will by being nasty, but that type of "learning" only extends to the end of the class in most cases. My goal is to get students to a point where they recognize all that they are capable of. Many have had people tell them they aren't smart enough or capable enough their entire lives. When they realize how much potential they have, I don't need to motivate them anymore! They want to be their best for the personal satisfaction of doing so, and my goal is to give them the tools and knowledge to succeed.
That's awesome. I have to say that I have been very lucky in my nursing school so far. The clinical instructor I have now has a reputation for being tough, and she is. But I know she has only the best intentions. I know that her motivation is an overwhelming concern for the quality of our nursing grads and the care nurses should be giving patients. And because I know this, I will take every constructive criticism she gives me to heart, because I know she is trying to make me better. I am more motivated in this clinical than I was in last--not because I'm afraid of this instructor, but because I'm afraid of ever disappointing her.
I had a clinical instructor from hell during the chronic care part of my clinical. She was something else, she has two favourite students and the rest of us she wasn't keen on at all. She would let her favourites get all the opportunities that came up. Whenever I had to perform a skill in front of her she wouldn't emphasize everything I did wrong instead of telling me what I did fine. When it came to the year end review she gave me a horrible review, gave me countless things that she felt I needed to work on. Well, after that review I wanted to drop out of nursing and not go back. I had a semester break, and I am thankful I did. I did much thinking on that semester off and decided I wasn't going to let her opinion of me drive me out of school. I also had support from my husband who told me if i really wanted to be a nurse I could be. It was also stressed to me that it was an opinion not necessarily the right opinion. When school commenced I was very apprehensive about clinical because it was in med/surg and much more was expected out of us that term. I am thankful I did go back, I had the best clinical instructor, that treated all the students appropriately with respect. I needed that to rebuild my confidence after my experience from the previous term. My point is whatever a clinical instructor thinks of you doesn't matter, it's what you think that matters.
I'm highly considering dropping out of school. I'm so close to graduating, but the abuse is becoming unbearable. 45 minutes of yelling at one student in preconference? The rest of us were literally shaking and afraid to speak. Then, we were told we were stupid, not worthy of doing clinicals (after doing so for a year) and that we would never EVER pass our boards.
Each day before class, I vomit or have diarrhea. My mental and physical health is at stake, as is the rest of the class. We do not have the option of another instructor. I hate to quit, but I'm on edge all of the time.
Even in the midst of writing this, I had to go deal with vomiting. Just thinking about it makes me so very sick.
What can we do? who will stand up for us? Is this sort of abuse even allowed?
I'm highly considering dropping out of school. I'm so close to graduating, but the abuse is becoming unbearable. 45 minutes of yelling at one student in preconference? The rest of us were literally shaking and afraid to speak. Then, we were told we were stupid, not worthy of doing clinicals (after doing so for a year) and that we would never EVER pass our boards.
Each day before class, I vomit or have diarrhea. My mental and physical health is at stake, as is the rest of the class. We do not have the option of another instructor. I hate to quit, but I'm on edge all of the time.
Even in the midst of writing this, I had to go deal with vomiting. Just thinking about it makes me so very sick.
What can we do? who will stand up for us? Is this sort of abuse even allowed?
I just want my old self back. No more stress.
What! I have not read this entire thread but have you reported this person? I would not stand for this! I don't mind being pushed to my limit, I don't mind being criticized - If its all done with good intentions to make me better. I think my instructor this semester did that. She definitely got on us when we messed up, but she would also praise us when we did well. I want to be criticized and corrected and pushed to my limit but I am not going to stand for someone berating me. This is absolutely ridiculous! I hope you don't quit because of this person.
We are a small school with very limited staff. Only 2 instructors teach this course, and they work together. There is no other option for us, unfortunately.
To the poster who asked where I am located, I'd rather not say, on the off chance they may be on here, but I'm not in your area.
I'm still in the program, but my body is absolutely hating me. I keep reminding myself this term will be over soon (less than 5 weeks). Until then, I have to grin and bear it, then barf.
latebloomer74, LPN
189 Posts
Because they can, and 9 times out of 10 get away with it. I still shudder to think of my classmate who got slapped in the face by her clinical instructor. The student was having trouble getting the needleguard up on the needle and the instructor says get away from me with that needle, and I guess the student was still struggling to get the needleguard up, and because the instructor was afraid to get a needlestick she slaps the student in the face.
That instructor is damn lucky that student didn't report her, what she did was CRIMINAL.