Already been told I shouldn't be a nurse (Rant)

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So today I took a CPR course. I'm not in NS yet, but I decided to do it ahead of time. I've made amazing grades in all my prereq courses and every single one of my science professors has praised me as being one of their most hardworking students. I'm the first person in my family to go to college. I have a huge family, but no one works in healthcare so this is all new to me. You know, everyone starts at the bottom. I was looking forward to going to my CPR class and learning new things, but the instructor was ridiculing me the entire time. There were other students, but she only picked on me. To make things worse, everyone else in class was so knowledgable and knew exactly what they were doing. At one point she giggled and said "You're not doing it fast enough... I think you killed him... Yeah, you shouldn't be a nurse." Every 10 minutes she brought up to the class how I "killed" the mannequin. I got fed up and politely responded with "Hey, that's why I'm here... to learn how to do it correctly" she kind of backed off after that.

I know that this is to be expected in NS, especially at clinicals. I know. I will not allow anyone to get in the way of my dreams. I have thick skin. I've been talked down on when I was in high school and I proved all of those people wrong. I'm just astounded that it's happening this early on. When you tell someone they're in the wrong profession, before they've even started, is crossing the line if you ask me.

Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

It sounds to me like the class was full of experienced people, and the instructor was trying to joke around, not realizing that you are brand new to healthcare and needed clear directions and support. Don't worry about it. It's not likely to happen in nursing school. In nursing school you will all be in the same boat. This was just a fluke.

Congrats on your prereqs and best wishes on your journey!

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Specializes in OR.

Waayyyyy back when I was in school (not so far that we charted on rocks with a hammer and chisel, now) there was always that one instructor that the class ahead of us talked about how "she flunks everyone, she'll eat you for lunch, she's mean, etc." We were all scared to death of Ms. -----. When we finally got there, it turned out that she was the most memorable, patient, instructor most of us had. She was hard as nails on us but never embarrassed anyone in front of others. I generally think if someone (this going for colleagues out in the workplace too) needs to demean or belittle someones goals it is because they lack confidence themselves and that is the only way they know how to make them selves look/feel better.

Having made it this far through your pre-reqs and having the initiative to do other things to get ahead, you will do fine. Either brush it off as someone's lame attempt at being funny or equally lame attempt at puffing up their own ego and move on.

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Specializes in Ortho.

You may never have to see that woman again. At least for two years. It's irritating I know. You'll encounter people questioning your intelligence ALL the time. Stay gracious. Let your good work speak for itself.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..
Yep. She was a paramedic. She kept asking these difficult questions (things that we, as students, would not know at the top of our heads) and she would look directly at me until I nodded or shook my head. She wouldn't give us the correct answer to the question until I gave her a response. Of course, I didn't know the correct answer to most of her questions so I felt humiliated. Not sure what her problem was, but I hope she fixes it soon.

What kind of questions was she asking? All she should've been asking for a BLS CPR class is "Is the patient breathing, do they have a pulse? No, okay, start compressions."

People on power trips make me wanna spit.

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I understand and feel the same way. That's how my family is none are in the health profession and for that reason feel it is not the right fit for me. Smh it just but I have thick skin, I just wish my family could see how good I am and could be.

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If you can't handle a little bit of banter in a BLS CPR class, how are you going to handle real criticism in nursing school?

How are you going to respond under real pressure of a code?

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Specializes in ICU.
If you can't handle a little bit of banter in a BLS CPR class, how are you going to handle real criticism in nursing school?

How are you going to respond under real pressure of a code?

Oh, honestly. I've never been berated or embarassed in a code before, and I've been in more than a few.

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If you can't handle a little bit of banter in a BLS CPR class, how are you going to handle real criticism in nursing school?

How are you going to respond under real pressure of a code?

Did you not read the last few sentences in my post? I'm not so much hurt, but shocked how unprofessional some people can be, especially towards a beginner. I've had some bad days, but I never took it out on someone like that.

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Specializes in CVICU, CCRN.

I was told in my last year of nursing school that I'd never succeed. She picked on me, yelled at me, made fun of me for an entire semester. She loved especially to make fun of me in front of my classmates. Many days, I went home and cried and cried and cried.

But I graduated with cum laude, and landed my first job in an ICU. I make 37.50/hr at my job, and 46.50/hr at my per diem job.

Now at my job it's almost a part two of what happened to me in my senior year of nursing school. I get made fun of and ridiculed constantly - I know I'm probably also gossiped about because I'm not up to par with veterans who have been nursing for 40 years. I receive all the admissions, all the discharges, all the confused patients while the veteran nurses sit down and chat and eat. I go without eating, having time to pee while I play catch up.

How how do I get through this? I tell myself every single day that this isn't my forever. I'll go towards my goal one week at a time.

Currently, Im trying to find a bigger hospital with bigger pay in a better ICU. I hope to be a crna one day, and if I ignore the nay Sayers --- just like my clinical teacher --- I'll be very happy.

we will all show them right, op?

So my advice? Ignore and keep pushing forward.

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First, this is not ok and this should never be expected. This is an educator that is there to teach you, not to embarrass you and this educator should be reported. I come from zero experience in the medical field. My frirst degree was psych and I ended up counseling in a pregnancy center. Once, I had an academic advisor tell me at a student nursing orientation (before I finished my first degree) that I would never be a nurse because of my GPA and that I should start as a CNA and maybe one day I would work myself up enough to take the licensure exam to be an RN. I went home devasted and I cried for hours. She had crushed my dream. She told me that I wasn't good enough. I had another advisor in a different state tell me that if I finished my first degree with a good GPA that I could apply for their accelerated nursing program. I worked hard, got excellent grades, applied and was accepted. I remember the day I opened my envelope, I cried, while standing in my driveway, with excitement. I also thought about that one advisor who told me I'd never make it. I wanted to tell her so much how she was wrong. Now, I graduate in May and will take my boards to become a nurse. All throughout school, every clinical instructor I have had has encouraged us to report any preceptor who is rude, who bullies, or who doesn't take the time to teach us because that is never acceptable. You are there to learn and to ask questions. Always ask questions! I am proud of you for standing up for yourself. A great nurse is not only an advocate for their patients but also for their self. I am sorry that happened to you. Keep your chin up!!! Report the instructor, because if they are doing it to you then they are doing it to others as well. Not everyone has thick skin, and words hurt.

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I've never commented here before but was so upset by your story I felt compelled! I even had to create an account, etc. so I could respond! What the CPR instructor did was UNACCEPTABLE! I would suggest you notify the company that employs this person & notify them of what went on during your class. So happy to hear that you are not taking it personally, but this person should not be allowed to practice as an instructor. Nurses eating their young is never appropriate & should not be tolerated!

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Let me make a comment as a former nursing instructor. You handled yourself appropriately. You are doing everything right and working hard. I had many students that I would've loved to have told they didn't deserve to be nurses. I had one that didn't even know what an IV was and when I asked her why she was in the program, she said she thought it would be fun. :banghead: I had many others that couldn't grasp basic concepts or weren't willing to put in any effort either in class or in clinicals. They said my tests were too hard and always wanted to know exactly what was on them. Because, you know, critical thinking was too much for them to process. Those people didn't deserve to be nurses. You, however, keep pushing forward, working hard, and you will succeed! I wish I'd had students like you! :)

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