Are RN's poor lecturers in general or is it the program in my school?

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Specializes in Dementia care.

I started Year III this fall and again, for the 3rd September in a row I am going through emotional fits of disappointment and anger. What am I paying for?? Although an incredible source and wealth of knowledge, my RN (BScN and MScN) professors cannot lecture! Is this a common trend in most nursing programs or is just my school?

How will I get through another year of (sorry, for a lack of a better term) crap and not demand an explanation for this from the powers that be? I believe in these individuals (maybe not all the time) capability for knowledge but the ability to perform lectures effectively and therefore teach me what I need to know and essentially make me feel like a happy paying customer is leaving me incredibly stressed!

Has anyone had to endure the same problem and is this an overall university issue and not just nursing?

I'd love to hear your stories and would even welcome some words of wisdom that perhaps I have incorrect expectations.

Help!

Deborah

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Well I haven't started the nursing program yet, but I did attend a university for 4 years and can tell you it is not the "overall university," I can think of handful of lecturers that weren't very good but for the most part mine were not only good, but excellent (esp in my major). However, in every class I was expected to be an active, engaged learner and learn things on my own as well.

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I'll be graduating this year, and I can think of maybe 2 lecturers that I didn't feel were very good. Many times it seems to me like the smartest ones are the ones that just can't seem to get their point across. I found that meeting with them on topics that I didn't understand well (after looking it over myself of course) was helpful. Some of them were completely different to talk to one on one than they were lecturing. This way they can address specific questions that you have. If they are just plain not helpful in general then I suppose that would be another story. You could always try meeting with other professors that you know. Surely there's at least a few that you've found to be good.

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Specializes in Dementia care.

I've had one good prof that could lecture small and large groups. Only one. Other good profs didn't come from the nsg faculty.

It's not a case of not understanding the material. Or not being willing to be prepared or to be an independent thinker...critical thinker. It's a case of being bored to death by a crumby presenter. The material has merit but the presenter isn't doing it justice. I have a feeling unless you have been to one of my classes, one may not understand the extent of the offence! I respect each lady as a nurse, but as a presenter/lecturer....they lack!!! I think its unfair to them really. And why my program has to have so many. urgh ;)

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Most RNs at the teaching level are not teachers by trade (unless they have their RN-MSN-Ed) Not everyone is meant to teach. Its not like nursing instructors are required to have a teaching credential.

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Specializes in Eventually RN, BSN, CNRA.

I agree, RN's are horrible teachers, even BSN's. I'm not saying they're not intelligent about the field, but teaching is a skill in itself. For NUR101, my lecturer (a BSN) basically made slides, about 100, threw them up on a projector, read them word for word and then tested us 2 weeks later. Makes attending class pointless, since the school forced me to purchase every handout before the year.

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