Bad Clinical Instructor

Nursing Students General Students

Updated:   Published

How much bad behavior should be tolerated?

What do you do when you have a clinical instructor who lies? These clinical instructors are something else. They think it's appropriate to put on an evaluation that's posted online everything the student does wrong, making it appear that the student is morally or professionally unfit, even when you explained what occurred such as the charge nurse was not involved with teaching the student - but the student gets all their work done and make sure the patient was taken care of more than the actual nurse. 

This to me warrants disciplinary action on the instructor. They end up teaching even though they have unsatisfactory evaluations from students. You don't get to choose your clinical instructor and, by all means, you'll never choose some of these instructors, not to mention you pay the  school for instruction.  The instructors will throw you under the bus, so it makes sense to,  in two seconds,  send them to the board of nursing for a complaint for unsatisfactory and immoral behavior. The reason why this is necessary is because you can't tell a nursing instructor your concerns or else you'll get a target on  your back (due to bullying). This is not tolerating bad behavior by clinical instructors. 

Thoughts?

Specializes in Critical Care.
On 2/21/2022 at 8:55 PM, hppygr8ful said:

a great instructor told me I would do well to develop a thicker skin. Nursing is a tough world I was told.

...

It is a universal spiritual axiom that no person, situation or thing can make you feel some kind of way.

^^^^

@hppygr8ful dropping some real truths on this thread ?

Specializes in education, Infection Control, geriatrics.

@faithJohn,

Unfortunately your responses to all seem you were looking for others to criticize everyone else but you. Try to be less sensitive about criticism or advice for that matter, and you might be able to control your own emotions better. If the charge nurse and your instructor was getting this sort of responses from you, it is probably why things were going downSouth at your clinical site. Get some introspective moment by reading through all on this thread you created. Good Luck!

Specializes in oncology.
On 2/23/2022 at 4:15 PM, toomuchbaloney said:

Our culture seems to value titles and degrees over ethics sometimes and those people often populate low to mid level positions of authority over some group...like nursing students. IMV

I find this comment insulting, which it was intended to be.  In any educational program, some very difficult decisions are made with regard to students' ethics, knowledge and attitudes. I worked with several  faculty who would 'pass students on' even though these students lied (charting urine output on an anuric patient on HD), (pulses in both feet in a bilateral amputee) because they were 'scared' of them or did not want any trouble (we will get them out on test scores)....and now these students might be your coworkers, taking care of your family or you.

Low to mid level positions of authority ...my a**. Do you know how many sleepless nights I have had to come to a conclusion to  fail a student (s)? IMV no ...In my actuality

3 hours ago, londonflo said:

I find this comment insulting, which it was intended to be.  In any educational program, some very difficult decisions are made with regard to students' ethics, knowledge and attitudes. I worked with several  faculty who would 'pass students on' even though these students lied (charting urine output on an anuric patient on HD), (pulses in both feet in a bilateral amputee) because they were 'scared' of them or did not want any trouble (we will get them out on test scores)....and now these students might be your coworkers, taking care of your family or you.

Low to mid level positions of authority ...my a**. Do you know how many sleepless nights I have had to come to a conclusion to  fail a student (s)? IMV no ...In my actuality

Gee. I am sorry that the notion that incompetence gets elevated in a culture that values titles and degrees over experience and ethics insults you.  Maybe you haven't encountered many nurse's who are examples of the "Peter Principle"...I have.  

Regardless, it's your choice as to whether or not to personalize the remark you quoted and take offense.  

Specializes in oncology.
2 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

it's your choice as to whether or not to personalize the remark you quoted and take offense.  

I gave examples that justified my experience and personal ethics I have encountered in teaching nursing. Not incompetence. And your comments do not indicate that you read my rationale of the difficulties in teaching that are encountered. You just reiterated your original post. I know you are highly regarded for your opinions on AN but I would have expected something more that a restatement of your original quote.

2 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Maybe you haven't encountered many nurse's who are examples of the "Peter Principle"...I have.  

No I have not encountered many, but it may be the company you keep.

2 hours ago, londonflo said:

I gave examples that justified my experience and personal ethics I have encountered in teaching nursing. Not incompetence. And your comments do not indicate that you read my rationale of the difficulties in teaching that are encountered. You just reiterated your original post. I know you are highly regarded for your opinions on AN but I would have expected something more that a restatement of your original quote.

No I have not encountered many, but it may be the company you keep.

Perhaps you missed the major points...

1. I wasn't making a general assessment of any one specialty of nursing and I certainly wasn't referencing you specifically, 

and

2. The difficulties of school nursing (or any other specialty) doesn't change the realities of the Peter Principle in our profession. 

Your attempt to insult me is noted.  Maybe you need a break. 

Specializes in oncology.
23 minutes ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Your attempt to insult me is noted.  Maybe you need a break. 

Your attempt to insult me as a professional in a topic entitled "Bad Clinical Instructor" was realized for me with your quote:

5 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Gee. I am sorry that the notion that incompetence gets elevated in a culture that values titles and degrees over experience and ethics insults you.  Maybe you haven't encountered many nurse's who are examples of the "Peter Principle"...I have.  

But enjoy your break which you have earned...end of discussion. It's over...move on.

59 minutes ago, londonflo said:

Your attempt to insult me as a professional in a topic entitled "Bad Clinical Instructor" was realized for me with your quote:

But enjoy your break which you have earned...end of discussion. It's over...move on.

Nah...I was just discussing the topic and you took my generalized remarks personally.  It's fine if you don't think that bad nurses get put into all kinds of jobs, just don't advise me of trying to insult you personally when my comment in question wasn't even directed to you. 

In this specific thread and scenario I suspect that there's not really an issue with the instructor. 

 

Specializes in Critical Care.
On 3/2/2022 at 12:31 PM, londonflo said:

Do you know how many sleepless nights I have had to come to a conclusion to  fail a student (s)? IMV no ...In my actuality

I took the comment @toomuchbaloney made not as a generalization to every single instructor or as a direct insult to you but as a fact that - as with any position of power in any field ever - sometimes the wrong people move into these positions.

I've personally had some great instructors, some OK ones, and one specific instructor that perfectly illustrates to me that not all people are made for authority. 

+ Add a Comment