Balanced advice please!

[WhistlingNurse]

This is the first thread I've ever started. Yay me! Bad news it's a little on the negative side but I do really need some advice so here goes nothing.....

I am a nurse but am in school getting my RN. At our school you do your clinical day and you get a grade on your clinical day. The teacher also writes out a written report of how you did. You must sign the grade rubric and the written report. I read my written report and there are multiple errors in what the teacher wrote. I will point out some of the deductions I deserved so I'm not just whining about my grade or being criticized. My issue is with the incorrect deductions. These are factual errors not differences of opinion.

After some thought, I realized that I was not willing to sign a document that was incorrect. I took the bull by the horns and spoke to the teacher about it. It was not a bad conversation but I did have to be pretty insistent to get her to realize some of the items were incorrect. At the end of the conversation she had pretty much talked it out with me and seemed to be open to what I was saying. Then she blew me away by stating she would be changing only 1 of the 4 incorrect statements and she said she did not deduct any points of for that one. (I guess it was a freebee?) My grade is actually not my issue. My problem is that when I sign that paper I make whatever is on it fact. I will not be able to argue it later if an issue comes up. I have to advocate for myself now. At this time I cannot see a way that I am comfortable signing it. If I was at my job and they wanted me to sign something this inaccurate there is no way I would. I don't want drama and I have no interest in hypothesizing about her motivations.

I kinda have 2 questions.

1. Do you think I am being to strict about not signing it?

2.Can you think of another options that might work for me?

I appreciate any thoughts you might have. I wish to be balanced and smart about what I do next. Thank you.

[Rob72, ASN, RN]

Short answer: see if you can find out any other Nursing professors who really do not like her. If he/she/they are sufficiently politically grounded, a well written complaint may help them alleviate their own suffering. Be careful, politics is risky, if you don't have a vaguely viscious, underhanded bent.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

Hmmm...this one is tough. While you don't want to bend over, you certainly don't want to be labeled as 'the whiny difficult student know it all'. You are truly in a dilemma here.

She probably respects you already because you are a nurse. She may even subconsciously be holding you to a higher standard than your classmates.

I have found that if you play political games with nursing instructors, they will always find a way to make your life more difficult. I refused to play the game, but many of my classmates did. For example, there was one professor that had been there since dirt was discovered. She was horribly unfair, and it seemed that her evaluations of our projects had no rhyme or reason behind them. One group spent a great deal of time and money on a fantastic presentation worthy of air time. She gave that group a C. Another group did a poster and used cut outs from magazines with handwritten notes stapled on. That group got an A. When the C group went to the Dean regarding her unfair evaluation, the Dean stood behind the professor. For the rest of the semester, the C group was absolutely flogged.

In your situation, I would write on the evaluation that you do not agree, and as another poster stated, write 'see attachment'. Provide a factual bullet pointed document. There is no harm in doing this.

If you can, seek out this instructor often. Get a feel for what she is looking for. It may seem unsavory to do this at first, but I bet that you both will benefit from understanding one another better, and she will likely be one of your strongest allies later on. I used this tactic when I found myself on the wrong side of one particular surgeon. NOTHING I did was right according to her. I knew that I was using evidence based practices, but she was on me like white on rice. One day, I asked her opinion about a clinical situation in which she was having some frustrations with. She let the floodgates open! I continued to discuss the issue with her, and she went into 'teaching mode'. I was surprised to find that she was not the total witch that I thought she was. She slowly started to engage me in various controversial topics usually discussed only with her peers. I still have to be spot-on when I am working with her, but don't have any hesitation about voicing my opinion when I disagree with her. As a result, we both learned how to communicate with each other and have a mutual respect.

Let us know what you decide to do. I would be interested in how your instructor interacts with you later on in the semester.

[WhistlingNurse]

Ok well I decided to let thing kinda let things just stay in a holding pattern because I was unable to settle in my own mind the right thing to do. I had another clinical day with this teacher and was waiting to see how the report looked. I wanted to see if there was a pattern before I decided what to do.

My day went well and I knew it. Not saying I was perfect but I know I didn't make any big mistakes. I learned a great deal and am very satisfied with my day and the experienced I gained. I got my report tonight and while it is not completely accurate I can live with it. Nothing like the first report. I disagree with her on 1 item but it is a difference of opinion and doesn't matter.

I still have not signed the first one and am probably simply going to note my disagreement with the 2 errors that I feel need to be addressed. It is the most peaceable way that I can live with. Thx for the advice and I will not be sorry when I am out of school. I know that situations can and will arise with employers and co-workers from time to time but I will have more options than I have with a teacher. 24 weeks till freedom! :)