Being badgered by clinical instructors

okredrobot · Apr 16, 2011

Yeah, I had such a professor for Med-Surg.

She always caught me on the spot; I honestly don't know how she does it. When I would be doing something with the patient, she would grill me with a hundred and one questions. Why are you doing (xyz)?, what test is ordered for (xyz) issue?, what do you expect to see in the labs for the patient with (xyz), what are you going to teach them, what drugs do you expect to give (contradictions, side effects, blood concentrations)...and all I was doing was taking a blood sugar!

At first I thought she didn't like me, but as time passed I came to realize that she was actually helping me a lot. I think Med-Surg was my most successful clinical course because it "sky-rocketed" my critical thinking & clinical skills.

Currently, I just finished my Oncology clinical rotation and starting my Psychiatric rotation. I am really grateful that she was my clinical professor and it is all shown in my clinical skills and my current clinical professor(s) definitely notice it.

So embrace the badgering, It will make you a better nurse :up:

CCL RN, RN · Apr 16, 2011

OP, your clinical instructor is *teaching* you to become a nurse. Yeah, it's hard. That's the point. You are about to enter a field where the slightest mistake, or LACK of knowledge can kill someone, so pardon the CI for attempting to teach you how to avoid doing so.

You aren't born with critical thinking, or knowing what is important to know about your pts. Your CI is attempting to force you into thinking by asking your harder and harder questions, or repeating questions.

YOUR goal should be to anticipate these questions, already have answers, and have a "bring it on" attitude with respect to your knowledge of your pt. I mean, have the attitude in your head, not out loud. Your clinical attitude must always be, "yes maam".

HTH

canigraduate · Apr 16, 2011

I had one of those, too. I went home crying a couple of times. However, I'm one of the "Well, I'll show YOU!" type. So, I studied up, looked up a few dozen extra things, and memorized a bunch of crap to spout at her. It worked. She told me I was one of the few students she had with any sense.

Bob_N_VA · Apr 17, 2011

Nope, never been badgered. Been corrected a few times. I'm the student, they are the pros. My job is to learn all I can from them. If you take the criticism personally, then you will have an emotional reaction, usually negative. And if you demonstrate that response to them, they will take note and it probably won't help the situation. Next time it happens, smile and bite your lip and vow not to make the same mistake again.

BA_anthropology · Jul 10, 2011

A good instructor understands that 99% of students are extremely nervous in clinical and that is the MAJOR learning block. This is true of nursing students, PA students, and med students. It's unfortunate that the money really isn't there in education to give students the chance to really practice clinically, while being supervised. We're all thrown on the floor, feeling like "I really thought I was going to have learned more before I got here." And it's nerve-racking!

The good instructor builds your confidence and teaches you to deliver safe care, they don't try to tear your confidence down.

It works like this. If the student knows they can tell their instructor they haven't done something on the floor with out getting lashed (for being a human and not a robot), then we know we are going to be able to provide safe care. If not, we're terrified of telling them and we're more nervous about providing safe care on the floor because the instructor really isn't equip to be teaching, IMHO. It really is that simple.

The instructors who think that tearing students down is a good tool for teaching are full of it. B.S. B.S. B.S. :devil:

It's those instructors who make nearly all their students complete the course thinking "OH GOD, I HATE NURSING SCHOOL, WHEN WILL THIS BE OVER?!?!?" And I think they're sadistic and they like inflicting that kind of discomfort on students.

However, I do agree that the best thing to do in speaking tho them, is just bite your lip on the floor and try your best not to let it destroy your clinical experience. I do NOT agree that this is because they are pro's. The most professional instructors I've had are the ones who treat their students with respect and teach them, without abuse. And I realize that must be extremely challenging for them because every student learns differently, but it is invaluable.

I deeply appreciate the great instructors. And the nasty ones (I've been lucky and haven't had many)...just gotta bite your lip through it. Then you NEED to complain to the course leader/department head in a professional manner. If no one says anything, they never find out!

Maladroit, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2011

CI's are SUPPOSED to be putting you on the spot and guaging where your knowledge is (First so they can pass or fail you and second so YOU know where you are). She's not asking you so you know it the first time around, but that you go home knowing what IS expected of you and if you do that REPEATEDLY then that shows her you don't care and you fail. My best advice, Nursing school is hard, you need to ignore your own ideas of what their job description is and focus on LEARNING how to think critically and on the spot. It does suck, but only as long as you let it. Learn to come as prepared as possible and have a positive attitude. It's like getting thrown into a foreign country, immersed in the new language - of which you know little of - and watch how fast you pick it up!

I am really sorry that none of us are sympathizing with you, but I think we've all been there and pushed passed the same feeling you're having. You just have to if you want to finish the program. Good Luck!!!! PS. I mean all of this in the nicest way possible...:redbeathe

brittany_micah · Jul 14, 2011

I too have had one of these instructors. She was known to test hard on our drugs before we gave them, I'm talking about mechanism of action, every side effect, how to counter act it and on and on and not for just 3-5 drugs, I had 35 drugs to memorize my 2nd day of clinicals with her. lol I ended up just crying, not professional I know but talk about the stress yikes! She had a way of doing things and if you didnt do it like she wanted it she wasnt happy....I survived! (Thank God!! lol) and after all is said and done, I learned how to make a heck of a careplan, offered great pt care, and learned a lot about drugs lol I am thankful now :)