Bullied by Clinical Instructor

[dorkiexcici]

I'm in my last semester (4th) and my clinical instructor has been bullying me and making fun of me (even cussed at me) in front of my clinical group during post conference.

I've had positive clinical evaluations from all my past clinical instructors. But now, I'm feeling discouraged...She favors some students even though they don't give good SBAR or can't answer critical thinking questions about their patients or even do assessment on time. I still get chewed out even when I answered questions about my patient or give my SBAR or during my med administration she will ask me total random question or something to throw me off. She makes me feel nervous. When I go to her and update her on my patient (like any new reports) she will angrily say You're bugging me or You're hovering over me. And then later she will yell at me and say why do i never communicate with her. I'm so confused. I'm lost and feeling depressed because no matter what i do, she is never satisfied. I have only 3 weeks left and almost ready for graduation and she told me there is no hope for me in passing her clinical.

I'm gonna have clinical this coming Tuesday and she said she will be with me and if she isn't satisfied, I will be dropped.

[caliotter3]

While each of your posts discussing yet another example of the ongoing problem might be good for you to vent here, and readers find them interesting, until you take this information to the school administration, take the other steps to present your case as advised in previous posts, and file a formal complaint against this instructor, you will get nowhere. You already know that she is going to fail you. You need to do something about it.

[JoseQuinones]

@caliotter3 Yep. Pretty much.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

In some places it's illegal to record someone without permission. One skill you can use later when you run into abusive people is to say, "One moment, please," and pull in a witness. "Thank you. Could you please repeat what you just said to me?" In some hospitals, that's called a "Code Pink," an informal term that calls everyone who's free to stand with the nurse for support re the abusing physician or patient.

It might be well not ever to be alone with this person, so you always have a witness.

[erica2117]

I had this exact same experience with my clinical instructor... are you sure you aren't in the program I graduated from?! haha! No this isn't acceptable and the higherups definitely do not listen. I was told multiple times I would be a terrible nurse, and she even gave wrong medications and told me it was my fault, when I was no where in sight to administer the medications. She wrote me up for things she did and threatened to drop me from the program. You need to stay strong and as the saying goes "kill em with kindness." Don't let it show her that it is bothering you, she's a bully, bullies get satisfaction on showing that it is bothering you. 3 more weeks left and you can totally get through this, just lean on the other girls in your program for guidance and take the best care of the patients you possibly can.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I'd love to hear the other side of this story. Not that I doubt the OPs interpretation of events. It's just that I sometimes read about people being bullied by clinical instructors and the description of the behavior is just out of this world unacceptable with seemingly little to no reason. I find it very odd and wonder what the instructor would have to say.

Everline, I used to think somewhat like this. I would always hear fellow students complaining about this CI or that one. Nine times out of ten, I know it was complete hogwash and that the CI was 'all over them' for legit reasons. The students who would complain (it seemed like it was the same ones every clinical) were ones who thought rules didn't apply to them and that they could do whatever they wanted. That is until....it happened to me. Once in LPN school and once in RN school. I was an A student both in lecture and clinical for both programs. I always got raving evaluations and was always told how well I performed in clinicals. It was just these two who for whateve reason decided to put a target on my back.

what it comes down to is...there ARE CI's who, for whatever reason do go on the attack of some students for no reason at all.

[Everline]

Everline, I used to think somewhat like this. I would always hear fellow students complaining about this CI or that one. Nine times out of ten, I know it was complete hogwash and that the CI was 'all over them' for legit reasons. The students who would complain (it seemed like it was the same ones every clinical) were ones who thought rules didn't apply to them and that they could do whatever they wanted. That is until....it happened to me. Once in LPN school and once in RN school. I was an A student both in lecture and clinical for both programs. I always got raving evaluations and was always told how well I performed in clinicals. It was just these two who for whateve reason decided to put a target on my back.

what it comes down to is...there ARE CI's who, for whatever reason do go on the attack of some students for no reason at all.

Absolutely! Like I said, I'm just curious to hear the other side of the story when extreme things happen for seemingly no reason. I absolutely know that instructors sometimes target particular students. I've seen it happen to one of my classmates. Sorry if it came off as if I don't believe any instructor could ever act this way. Believe me, I had a couple of clinical instructors who I thought were way over the top with the intimidation and negative criticism.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

My LPN CI actually laid her hands on me. An alarm of some sort was ringing (NOT my patient and it was our first day at the facility.) I was heading toward the room, I guess I wasn't going quickly enough for her and she physically shoved me forward (I didn't know she was behind me). This caused me to trip over the electrical cord to the floor buffer the custodian was using. I then lost my balance and slammed head first into the wall.

Im surpised I didn't launch into a rant of 4 letter words at her and punch her in the face. (I'm not a violent person) but as the blood was running from my nose..I saw red and wanted to strangle her.

The floor nurses, other students and myself just stood there in silence, not believing what had just happened. In hindsite I should have reported her, but I knew I was already her target and didn't want to give her any more ammunition against me.

[OneDuckyRN]

My LPN CI actually laid her hands on me. An alarm of some sort was ringing (NOT my patient and it was our first day at the facility.) I was heading toward the room, I guess I wasn't going quickly enough for her and she physically shoved me forward (I didn't know she was behind me). This caused me to trip over the electrical cord to the floor buffer the custodian was using. I then lost my balance and slammed head first into the wall.

Im surpised I didn't launch into a rant of 4 letter words at her and punch her in the face. (I'm not a violent person) but as the blood was running from my nose..I saw red and wanted to strangle her.

The floor nurses, other students and myself just stood there in silence, not believing what had just happened. In hindsite I should have reported her, but I knew I was already her target and didn't want to give her any more ammunition against me.

Two words come to mind here: assault and battery.

Nobody, not even the student everyone is convinced should never have been accepted to nursing school, should have to endure this kind of abuse. Nor should they be expected to endure verbal and emotional abuse.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Oh, I did say something to her..it was during graduation AFTER they sent my paperwork to the State for clearence to take the NCLEX and I had my NCLEX test date...

After I had accepted my diploma, I stopped right in front of her leaned in and I hissed in a hushed tone ..she had better hope and pray I never ran into her in the community because I could not promise her I would not lay her out. Her face was priceless. This was a woman of close to my age (I was 39 and she was only a couple years older than I). I did see her out in the community (we lived in the same general area) looked her dead in the eye. She saw me, spun on her heels and went in the other direction. :)

Of course, now thinking about it I really should have reported it. Why I didn't, I'm not sure.

[Guest707336]

Unfortunately bullying isn't just an adolescent issue...it happens in professional adult-based environments as well. A fellow classmate of mine experienced what your going through. We as a class noticed it and it was so obvious. People only do what they think they can get away with. It was resolved with witness statements, going through the chain of command, and ultimately a hidden camera...lol...apparently someone must have had a camera in classes, a pen, or something and it showed evidence of bullying and unprofessionalism. People pay good, hard-earned money for their education and bullying while learning is unfair. In conclusion, the instructor was terminated.

[radtechgirl]

Dear Dorkiexcici,

I've been in your shoes, and at my school the advisor, dean, or even the principal of the college does not care if you bring your problems to them, you still loose. I'm going to tell you exactly what to do, and you must begin today. Go to the secret website and use all their free tools. Most importantly, get the book the magic, and start reading it immediately today. I know this sounds totally whacko, but it was THE only thing that saved me when I was in the same predicament as you are now, and with no time to spare. Within 3 wks. I had totally changed the situation, and I thankfully passed. If you dwell on failing, even if it is not your fault, you will bring failure to your life, but if you dwell on positive energy, everything will change to good, I promise. Thank you for listening.

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

I was the opposite. Most teachers hated me. I tried my best to keep my head down, etc, but something about me just got on their nerves and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why.

It felt like all I did was study. When my brain couldn't handle any more of one subject, I switched to another. I had no friends because i was too busy studying. My husband was pretty much a single parent for my entire time in nursing school.

My last semester was very similar to OP's. I documented everything and hummed power songs to myself whenever I got nervous or frustrated (it was either "I get knocked down, but I get up again..." or "And when it feels like a kick in the teeth, I can take it!...").

Turns out I was undiagnosed ADHD which answered a lot of questions about my life in general. I still got through my entire nursing school career without knowing because I worked harder than I ever worked in my life to make it happen.

Now I'm one of the staff in our emergency department who the new hires look to for help when they don't know what to do.

OP, you can do this! Get a song in your head and make her eat her words!