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.
Thank you everyone for your advice and encouragement.
Unfortunately, I'm going to be dropped. After talking to her in her office today, she told me that I am not going to pass her clinical. She said I have 9 "Needs Improvement" including I don't have empty towards the patients. That is completely false and my patients have told me I'm a sweetheart and going to be a great nurse. She said my SBAR is horrible even though I give the same SBAR as other students in my group and I'm the only that gets yelled at. She asked me how old am i? after i started tearing up. She said she doesn't know how my previous clinical instructors passed me and said I was their strong student. She can't believes it. Of course, i started crying after she said i don't communicate her at all. i told her that after she yelled at me in the hallway saying that i keep hovering over. I was just waiting to update her on my patients. Of course, my 2 classmates witnessed this and were shocked and in disbelief. Two weeks ago, I remember I told her that I feel like she doesn't like me and what can I do to change that? and all she said was, "ehhhhh to be honest you bug me" (with a disgusted annoyed face)
so today, i said it again. I really still think you don't like me. and she shot up from her chair and yelled really loud that outside ppl heard. She screamed "you know what?! let's go to the director and let's drop you right now!" i freaked out and got nervous and i told her i apologize for saying that. the only reason i said that is because i feel guilty and i want her to like me.
btw she is also my faculty advisor so i told her that and she just looked down and said okay...i asked her if she could give me any advise and she said there's nothing she can give with her arms shaking and just said THERE IS NOTHING I CAN TELL YOU. so that is my end of my stay at this program. I was 3 weeks away from finishing my 4th semester.
This is outrageous. Every program has academic appeals processes that can be followed. When things calm down, please pursue them.
Like many posters here, I too was unfairly picked on by a clinical instructor after having aced my prior clinicals. I was told that I would be "eaten alive" at my first job and "wasn't getting it." She rolled her eyes when I answered questions and told me I was unlikely to pass. I went to the dean at first sign of trouble. I found out that this instructor had a history of bullying students and a student had asked to be removed from her class the prior semester. I was given the option to move to another site but wanted to stay and prove to her that I could do it. I was lucky -- other students were told to "man up" and received no support at all.
I ultimately did pass but feel that I did not learn as much as I could. More importantly, it really destroyed my confidence.
It is unfortunate that these instructors are out there but unfortunately are a fact of life. That does not mean we have to take their ##### without a fight.
Does every program have at least one clinical instructor like this? I graduated many moons ago and the same thing happened to a student in my cohort. She failed out her last semester through no fault of her own, no amount of appeals and complaints to the program director helped. She refused to come back the next year to repeat the semester, instead she finished with an online program. This was back in the day before online programs were numerous and popular. It took her 2 more years and a lot more money to finish, but finish she did.
I'm going to start by clarifying that I in NO WAY condone inappropriate or unprofessional behavior by any instructor in a clinical setting. Going to make it crystal clear that examples of that would NOT be ok by me.
Now. Having said that, I do wonder what the other side to the story is (I remember learning that there are always three sides to an issue: his side, her side, and the truth that's somewhere in the middle).
Putting it out there for consideration, that MAYBE it isn't as harsh or as unfair as the OP is saying. NOT saying he/she isn't being truthful, but MAYBE his/her interpretation isn't exactly what is playing out. If it's accurate it shouldn't be tolerated, but.....is it completely?
Reading this thread reminded me of experiences in nursing school when I was a student. There was one CI who was known for being very tough, very demanding, very strict...just very difficult to get by, in general. Most students did anything they could to get around having this instructor, including me at first! After all, why deliberately set yourself up for a tough time?
Why indeed. Well, in hindsight I can say that this CI was also one of the very best I have ever had. Tough, demanding, difficult, hard-to-please, pick your adjective (including a few colorful ones) and you'd be describing her well. BUT she also made some really outstanding nurses by the time she was done.
I had the good fortune of being with nearly all the CIs by the time I graduated; I can honestly say that the students who spent the most time with the "Mean CI" probably got the best education of the lot. Did she fail some? You bet. Maybe even failed ones that other CIs would have passed. But while I had doubts about the quality of some of my classmates, I had NO doubts about the ones who I knew were primarily with that CI, even CHOOSING that CI because of her standards.
At the time I was in school, I have no doubt my opinion of her was much harsher than today. Let's call a spade a spade: couldn't stand her, LOL! BUT....she knew her nursing, knew her clinicals, and turned out some really good new grads.
It's never ok to abuse anyone. But would we be willing to put up with a tougher time of it if we knew we were going to be better off in the end? That when we began work as a nurse we could handle the pressure better because of it?
I have no advise for you, it sounds like a travesty. It also makes me realize that I didn't have it so bad after all, I had a couple of instructors who I felt like were a bit hard on me, but no one got kicked out of our program! God Bless you sweetie, I hope you can gather enough evidence to at least apply to a different program and eventually succeed in obtaining your goal.
Please, please, please go to your the Program Director, the Dean, the Associate Dean, and/or the Department Chair, immediately! You may regret it if you do not. I had a very similar experience in my first clinical rotation, and it wrecked me emotionally. I get it that we are supposed to be 'tough' (I prefer 'strong') to be nurses, but in what professional setting is bullying acceptable? I was blown away by the lack of professionalism with my clinical instructor. She told me to get used to it because that is how it is in hospitals. Bottom line is that your instructor is holding the cards to your future! Do not let her take away your dream. I am set back a year because of my issue . . . Please take my advice and take your problem to the top. You are paying a great deal of money for this education. Remember it works like this: You are paying for a service that she should deliver. You do not work at that clinic or hospital; your instructor works for you!!!!! I can totally relate to the anxiety that takes hold of you . . . Please take good care of yourself. Protect yourself. I am rooting for you!!!
if you are not going to take any of the advice offered, there is nothing we can do for you here. And this is coming from a person who was similarly mistreated in nursing school. minus the crudity. i didn't have this forum to turn to, so i didn't have the advice and support you are being offered. I suspect from reading your posts you are not a native English speaker, that may be part of your problem... if not that I would wonder if you are on the Autism spectrum. If i were you, and not going to fight this, i would certainly seek out some therapy.
I think at this point just have as little chit chat with her or classmates as possible. If it's as bad as you make it out the goal is to have low profile for next couple weeks. Also, don't complain about other students. Ask her if she is ready for update vs giving her one. Be early, be prepared, and be helpful.[/quote']
Also after you graduate then go to the dept of nursing and complain or to administration and file a complaint.
I find there are levels of bullying. This is the worst I have heard of on such a consistent basis.The Instructor needs to be fired. "Hanging in there" is NOT good advice. Agreed it may be too little too late may be true.
Hopefully the Director and the Clinical Instructor will glance at the local news and realize they are adult bullies just like the ones teenagersare killing themselves over. Those two "professionals" are in desperate need of counseling and career changes.
I have had this exact experience! During my entire nursing training in school I had nothing but a positive experience. Decent grades and fantastic clinical experiences. I thought I was ready to be a nurse.
Then in my final clinical I had the instructor from hell. She was much the same as yours. I told myself she was just strict, but her behaviour turned quite abusive and personal during the clinical. She did the exact same things that yours has done- she would put other students on a pedestal for tying their shoe laces, then tear me down for not knowing the square root of 3459495930;94940239239392 without using a calculator. (Not actual examples but you know where I'm coming from).
The worst was that she ruined my confidence that I had slowly built during my entire school journey.
I tried everything to make it better. I tried to talk to her about it. I tried to put my head down and just ride it out. I tried to tell myself that maybe this experience would make me stronger.
In the end I made an official complaint to the head of the program when fellow class mates and even staff on the floor commented that this instructor appeared to be really attacking me. I was offered a chance to transfer to a different clinical site but I refused. I was gonna survive this thing and.. I did.
It's hard to give advice as I'm not on your floor seeing what's really happening. But if you feel like it's becoming personal, I would suggest talking to someone at your school who can help and offer advice.
I know what your going through though, trust me. You can do this!! Good luck.
Yeah I had one of those too. She failed me That last semester my grandfather had a stroke so I was also busy driving my grandmother to the hospital as well. But to get to the point though, I took my LPN boards a passed. I worked for awhile and went back to school to complete that last semester. The ironic thing was when she saw me in the hallway, she asked if I was ready to come back with an attitude and I answered with an attitude " Oh yes I am". Ironically she was my advisor in the last semester. Thankfully I had different clinical instructors that last semester and they were decent people. I was working nights, finished my shift and went to school leaving me no time to study much. So when I had tests and quizzes, I passed them but on the borderline. So my wonderful (sarcasmism) instructor/advisor tells me I am barely passing. I told her that "I will just have to wing it won't I". She never bothered me again and I passed the last semester and graduated. She was strict and a drill sargeant. Go seek some advise from a teacher you can trust and talk to him/her. Maybe they can support you for the remaining weeks until you finish. Positive thoughts and hold your head high!!
dorkiexcici
255 Posts
Thank you everyone for your advice and encouragement.
Unfortunately, I'm going to be dropped. After talking to her in her office today, she told me that I am not going to pass her clinical. She said I have 9 "Needs Improvement" including I don't have empty towards the patients. That is completely false and my patients have told me I'm a sweetheart and going to be a great nurse. She said my SBAR is horrible even though I give the same SBAR as other students in my group and I'm the only that gets yelled at. She asked me how old am i? after i started tearing up. She said she doesn't know how my previous clinical instructors passed me and said I was their strong student. She can't believes it. Of course, i started crying after she said i don't communicate her at all. i told her that after she yelled at me in the hallway saying that i keep hovering over. I was just waiting to update her on my patients. Of course, my 2 classmates witnessed this and were shocked and in disbelief. Two weeks ago, I remember I told her that I feel like she doesn't like me and what can I do to change that? and all she said was, "ehhhhh to be honest you bug me" (with a disgusted annoyed face)
so today, i said it again. I really still think you don't like me. and she shot up from her chair and yelled really loud that outside ppl heard. She screamed "you know what?! let's go to the director and let's drop you right now!" i freaked out and got nervous and i told her i apologize for saying that. the only reason i said that is because i feel guilty and i want her to like me.
btw she is also my faculty advisor so i told her that and she just looked down and said okay...i asked her if she could give me any advise and she said there's nothing she can give with her arms shaking and just said THERE IS NOTHING I CAN TELL YOU. so that is my end of my stay at this program. I was 3 weeks away from finishing my 4th semester.