Can you really teach what you don't know?

[MommyJoy]

Hello,

I was just hired as full time faculty at a local university. I thought during the interview process that I would be teaching adult health 1 (med/surg). I have now been assigned to teach patho. Don't get me wrong, I know patho is at the core of everything we teach...however, this is not my strong point. I worked med/surg for years, and feel very confident in this area. However, just looking at the patho book overwhelms me. How can I really regurgitate what I don't know? I feel like I am going to just be reading power points. I remember those professors who obviously didn't know the content. I just don't feel comfortable with this. Any advice besides "making my concerns known".

Really, I want to know from experienced educators...can you really, really teach what you barely know or are frantically trying to relearn?

[jmuhammad10]

Greetings,

So, as a student, what would you be looking for in a study guide?

[jmuhammad10]

The reality of the situation is: you know more than the students on any given day of the week. That which you are unsure, be honest and say "let me get back to you on that, I want to be clear on the NEW evidence based practice guidelines . . . ". Then be sure to get back to the students. You will sound soooo much more intelligent because you appear to be truly concerned about providing them with correct and current information. Or if their question is off track, remind them that that's a great question; throw the question back at the students - it'll allow you time to peruse your brain for an answer; or say let's discuss it one-on-one or when it comes up later in the class. I hope that helps.

[feelix, RN]

First year teaching is always like that. They cannot afford to hire an instructor for every subject, so you will have to grow into the role. Believe me I was sent to sub 10th Grade Arabic. I made the students read and explain to each other and they never found out I did not know a word of Arabic.

[LearningByMistakes]

While someone can teach things they don't know, or haven't done, how exactly are they able to answer the questions asked by students, or teach effectively? This is one of the biggest problems I see in health care education these days. And we wonder why we have students, and new practitioners, that have problems performing effectively in the patient care environment.

[LearningByMistakes]

Sorry, repeat post.

[sunnynurse234]

I know this is old, but I want to say it is impossible for a nurse to know EVERYTHING, even in his or her given specialty. Med-surg is huge and covers so much, how would we ever find someone who is an expert on every aspect of med-surg nursing? If you teach long enough, we all eventually find ourselves having to teach something that is outside of our comfort zone. What you do is study, study, and read everything you can. You know way more patho than you realize, but now you have to put in a context the students will understand. The first year is the worst, if you can get through the first year, you will feel so much better.