I'm in my psych clinical right now. It's been only day 5 and I have a lot more clinicals left. I am a quiet person and I am not not talkative or outgoing like others in my group. I've had 3 clinicals before this, and my clinical instructors have all said I would be an excellent nurse. However, this psych clinical is different. The instructor first lets us do 1 hour of group activity with the patients and then gives us time to speak to different patients. We have about 1.5-2 hours of post conference. She always says she has a lot of experience in psych and is an expert because she went into psych right after graduation which has been about 30 years. However, once you ask her direct questions pertaining to psych, she doesn't know the answer. She goes..hm...let's look it up in the book or she would direct the question to us, asking what we would do. I thought maybe she was tired for that day, but she doesn't know. even in class, other students would ask a question, and she would just direct the question to us or just say some bs.
i am quiet, but i do talk to patients. i may not be very talkative, but when i'm 1:1, i talk and ask questions. in post conference, in front of everyone, she says i'm too quiet and that i will never be a good nurse. i was extremely upset. how would she know when she hasn't even seen me in the med-surg clinicals. this is just psych and maybe some people are not cut out for psych. she says i'm too quiet.
yesterday, i overheard her speaking to another instructor about me. she was talking s*** about me. how do i overcome this when i have so many days left of clinical?
I think your "psych nurse" has some issues of her own. I'll tell you something to make you feel better. When I was in school I worked in a private practice (not psych). We had 4 psychiatrist/psychologist folks as patients. EVERY LAST ONE was a freak'in basket case. I mean one of 'em to the point of having to have the room and exam equipment set up in a certain order or out of his sight or he couldn't enter the room to be examined. Right. Um. Not kidding. My doc and the entire staff were always saying, "I sure hope to God I don't go nuts and have to go see one of these guys."
When dealing with a crazy nursing instructor, you always have to remember nursing school is to be endured. It will be over soon.
Definitely NOT ! You need to step back and calm down before you take any action. Any action you take today while you are still upset about it will most likely be tainted by all that negative emotional. This is one of those times when "counting to 10 before you say anything" is definitely the best course.
You've gotten some negative feedback about your performance. Reflect upon it and make a plan to improve your performance. Only if and when you are ready to calmly seek additional feedback should you approach your instructor and ask for her help in planning your improvements.
Edit: Sorry. This post was supposed to start with the quote from a previous one in which the OP was considering e-mailing the instructor today.
I would not confront her about a conversation you were not meant to hear. It can only have a negative outcome. Instead, if you are going to speak to her, do as previously suggested and ask how you can make your clinical experience better.
Never a good idea to email! Your facial expressions and tone of voice are as important as your words, if you want to have a clear understanding with your instructor then talk to her face to face. Emails can be misconstrued and shared.
Also, if the issue is you being too quiet and shy for her taste, remote communication doesn't really illustrate that you are serious about working on being more vocal in face to face interactions.
Wait til you're calm about this and talk to her in person, leave out the conversation you overheard, and ask for suggestions on how to improve your clinical performance.
Hey, treat the instructor like the psych book tells you to interact with someone who is "mentally ill". In other words, don't take anything they say to heart, always smile and ask for clarification on any instructions to be sure you are getting the right message. If you have a point to make, go by the book and use "I", not YOU". "I felt emabarrased when I heard you talking to ?? about me and wondered if there is something we can do to clear the air". Remember, this is not your permanent gig. This too shall pass. I DO NOT recommend whining about it to other students. That only fans the flames.
Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
she needs to kick rocks. just because you dont like to talk in groups doesnt mean you'll be a crap nurse. its unacceptable that she made those comments infront of the group and that you overheard her not speaking so nicely about you to another person.
dont let it bug you. do the best you can to get the heck outta that class and move on.
I wouldn't be so certain that the OP WASN'T meant to hear.....
I would not confront her about a conversation you were not meant to hear. It can only have a negative outcome. Instead, if you are going to speak to her, do as previously suggested and ask how you can make your clinical experience better.
do you think it's a good idea to email her today regarding this?
OMG, no! I have just been reading through responses when I got to this and can't say enough do NOT do that. Take a look at the rest of the posts here first, give yourself time to reflect on this a bit, and bite yourself in the hand before you think of shooting off an EMAIL to this instructor.
do you think it's a good idea to email her today regarding this?
Um - no...and here's another reason why. An email can be used as evidence in a court of law. As can text messages. As can posts on online forums (HINT!). As can anything in writing.
If you're in conflict with a nursing instructor, get your ducks in a row and present your case to her, face to face and one-on-one. In private. If that doesn't work - take it up the line, if you think the situation justifies it.
OMGoodness! Dear OP, I think you know what the instructor wants to see, and as many other have said, "act the part." Now, I would STRONGLY caution you against asking this instructor about you can improve. Don't ask how to improve, tell this instructor YOUR plan for improvement. Crazy or not, the instructor has the legitimate authority to affect your clinical grading. Perhaps you could consider just giving her a few updates over the next few sessions, something like....
"You know, I've done some real self reflection and I recognize that I am a better patient advocate when I am more verbally engaged than I have been. I've figured out a plan of action and would like to get your input on it. Essentially, I've decided that I can become better involved by practicing 1st) paraphrasing a key element of a conversation or group interaction, and then 2nd), expanding on it or asking for clarification. I just practiced this when talking with the charge RN about bipolar manic phases and calming patients down with both pharmacological and non-pharm techniques. I learned a lot and I feel good about developing this plan. I'll keep you updated as I add more "skills" to it. What do you think?"
Notice the careful choice of words. Present tense, observable, self directed, proactive. Those elements paint the picture YOU want the instructor to see. Then make those things happen.
It's kinda a Jedi mind trick, and it worked for me on my OB clinical (which I hated just as much if not more than psych!)
Dry your tears, good luck, make a plan, and work it. You can get through this! --Lobot
netglow, ASN, RN
4,412 Posts
I think your "psych nurse" has some issues of her own. I'll tell you something to make you feel better. When I was in school I worked in a private practice (not psych). We had 4 psychiatrist/psychologist folks as patients. EVERY LAST ONE was a freak'in basket case. I mean one of 'em to the point of having to have the room and exam equipment set up in a certain order or out of his sight or he couldn't enter the room to be examined. Right. Um. Not kidding. My doc and the entire staff were always saying, "I sure hope to God I don't go nuts and have to go see one of these guys."
When dealing with a crazy nursing instructor, you always have to remember nursing school is to be endured. It will be over soon.