clinical instructor from hades

latebloomer74, LPN · Dec 1, 2009

Wow, sounds like my clinical instructor!!! Just try to fly under her radar and when she rips apart your care plan, just try to use that critism to to better on the next one. As long as she sees your improving you'll do ok. Some people are just not meant to be teachers and this sounds like one of them.

itsmejuli · Dec 1, 2009

I don't put up with that kind of disrespect. Document everything she does and says then take it to your dean. You could always have a some kind of recorder handy and record her when she's going off on you. Let the dean hear that.

Angel@MyTable, RN · Dec 2, 2009

Yeah, I know where you're at!

My first semester clinical instructor was the same way, and I felt the same way that you do; that she HATED ME!

Once, near the end of first semester I was in the med room pulling Rx for my patient and she had a rule of "no more that 2 blue shirts in the med room at a time (our clinical scrub tops are blue)." So there I am with another student pulling Rx in the med room and here comes one of my clinical classmates, she starts pulling meds and I told her that there should only be 2 of us in there, she just blew me off and kept up with pulling her meds. About a minute later who should walk in, but my instructor, well needless to say she turned beet red and foamed at the mouth :angryfire (and without even asking who was in there first) looked and me and HISSED "GET OUT and STAY OUT!" She scared the bejeebus right outta me. There were a few other clinical classmates outside the door waiting their turn and they looked almost as scared as me.

There were other instances I like to forget about, it's over and done and I am now in my 3rd semester and graduation day is only 5 months away!

Hang in there hun! Before you know it, it will all be a distant memory!

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 2, 2009

You need to go to her boss (the director of the program) and inform them what she is doing to you otherwise it will continue.

suanna · Dec 2, 2009

Had her (25years ago) day one of clinical she tells us she dosen't think men have any business in her area of instruction but the school is forcing her to teach us so we will just have to make the best of it. She proceeded to treat the men like dirt for the rest of the rotation. I almost got flunked out. I don't know it it will help or hurt but I would make an appointment with your schools student advisor (if you have one) and give them the ole " am I too sensitive or am I being treated unfairly" approach. That way you don't come off as quite as much of a complainer and at least admit it "could" be your preception, but you let the chain of command know there is an issue with this instructor. For all you know they are just waiting for one more complaint to cut her loose. Focus on the learning needs you are not having met- not the "picking on me" stuff. The school has an obligation to instruct clinical skills but the instructor isn't required to be nice or fair.

Isitpossible, LPN, LVN · Dec 2, 2009

i am a first semester student..i am also a wife, mother, employee (you get the point)...we are all adults and should be teated as such...i dont beleive in the view just stay under the radar, this too shall pass!! thats bull...id be on the phone requesting a meeting immediately with the director and her! therefore you are not going behind her back....why do clinical instructors think that harassment, humiliation is the way to teach!! absolutely NOT....i would report this behavior immediately....thats why they continue to do, b/c we dont stand up to them...thta may have been acceptable 30 years, but not now! she is not creating a conducive learning environment, further she sounds hostile and agressive...pretty scary stuff...sort of harassing and menacing? physicians shouldnt do it to nurses, and clinical instructors should not do it to nsg students!!!! stick up for yourself....if you absolutely dont feel comfortable talking to your director, the next time she starts up, politely walk close enough to her face, and ask her exactly who does she thinks shes talking to so rudely, if this continues we may need to meet with the department head, blah blah..you get the point.... either way you need to do something about it...you dont deserve this!

NamasteNurse, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2009

From what I've seen, the people who complain to the higher ups, are booted soon after and while they are still there, it's ugly. Some instructors have no training as teachers, they are nurses with experience but have no idea how to teach. If you want to stay in the program, I know it's not fair, and it's not right, but keep your head down and try to do better.

cwood88 · Dec 7, 2009

I was in the same boat also my 2nd year in the program and she rode me hard and put me up wet!! not a good feeling at all. I didn't do anything about it and I regret it to this day I should have said something because I don't want anyone else to be treated that way. So my advice is to go to your director and present all the incidences to him/her. Good Luck hang in there

jah944 · Feb 20, 2010

Could you please elaborate a little more about how to approach the situation with the director? With the understanding that they don't care about "the way I feel", what is the best tact to take for the most effective outcome? Thanks-

This post intended for Daytonite

mammac5 · Feb 21, 2010

If you decide that speaking to the instructor's supervisor/dean is the way to go, I would come at it from the perspective of how the school is being perceived by the medical community. The nurses on your clinical unit have seen the way this instructor abuses you and that does not speak well for your school. Deans may or may not care about how students "feel" but they darn sure care about the reputation of the school of nursing!