I'm in my 2nd quarter of nursing and in only just 4 weeks of clinicals my instructor gave me 3 clinical warnings.
The 1st one was reasonable because I didn't have my hair up nor had a pen and didn't bring my papers to orientation.
The 2nd one was because I forgot to do the Pathophysiology assignment for my patient (last quarter my clinical instructor didn't require it to be done on the day of care for your patient until turning in the assignment, only your plan of care for your patient and face sheet, but was reasonable because she said I was the only one that didn't do that).
But I don't agree with this recent clinical warning she gave me today which was because I didn't know how to give an IV bolus to my patient which was Pantoprazole (Protonix).
We have 2 times in successfully passing medications to our patients the whole day in clinical (which is 9 hours) and today was my first schedule to give out meds. to my patient with a pass or fail mark. I administered 2 medications today: Insulin and Pantoprazole. She passed me when I gave insulin SUBQ in the abdomen in my patient but didn't pass me when I gave Pantoprazole IV (I froze in the part where I had to disconnect the IV from my patient, I paused because I didn't want to hurt the patient and didn't know which port to disconnect it from which made me and my patient nervous/scared so my clinical instructor grabbed the medications out of my hand and administered them herself).
After that she told me to go talk to her post-conference alone and that's when she said she was going to give me another clinical warning because I didn't know what to do (even though I have 1 more chance to give meds. with a pass/fail grade in 4 weeks from now and that's why I pleaded with her to give me 1 more chance since my next/last chance in giving out meds. to redeem myself is in 4 weeks from now but she said that it was my responsibility to practice this/be prepared in knowing what I should do when my schedule for passing out meds. was today so I asked her if I can object to this clinical warning and she told me that I can see the head instructor of my clinical class and talk with both of them about it).
So my question is, is my clinical instructor set out to fail me from the course because in the first 2 weeks that I had her, I had already gotten 2 clinical warnings?
Is she biased towards me because of that?
I asked her if the others passed giving out meds. so far and she had said yes (but I think she's being a little more hard on me although she could've sent me home for not bringing my Patho sheet from the 2nd clinical warning).
It's too late now to withdraw from the class because last day from dropping classes was this week on Monday so is that why she's being more hard on me or am I just being paranoid)?
Any comments/advices/constructive criticism is greatly appreciated! I really can't sleep/study and I've been crying/worried since this evening today because I feel like this clinical warning is the last straw (in the 2nd clinical warning I already had a 10% reduction in my grade so I'm scared/worried that for this 3rd one she's going to do another -10% reduction in my grade again which I don't think is fair).
You should read the thread. She was unprepared the first two time and the third didn't know know how to give a IV push drug.... Sorry but if your unsure you ask your instructor prior to going in the room you don't just wing it.....
I didn't read the thread because I don't have time to but I don't think it was right. It seems this instructor is primarily working through military/ scare tactic. The school setting should be a safe environment to learn in. Now you weren't killing your patient... You were just second guessing yourself. As a student this should be normal! Even if you know the process down COLD it seems normal to hesitate when your performing with a patient. I think your instructor is wrong. She should be encouraging you... Not looking out to kill you.
I would hate your school.
You should read the thread. She states twice that she didn't know how to give the medication. There is a difference on second guessing yourself and not knowing how to do something. This was the third time they had shown up unprepared for clinicals. At my school, she would have been dismissed after the second offense.
Specializes in Occ. Hlth, Education, ICU, Med-Surg.
Sorry it was a typo. I fixed it now. I just looked on my nursing class website and my teacher just post an announcement
Medication Safety Forms and clinical reminders
N264 students. We talked about the use of medication error/near miss occurence forms, but neglected to post them on Blackboard. They are posted under 'Forms' then "medication Safety'. I have included the policy so that you know how to complete the form. This is a new practice, so while your clinical instructor should prompt you to complete the occurence form, IF you have a medication error or a near miss medication error you should complete the form and turn it in to your clinical instructor. These are not intended to be punitive, but are intended to help you develop a reflective practice (ie. really think about what you are doing) and to reduce the number of medication errors that you commit.
This was my first time handing out medications. We have 1 more chance to redeem ourselves in giving out meds. to our patients with a passing grade. So unless I don't pass the 2nd/last time I don't think it's reasonable to give me a clinical warning, I didn't hurt the patient (I didn't know where to disconnect the IV line) and so that's why I paused to do anything else to not hurt my patient.
You get a warning so you know that you need to be better prepared. If you did not receive a warning you would continue to show up to clinical unprepared to provide safe patient care
Listen this isn't about her being fair or not, it's about you passing and most of all LEARNING.
Please take her seriously. I too had gotten a warning because I had worn a long sleeve shirt under my scrubs. And I thought it was stupid.. But I never did it again. At the end of the day she will still have her job but you rely on her passing you so listen to her.. Dont disputes it. Just keep correcting your mistakes.
Listen this isn't about her being fair or not, it's about you passing and most of all LEARNING.
Please take her seriously. I too had gotten a warning because I had worn a long sleeve shirt under my scrubs. And I thought it was stupid.. But I never did it again. At the end of the day she will still have her job but you rely on her passing you so listen to her.. Dont disputes it. Just keep correcting your mistakes.
Actually that's what the OP was saying that her instructor wasn't being fair and seemed out to get her and she was thinking about quitting because of that.... So yeah it was about that.
It's already apparent she didn't want to say yup I screwed up and this is how I can change it which is what you need to do to be a successful safe practicing nurse. I hope she learns that you need to own your mistakes to learn from them... Not just say it's not my fault the instructor is out to get me 🙄
Actually that's what the OP was saying that her instructor wasn't being fair and seemed out to get her and she was thinking about quitting because of that.... So yeah it was about that.
It's already apparent she didn't want to say yup I screwed up and this is how I can change it which is what you need to do to be a successful safe practicing nurse. I hope she learns that you need to own your mistakes to learn from them... Not just say it's not my fault the instructor is out to get me 🙄
Better choice of my words.. This SHOULDN'T be about instructor not being fair lol.
OP, Most instructors are hard on people cause they want them to learn. They tried to weed people out cause the reality is, you're gonna get treated like dirt sometimes as a nurse by patients, families, doctors, etc. And as a student I hated it but I look back and think differently.. They drilled things into my head that I needed to know, even if it came off as rude or unfair.. I thank them now.
Hey bro a couple things to think about. Number 1 you have to have tough skin as a nurse and sometimes nursing instructors can be absolutely ridiculous. Number 2 and this is a freebie, First impressions last". Meaning the first impression you give someone will stay with them and you will most likely be judged by it. Unless everyone else in your class forgot to bring their stuff and show up for class than the instructions were fairly communicated you just didn't pay attention to them. So in her eyes you are someone who is lazy and does not take this seriously. Once again probably not the case but unfortunately in life you often get only a few times to make your mark on someone. To remedy this you probably should just apologize to her for the mistakes you have made and just say that you are trying harder. To all the people saying this and that about someone being 3rd or fourth semester should know their way around IVs and such. Now I know we would al like to think that all nursing schools are created equa but they are not and this is a huge problem with nursing education today. For example we had a 5 semester program: 1 semester we have no clinicals, 2 semester we are nursing assistants pretty much MAYBE AND I MEAN MAYBE give 1 or 2 oral meds, 3 semester we were thrown into medsurg taking 3 patient will all the paper work and pushing IV meds. This has since been reevaluated after myself and a few others have brought it up. BUT for its unfair to slam someone who has maybe never worked with IVs and has limited experience in a hospital to question what would seem like such a routine procedure, don't forget where you come from. Actually I give you props for doing nothing and freezing up instead of just doing something you didn't know how to do. I have seen many a new nurse not know how to do a procedure and just do it anyway. Look over all relax its not the end of the world, study learn stuff that's important try to prepare your best for clinicals, ask questions t nurses in clinicals that will answer and hang in there. You certainly messed yourself up in the beginning but it's not the end of the world. Don't fight it, you probably won't win, just suck it up and try to put your best foot forward.
I'm confused when you say a bolus of IV protonix. To me, when I have to give a medication via IV route this is known as an IV push medication. If you already had fluids running, you could have paused her line momentarily, administered the med, flushed or restarted the line, never having to disconnect the patient's main line. Also, it would be clear where you should disconnect from considering you have a syringe attached to the line. I guess I am a little lost as to why you would be hesitating on this. It is a simple step. In nursing school I had crazy professors, and we were never allowed to administer medications without knowing what they were for, how they were drawn up, and if we felt confident BEFORE we went through the administration process, which meant discussing the steps with the instructor before actually performing the administration. Rule of thumb for nursing school - Always be prepared. Be OVER prepared. Be so prepared that you are able to save a life if you need to, because you never know what shift you will walk into and actually have to.
This is a smidge off, especially for those on this website who hold different beliefs than you. Just to let you know. And a lot of places do look down on students and nurses going around proselytizing to patients..
As long as the person I am talking with is receptive, I talk about the love of God with them. And most people I have talked with has wanted to hear what I had to say. For example, a student began having difficulties in her life, and she knew that I was a Christian, so she came to me and asked me about the love of God. In my previous comment, I did say that I talked with people about Jesus, but, now that I think about it, many people I spoke with came to me themselves and asked me about God, or asked me for a Bible. Even my friend was wondering why people were asking for a Bible from me. People are desperate to hear what the Bible says; of how much they are worth. The price God set on us was the highest price that could be set. God paid everything in order to save us. And people want to hear this message of how Jesus died for them.
I understand that but do you think this last/recent clinical warning was fair? I agree that the first 2 were understandable
I don't think the last warning was fair because you were nervous and that's normal. I feel like she should have asked you if you were ok and then talked you through it. Instead of being disrespectful to you and trying to do it herself because that wasn't helpful to you because you are still learning
I cannot believe how we are quick to judge this person. She asked a question, we could be do more to help her become a better nurse than throw her under the bus. Yes she messed up, her clinical instructor could be nicer..not everyone gets it together immediately..we all were students once before we became nurses with so much confidence.
sweetlilwolf
179 Posts
You should read the thread. She was unprepared the first two time and the third didn't know know how to give a IV push drug.... Sorry but if your unsure you ask your instructor prior to going in the room you don't just wing it.....