Clinical Instructor Woes

[eyeball]

I have a Clinical instructor (Medsurg3) who is unlike all others I've had. She is an employee at the hospital where we do clinicals and let us know right off the bat that she doesn't "hover" over her students. When we need her, we are supposed to call her on the phone. She does not stay on our floor but spends her time on the floor where she works. In three weeks time the only RN level skill I have performed is giving oral meds once. I had an opportunity to do a wound dressing change but she "wasn't able to make it" to oversee me. Then I had an opportunity to insert a urinary catheter. Once again, didn't get to do it. All I am doing is bed baths, feeds, linen change, assessment, chart assessment. Other MS2 clinical groups in our class have two patients. Our CI only gives us one and here's why: She pulls us off the floor by 10:30. (Really early) We are done with post-conference by 12 noon or earlier. This violates the rules of the program and when I asked "what do we say if we run into someone from our program who asks why we are leaving the floor so early" her response was "tell them I had a family emergency." She is unable to make it to clinical this week one day. We have been told that she is going to tell the course coordinator that we will add time onto subsequent clinicals to make up the lost time. She then told us that we wouldn't be doing that and that if we all keep quiet, it can be our little secret. She is glued to her cell phone at all times and answers e-mails while we are in the midst of pre/post conference. She's good at working the system but a lousy clinical instructor. I feel as if I am being manipulated into working the system with her and am completely uncomfortable at being asked to participate in group lies. The underlying message is "If you show up and do a little CNA work for three or so hours and leave me alone" then we'll all be happy.

I feel so completely frustrated at not learning practicing any RN level skills. I am also anxiety ridden by the fact that clinical instructor holds a lot of power over me and my future. I do not trust her enough to go and talk to her about all of this... Her behaviors : avoidance of work, lying, asking me and others to engage in the lying is really upsetting for me. By the same token, if I whistleblow, she could make my life hell. Nursing school is stressful enough when all is going well but I'm tied in knots here. Comments/Input/suggestions?????

[caliotter3]

Yeah, sounds like she's a real corker. My advice, from personal experience, keep your mouth shut, your head down low, and your fingers crossed. Hopefully your next CI will make up for this lack of professionalism on her part. Don't rock the boat because you're likely to be tossed into the ocean without a lifevest. Good luck.

[jbjints]

I totally agree with Cali, you might be asking for trouble if you attempt to have the teacher reprimanded by her superior. When I have been in a similar situation I just keep reminding myself that there will be more clinical time to come and hopefully when I do pass the NCLEX and I am hired by a hospital I will learn more during my 6month probation.

I hope I made sense.

[wife&mommyRN]

I am going to second that agreement, you are going have to deal with it for right now. It sucks that u are in med-surg3. You are actually doing a whole lot better than I did. 1st semester I got a CI similar to yours that worked @ the hospital. This is exactly how the day went; come in @ 3 wait in the break room til she came for us @ 4:30 for her to tell us she'd be right back. 5:00 she came back then we would go on the floors searching for pts. and just looked @ charts. We would then have dinner from 6-7:30. Go back to the floor look @ charts while we waited for her for another hour. Then we would have post conferencing & go home. We NEVER got to pass meds, or do a careplan. I still don't even know how to make a bed, I got absolutely learned Nothing from that rotation & it wasn't the hospital, it was the fact that her job took priority. Now I have a med-surg instructor that is very tough, but she tells u exactly what u need to know, she is organized & she demonstrates everything she expects of us. She wants us to see, do, & know a whole lot, we are basically taking over some of the nurses patient load & I am very excited.

I have wondered where they get these CI from @ times, many of them are paid to do absolutely nothing. Then they want us to work around their work schedule after we are already inconvenienced with not being able to choose our clinical site, times, or groups. On top of that many of them have a bad relationship with their fellow employees & the students end up getting the backlash from that hostile relationship. Pay attention to how they interact with their employees, many times this depicts how the students will be treated. Get through this semester & pray for an awsome instructor next semester. Good Luck!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Write down (document) what she is saying and doing at each clinical so you have it clear and make an appointment to discuss this with the dean of your nursing program who is her boss and your boss. She is entitled to know what is going on. Include the clinical instructor's comments to you like, "it can be our little secret". She is making you guys conspirators in violating the rules of her employment and her boss needs to know about this. Ultimately, you are the ones who are getting the bum deal and that is wrong. If your dean hears what is going on, I'm betting he or she is going to be madder than a hornet and this clinical instructor is going to get a good talking to or be history. Let the dean know you are worried about repercussions. However, this instructor sounds like she is so wrapped up in her own primary clinical job that she is far less worried about you guys than she is about herself.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

personally, i think the instructor should be reported to the BON for "moral turpitude" She is commiting fraud, and insisting on you joining her. I wonder about her actions on the job. Yes, this needs to be reported!

[Nepenthe Sea]

I agree... I would feel compelled to tell someone. It's one thing for her not to be available when you need her, but for her to have you all lying and keeping secrets is another thing. Get some other students to go with you and document, also - there is strength in numbers. Good luck!

[marjibme]

I totally agree with Daytonite here. This is going to be one of those "critical conversations" they tell us about in Fundamentals, but it really is critical that you let the "powers that be" know what is going on - not only for your sake, but for the sake of those students that will come after you and those patients that will be under their care - and on and on and on. It's not gonna be easy, but the "right" choice usually isn't the easiest one.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I think you should find a way to make it known. If you comply with her behavior, you are guilty of something bad, too. She is defrauding the school by not working as an instructor when they think she is and are paying her and a host of other unethical, and perhaps illegal, activities.

The problem that we all recognize is that it can be dangerous to be the "whistle-blower." So you need to take care as to how you report it. You need to find someone you can trust and speak with them discretely. It might be someone at your school that is not even directly involved in the nursing program. For example, there might be a counseling service or something. You might also go directly to the Dean or Provost. Simialarly, this might be the right time to write an anonymous letter -- being sure to explain that you are afraid to use your name because of possible retaliation. Ask them to investigate -- and your instructor will never know which student triggered the investigation.

Yes, sometimes it is difficult and a little risky to do the right thing. But bad things continue when people stand by and comply with bad behavior. Think about the people you admire and why you admire them. Then "be" that kind of person.

[GeneralJinjur]

I like the idea of an anonymous letter. OTOH, knowing my classmates, the whole group would co-sign a letter outlining her behavior. Do your regular instructors do drop-by visits? If so, you could suggest they come during one of the times you're holed up in the lounge. Your situation sounds terrible and I hope you get it resolved.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

If you dont say anything, then it will happen again to the class below you and then to the next one until someone has the guts to stand up and say something about it. Its terrible that she asks you to lie to other people because she wants to get out of there sooner and that she is not conducive to your learning by you having the opportunity to do something and being "too busy". I know far too many senior 2 nursing students that have never put in a cath and have only done one IV by the time they graduate.

Also when she wont come around when you can do skills, what about the nurse you are assigned to to watch what you are doing and make sure everything is kosher. She might suck as a teacher, but find a new one that you are working with.

[eyeball]

Thank you for all of the thoughtful replies. I did discuss this with some of my clinical buds today and they all see the problem but no one wants to rock the boat. One of them suggested that I talk to the instructor first. The fact that she has honesty issues makes me reluctant. I'm still trying to sort this out....woke up at 3:30 and couldn't go back to sleep.Resolution is not coming easily!