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?????
You did the right thing, both times, by going to the coordinator. I can't believe nothing more was done, though. That is so frustrating. At least you get to change clinicals. As for your co-horts, well, if they had bucked up and gone with you, they would end up with a better clinical situation, too. I feel for all involved, though.
I just love how we learn all this stuff about accountability and taking responsibility in NS, and yet your clinical instructor seems to know nothing about it!
Specializes in Cardiac, Transplant, Intermediate Care.
I had a similar experience with 2 consecutive clinical instructors who made it clear that they were very busy and didn't care to be bothered. Then in my 3rd semester, I had a very aggressive instructor who told me that I needed "too much guidance" when I asked her to talk me through administering meds through a J tube.
By the time I got to my last 2 clinical instructors, I was so paranoid that I verbally recited EVERYTHING possible, so they knew my rationale for every move that I made. They told me to relax.
Nursing school was a hard slap into reality for me, as I went back to college in my late 30s after having 3 kids. I was thinking that it would be a character-enhancing experience. Truth was, I never met a more horrible bunch of people in my life, after having worked in office settings for 20 years.
The good news is, I am currently in my 3rd year of working as a cardio-thoracic RN on a transplant floor. If anything, all the game-playing and head case instructors and co-workers have helped me develop a spine and some sense of logic.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I had a similar experience with 2 consecutive clinical instructors who made it clear that they were very busy and didn't care to be bothered. Then in my 3rd semester, I had a very aggressive instructor who told me that I needed "too much guidance" when I asked her to talk me through administering meds through a J tube.
By the time I got to my last 2 clinical instructors, I was so paranoid that I verbally recited EVERYTHING possible, so they knew my rationale for every move that I made. They told me to relax.
Nursing school was a hard slap into reality for me, as I went back to college in my late 30s after having 3 kids. I was thinking that it would be a character-enhancing experience. Truth was, I never met a more horrible bunch of people in my life, after having worked in office settings for 20 years.
The good news is, I am currently in my 3rd year of working as a cardio-thoracic RN on a transplant floor. If anything, all the game-playing and head case instructors and co-workers have helped me develop a spine and some sense of logic.
There are so many instructors that make global assessments of their student's personalities early on that affect their ability to learn. Students really need to take stories like yours to heart. I wish I could say the intention of the instructors was that you would grow a spine, be assertive etc.. It isn't, but there is a lot of internal joy at proving them wrong! The only remotely positive thing I heard from an instructor was one who snarled, "you have the potential to be a good bedside nurse". OK, I'll take it. :chuckle
I feel for you!!! I posted a thread about a CI and didn't get many responses...so glad you got some replies!! Mine CI disappears and when she is there doesn't know what she is doing! Now I find out she has been moved to my fourth semester...I'm in second...I'm gonna have to go through this again! And yes.....I'm very afraid of being penalized for saying anything. Another student has been for disagreeing about something in class...
This instructor gave our class the wrong information for an exam and had to give us points for the last exam...I'm totally freaked! So I feel your pain!!!
Specializes in Cardiac, Transplant, Intermediate Care.
I have to say that I am glad to have received some responses, too! When I tried to complain to classmates, they didn't want to hear about it-- until THEY were on the receiving end of the CI's wrath. Nursing school for me was hour to hour, day to day, class to class, semester to semester: game-playing.
I was in an Associate Degree program that was very accelerated. We were supposed to read the material first, then attend the lecture after, and be prepared to present the lecture ourselves. The classroom was a room full of raw nerve endings who were sleep-deprived, scared and nervous. Everyone was constantly looking around at what the others were doing, and if someone had something that another didn't have, it was like a school of fish panicking about it.
The CI I wrote about earlier stood behind me at a computer as I took practice NCLEX tests and would make little noises as I clicked on answers.
To those of you who became nurses without prior healthcare knowledge and thought you would be entering a caring profession-- please stay with it! I need to meet more of you out in the field. And through this message board.
I posted a thread about a CI and didn't get many responses...so glad you got some replies!! Mine CI disappears and when she is there doesn't know what she is doing! Now I find out she has been moved to my fourth semester...I'm in second...I'm gonna have to go through this again! And yes.....I'm very afraid of being penalized for saying anything. Another student has been for disagreeing about something in class...
:banghead:
CrystalClear75, BSN, RN
624 Posts
Edit: Now I read the whole thread(had a different answer to your OP), glad the situation is resolved.