Clinical Instructors and lecturers with no hospital experience?

Published

With the rapid increase in Nursing students in the last few years, schools are forced to hire clinical instructors (CI's) and lecturers even though they have zero work experience. While a lot of them are likely very competent and versed in Nursing theory, I can't help but wonder if ill-prepared lecturers are part of the reason why Nursing in our country has deteriorated.

The salary is part of the allure while a lot of nurses, especially newly licensed ones, want to be a CI. In our economy right now, 20,000 - 40,000 pesos is a big amount but unless they want to be a CI forever, these new CI's are doing a disservice to their career buy not looking for work in a hospital. What's the hospital employment prospects of someone who graduated say, 5-10 years ago and has worked as a CI since then? Probably no better than someone who just earned their RN.

Y'all are talking about how bad having new nurses for CIs are... I think it's worse to be taught by the older circa 1970s nurses, who hold very arcane ideals, skills and knowledge in nursing, and who aren't able to keep up with the latest in updates and innovation...For example, younger nurse CIs would have knowledge of what a pleurevac is, but the old nurses will definitely show you only the three-bottle system, if you start asking about chest tube drainage systems.. hahaha

I see what you're saying because a lot of those older generation nurses are definately "old school"....some of them hate change and openly express it....but also old school nurses still have to keep up with the times and have to learn the new methods that are being brought forth in the nursing field....for example an older nurse must use the computerized charting if that's what the facility is using....They have to be trained using the computer.....there is no way around it....but what the old school nurse can provide what the new grad CI can't is floor experience...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Y'all are talking about how bad having new nurses for CIs are... I think it's worse to be taught by the older circa 1970s nurses, who hold very arcane ideals, skills and knowledge in nursing, and who aren't able to keep up with the latest in updates and innovation...For example, younger nurse CIs would have knowledge of what a pleurevac is, but the old nurses will definitely show you only the three-bottle system, if you start asking about chest tube drainage systems.. hahaha

Learning doesn't stop once you graduate from nursing school! Most "older" nurses continually update their knowledge and skills as the healthcare enironment changes. They bring a wealth of information and experience to any healthcare setting, and to compare their ability to teach with the ability of an inexperienced new grad CI is just plain foolish!

How much hands-on experience do these new grads have? How many patients have they cared for in a clinical setting? (And if 10 students are caring for the same patient, it doesn't count as real experience...)

Yes, even a new grad may know what a pleurovac is, but they probably wouldn't know what to do if it malfunctions! hahaha

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I still go over the 3 bottle system when taking about the pleuravac. That is the only why the system makes sense to me.

My understanding is one can not be a licensed plumber or electrician without working under a Master of that field, yet some feel a novice new is fine to teach a student nurse.

Also to teach at the BSN level one should be masters prepared.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I guess one question you should ask yourself too is if you're willing to shell out 30,000 (perhaps even higher) pesos a semester and be taught by someone with little (to no experience) and by someone who is not qualified technically. Is it worth it or wold you feel being robbed (not just money-wise but also of the things that you need to learn)?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

What gives everyone the idea that the old nurses have the "experience" to lead young nurses, if they haven't been on the floor themselves in a long while, especially if they've been lecturers for some ten years and have never step foot in the hospital since?

A question that should be asked is: Would you rather be taught by someone with little experience who would be able to admit that she's also new to the world of nursing, and would be willing to help you learn whatever she just learned? Or would you rather be taught by someone so old, her view of nursing is so stuck to the eras nurses being handmaidens to doctors, no critical thinking, and still believe in corporal punishment?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

True, there are schools hiring...incompetent clinical instructors..but not every school in the Philippines does otherwise...I came from reputable University in the Philippines with a very high passing rate in the NLE.. and I must say that they have lived up to the standards ... I never came across a newly inexpereienced clinical instructor during my student days.. Most of my CI's are experts in their feild... So I guess it all boils down to choosing the right school that offers quality education...not just any nursing school found in somewhere...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
A question that should be asked is: Would you rather be taught by someone with little experience who would be able to admit that she's also new to the world of nursing, and would be willing to help you learn whatever she just learned? Or would you rather be taught by someone so old, her view of nursing is so stuck to the eras nurses being handmaidens to doctors, no critical thinking, and still believe in corporal punishment?

I don't think it's necessarily an either/or situation. There are a lot of nurses who fall somewhere between the two extremes you are describing! It's clear from the tone of your post that you would prefer to be taught by someone with very little experience. That's fine--you're lucky you live in a country where it is acceptable to have nurses with no actual experience try and teach others! Good luck to ya!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I honestly believe that most of us would rather be taught by experienced nurses than the ones who are not experienced...The only way for the clinical instructor to be current with his/her nursing skills is to be on the floor....They're already seasoned, so they have the basic down and can function on their own in order to teach the student nurse....If the student nurse has a question 98% of the time the instructor will have an answer due to his/her experience.....I'm just not convinced that a CI with no experience has the skill in order to lead a group of nursing students....Personally I'd rather have an instructor who knows what they're doing...Although I know that there are CI who don't seem to care and they're also seasoned.....But you will most definately get the most out of nursing school from nursing instructors/clinical instructors with experience on the floor as a nurse.....Here in the US it takes years of actual clinical experience in order to be a clinical instructor....At least that's how it is for CA BRN......

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Unfortunately experienced Filipino nurses are not like the seasoned American nurses you compare them to. Ask a seasoned Filipino nurse/instructor a question, and they will look at you like you are stupid, and ask you to do a research on your question, or tell you that you haven't been reading your books. And you can't go moaning to your instructor around exam times saying you haven't covered a particular topic, they will just yell back at you, "We can only teach you 30%, the 70% you should learn on your own!" And they will humiliate you at clinicals in front of everybody if you make an error or if you do not know something. Sure you have an instructor that knows what he's doing, but he/she would care less if you know/not know what they know. I believe it all falls down to whoever has the passion to teach, because I have friends chose to be clinical instructors without experience and they are doing well (we graduated 2007), and I have friends who just don't have the passion to be instructors, couldn't care less about the pay, and just want to be staff nurses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have a suggestion, for the Philippine nurses believe that experience is no value for a Clinical Instructor.

Since many of you are planning in working the USA, do a research project on the experience of CI and student outcomes. Getting a published scholarly research article will give you an edge over many other applicants.

Ask the dean of your school the average experience of the CI then ask the average rate of passing CNLE. That should be easy.

If you want to expand this you could send a questionnaire to the graduates. This would be an excellent study and end this discussion.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Unfortunately experienced Filipino nurses are not like the seasoned American nurses you compare them to. Ask a seasoned Filipino nurse/instructor a question, and they will look at you like you are stupid, and ask you to do a research on your question, or tell you that you haven't been reading your books. And you can't go moaning to your instructor around exam times saying you haven't covered a particular topic, they will just yell back at you, "We can only teach you 30%, the 70% you should learn on your own!" And they will humiliate you at clinicals in front of everybody if you make an error or if you do not know something. Sure you have an instructor that knows what he's doing, but he/she would care less if you know/not know what they know. I believe it all falls down to whoever has the passion to teach, because I have friends chose to be clinical instructors without experience and they are doing well (we graduated 2007), and I have friends who just don't have the passion to be instructors, couldn't care less about the pay, and just want to be staff nurses.

To expand on my other post, the research could compare the NCLEX results of nurses from the USA and Filipino counter parts. You could also survey the graduates of both countries and see the student satisfaction. It is a great nursing research topic and would advance your nursing practice. Best of luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Unfortunately experienced Filipino nurses are not like the seasoned American nurses you compare them to. Ask a seasoned Filipino nurse/instructor a question, and they will look at you like you are stupid, and ask you to do a research on your question, or tell you that you haven't been reading your books. And you can't go moaning to your instructor around exam times saying you haven't covered a particular topic, they will just yell back at you, "We can only teach you 30%, the 70% you should learn on your own!" And they will humiliate you at clinicals in front of everybody if you make an error or if you do not know something. Sure you have an instructor that knows what he's doing, but he/she would care less if you know/not know what they know. I believe it all falls down to whoever has the passion to teach, because I have friends chose to be clinical instructors without experience and they are doing well (we graduated 2007), and I have friends who just don't have the passion to be instructors, couldn't care less about the pay, and just want to be staff nurses.

Wow! That's a huge difference from your last post, where you said, "Or would you rather be taught by someone so old, her view of nursing is so stuck to the eras nurses being handmaidens to doctors, no critical thinking, and still believe in corporal punishment?"

Now I am beginning to understand. It's not so much that you feel the "old" nurses aren't good nurses--it's that they are intimidating and unwilling to help you learn. The function of a clinical instructor is to help the student integrate the "book learning" with the application of hands-on skills in the clinical setting. It should be an opportunity for learning new skills and developing the confidence needed to become good nurses. It should never involve students feeling humiliated, or afraid to ask a question.

I have been a nurse for many years. I am not a clinical instructor, but I love when the newer nurses ask me questions because it gives me the chance to informally teach, and share my knowledge and experiences with them. It makes me feel good to be able to help them. I didn't realize things were so different in the Philippines, in terms of attitude. Now I understand your original post. I still believe that clinical instructors need to have sufficient experience to teach, but at least I understand your point of view.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion