Clinical professors...

loriangel14, RN · Oct 27, 2012

I had many professors that were not currently practicing and that in no way affected their ability to teach. Telling you to research the answers to your questions does not mean she doesn't know. You need to take responsibility for your own learning.

Ash81386 · Oct 27, 2012

I've noticed a lot of my instructors have not worked in a hospital for years and years as well. It surprises me, since healthcare is ALWAYS changing. But my school is very big on "evidence based practice" so maybe instructors keep up with changes through literature? As far as patho goes, it doesnt really change. But I know what you mean about skills. The other day my ICU instructor came in my room to check on me and I think when she was suctioning my pt (vent wouldn't stop alarming) she raised the vent settings & didn't fix them back after. Myself, my primary nurse, and respiratory all denied changing settings. I later heard they USED to raise settings before the "100% O2" button came along. The problem was fixed, but what if something bad had of happened? Then I was surprised that, as a nurse who worked in the ICU for years, she seemed so unfamiliar with Cardiene & had to look it up. Sorry, didn't mean to write you a book... All I meant was that I know exactly what you mean!

rei-chan · Oct 27, 2012

It isn't that I don't own up to my learning or am not an active participant in my learning because I look things up and try to learn things on my own to the best of my ability. But when something unexpected comes across your way and you are curious about it and go to clinical instructor out of curiosity and you are told to look it upwithout any explanation of how, what, where, nothing except "you need to look it up and get back to me." Wouldn't you find this annoyingly frustrating? Or how about performing a procedure exactly as it should be done, but getting in trouble and written up because "you did it wrong and need to look it up" (I emailed the page shot of the book she keeps telling us to look it up describing the procedure exactly as I had performed it." What about when the professor is asking every other nurse on the unit how to do something simple because she isn't sure how to do it? Or when she wants to give an injection using the wrong sized needle? THIS IS WHAT I AM REFERRING TO. Not my lack in owning up to my learning experience.

loriangel14, RN · Oct 28, 2012

You shouldn't need someone to tell you how to do research. You need to stand on your own two feet and not expect to have your hand held. I don't see anything wrong with asking for guidance from floor staff if you have been not currently practicing. Plus some places do things differently. The real world is very different from school. You cannot place all the blame on the teacher. You need to take some responsibility.

Ash81386 · Oct 28, 2012

I agree! It's NOT that I don't do my own research-- trust me, I do! I AM in charge of m own learning. However, you should be able to interact with your instructors. I don't expect any of them to be my BFF or baby me, but at least we should be able to toss some ideas back and forth without being shut down by "go research that!" If we already knew everything we wouldn't be students.

hodgieRN · Oct 28, 2012

Many nurses move on to an academic position as their career progresses. I heard someone say that most of the nursing population is somewhere other than the bedside.... like managers, academia, research, education, administration, or practitioners. Actual bedside nurses probably don't last that long or are few and far between. The medical world changes so fast and it can be hard to keep up. But if you are having issues with your professor, know that they change as you go through school (obviously). It will pass, so just keep your head up and keep trucking on.

Stephalump · Oct 28, 2012

Our professors continue to work in the nursing field in some capacity while teaching. My clinical instructor (an adjunct) is a full time NP as is one of my lab instructors. Both of my lecture professors work hospice.

They say it "keeps them honest." That getting away from the reality of the workplace can create unrealistic expectations/ideas, because its easy to dictate when you aren't in the trenches.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2012

I think that those with the bedside experience don't have the right degrees to teach. Many nurses that have gone on to further their education wanted to leave the bedside. The nurses in the trenches don't have enough "formal education" for experience is not considered necessary to teach new nurses the degree is.......even with all my 34 years of nursing, and a BSN, I no longer have the "credentials" to teach anywhere but here. Although I have found this variable program to program. More ADN/ASN programs "allow" BSN nurses to teach clinical but of course again....they do not have the "proper education"/credentials to teach lecture.

A failing of the present system....in my honest opinion.

I always teach with guidance and shared participation for discussing the subject with the moment right in front of you has benefit. I have always explained the question in the moment...to a point.....then asked the student to finish the discussion and get back to me. I think the lack of bedside experience in the CI staff is hurting the profession. Experience is no longer respected in the teachers in the profession that requires it from it's members.

You seem to have an unskilled CI.....this can happen in any profession...do your best and remember this too shall pass. You could also talk to your dean about your concerns. I have always found that those who really have the knowledge to begin with are happy to share it.

I wish you the best:)

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2012

The reason why you find these kinds of things, OP, is because most schools require a minimum of a Master's Degree to teach clinical. I think throughout my entire BSN program, I had ONE clinical instructor who still worked as a bedside nurse and she only did so per diem. My other clinical instructors were Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, a Lactation Consultant and a Psych Advanced Practice Nurse.

I do not, however, see anything wrong with a clinical instructor asking the floor nurses for advice. When I worked in the hospital, I worked on a very specialized unit. Many of the clinical instructors who rotated through with students did not know our unit or the patient population. I'd RATHER have them ask me and as a nursing student, you should be glad that your instructor is asking so that she can teach you the proper way to do things.

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 30, 2012

There is no way a single person can be an expert at everything. As we acquire more knowledge and skills in one area, we always lose a little in another as we "move on" to the next. In order to acquire advanced knowledge and/or learn the specialty of nursing education, a nurse doesn't have time to also maintain her old clinical practice in the same way she did when that old clinical practice was all she had to focus on. That is inevitable.

What's most important is not that an instructor know everything ... but she knows what she knows and what she doesn't know -- and seeks help as appropriate. It may be frustrating for you as a student to have to look stuff up or ask the staff for certain details, but it is safer than having someone (i.e. your instructor) who does NOT take care of those patients on a full time basis answer questions that she may not be up-to-date on. Her priority needs to be directing you to where you can find good informatin -- and in keeping the patients safe. For her to speculate based on her previous experience would be unsafe practice.

Now ... maybe your instructor is truly incompetent in the clinical area and not just a little out-of-date. If that is true, she is not the best person to have teaching in that particular clinical setting. If that's the case, hopefully the school can find someone better qualified for future semesters. But that doesn't mean you will necessarily get a bad education with this instructor -- and that should be your main concern. Focus on finding your best resources for whatever questions you have. In some cases, it will be your instructor -- but it doesn't always have to be your instructor.

Sometimes, some of the best clinicians make some of the worst teachers. And sometimes, some out-of-date clinicians make excellent ones. One does not predict the other.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Oct 30, 2012

In my area a nursing school instructor must have a minimum of master's degree and some experience. The pay, however, is equal to what a new nurse with associates degree earns in the hospital. So many institutions cannot attract instructors. The ones I know who are teaching are married with benefits thru husband's job and do not want the hours or stress of hospital work. That said, I can teach anything if I research it enough. However, adult education means guiding the individual to learn on their own. So it is a mixed bag of answers for your question.