Correct an instructor?

[OgopogoLPN]

Today we had a lecture on Integumentary System disruptions we might come accross in acute care.

When we got to the slide with "curet" in it, my instructor said that a curet was a drain.

I worked as a dermatology assistant for 6 years and know that a curet isn't a drain. It's an instrument with a small circle at the end, sharpened and is used to scrape away tissue.

I did not speak up in class, or approach the instructor after class. While she is a very knowledgable RN, BSN, and a good instructor, she is also not very approachable and somewhat intimidating.

At lunch time, I did let some of my fellow classmates know about the correction, but these were my friends and we usually eat lunch together. The other 20 students still think a curet is a drain -----unless they did their prereading!!

Would you approach your instructor about this mistake?

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I would only correct an instructor if a. I knew something was grossly wrong, AND b. I could back a correction up with the textbook. Otherwise, you're just asking for trouble IMO.

And of course (like everyone else has said), it'd be done gently, with the non-threatening "I think I'm confused and just wanted to clarify..." approach.

[justme1972]

I would approach it in this manner, " The textbook reads....however, in my notes, I wrote... So, I wanted to clarify and make sure I didn't make a mistake."

I've found this works better then," The book reads...but you said..."

Yeah...but the same arrogant instructors at my school have told us on several occasions that the "book was wrong".

So I'm sitting there, sipping my Diet Coke, saying to myself, "Yeah, yeah, yeah...whatever."

[Alternator81]

I'm a pretty outspoken person but NO way would I correct an instructor not in public or private unless we were working on a live patient and possibly going to harm him/her.

I thought I was the only one! I would NEVER EVER correct an instructor! That's just CRAZY!

[NursKris82]

I had one instructor who was NUTS!! OMG... none of us could stand her. Everyone failed her med math test and we asked her to please show us how she came up with some of the answers and she refused. I went up and asked her if she was looking for ml/hour because I was confused about the wording, she read it and siad yes. Then, I got that questions wrong. I asked her about it and she said I forgot to do the last steps, which would make it drops/ minute or something. I said- but I asked you what you wanted and you said ml. hours and she repeated I forgot the last step and I repeated what I said and then gave up. One of her answers was to draw up .0001 ml of some med- we asked how you would measure that ans she had no answer, but wouldn't back down off her answer. She also saidn mgms was plural for milligrams- what a character this one was! She had to fix some of her answers and them some of us passsed and then write another test for the others. In class she said something about DM and someone pointed out that the book said something different and we learned something different in first semester, she stated the book must be wrong. That semester was awful!! She didn't like us and we didn't like her. Most of us just didn't go to class, did or own reading and studying and showed up to take the test and passed the class. That was a rough one!!

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

Yeah.....you never want to correct an instructor unless it's a patient safety issue...otherwise, best to just keep the head down and keep below the radar.

[Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I have done it a few times, not in front of others. I just politely email them.