Crazy Instructor....I've had enough!

pinkiepie_RN · Mar 3, 2009

While I'm not typically one for semantics, bipolar disorder is not something to be taken lightly. It's also not a crutch that should explain or justify one's behavior. If this lady is sick, it's something she must do on her own and seek treatment for.

That being said, this behavior speaks to me of someone who is very insecure and lacks confidence in her practice and skills. I would say attempt to talk to her about it if she seems like she's having a good day, honestly. I'm not saying to tell her that she's a bad instructor but to say that you're concerned about your learning environment. Maybe say that you'd like to know what her expectations are out of you as a student if she hangs over you and makes you nervous.

I'm not sure going to the department head or DON would help, but make sure you document these things and stick together as a clinical group. I had an instructor last semester and while the department heads listened to what we had to say, nothing was really accomplished and she continued to get worse throughout the semester. We were even told that if there wasn't a hiring freeze, they would be looking for her replacement. As things got worse, we continued to document and it ended up we just learned more from the RNs on the unit than our clinical instructor. I'm not sure if she's still teaching for my school or not.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2009

Has anyone reported her to her boss (the dean)?

Has anyone thought about secretly taping these rants of hers since she does them routinely at the same class time and playing them for her boss (the dean) to prove your complaints about her?

The next time she bullies someone, turn to the person she did it in front of, even if it is a patient, and ask if they saw what she just did. Give the impression that you are going to use the person as a witness. Then get the name of the person because you will be making a written statement of this lady's action and including the name of this witness so when you give the write up to her boss she can contact the witness for a statement as well if she wants one.

ray_GN · Mar 3, 2009

its really very hard when your instructor is paranoid, bipolar and just plain MEAN!

SnarfGirl · Mar 3, 2009

Wow - that is totally unacceptable. I'd start documenting like crazy. Write down incidents and record what you can. There has to be more than one of you doing this though - I've stepped up and voiced some opinions that everyone asked me to do - then they all backed down and I was left alone and looking stupid. I will say that instructor we had was finally let go...but not during our class, we had to endure her for the whole semester...finally the class behind us also had her and wrote a letter to the Dean and all signed it...but then nothing happened! So after the Dean refused to do anything - one letter to the district people and it was a done deal. Good luck....

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Mar 3, 2009

hmm - I certainly don't have Psych expertise, but rapid mood cycling like you described would seem to be more "chemical" in origin than organic. My acquaintences that have actually been Dx as bipolar usually don't flip back and forth -- usually takes a day or so to 'morph' into another cycle.

I'm just saying....

sunray12 · Mar 3, 2009

i have an instructor who is above-the-top crazy, manic depressive. i dread going to the clinical area with her. she randomly snaps at students when only 1 hour before she was treating the student like her best friend. she goes ballistic over every little thing. she is always wired on caffeine and is constantly drinking energy drinks all day....
i just have to be honest in saying that she scares me. and all of her students say the same. sometimes she is goes so ballistic, i think she is going to hit someone. she has 0 patience for anything and anyone, is completely unsupportive....
when she in in lectures, for the entire semester, she always begins class by giving an hour 'speech' on why nursing basically sucks, how she hates nursing, and tells about 10 stories to support her 'theories' about how nursing is terrible. yes, every class she does this. i am not kidding. she wastes an incredible amount of time doing this and i am considering going to the dean about it, as are some other students that have had enough of it. i once challenged her and asked, "so, what do you like about nursing?" she gave me a dirty look and said nothing.
when we do competencies, she becomes so manic that we can't even understand what she is saying. she talks so fast and becomes so hyperactive that we can't even follow what the heck she is saying/doing. then we have to do the competency and if we miss even the smallest thing (even on the first try) so goes nuts! i mean, she is ready to jump out of her skin to attack you. it makes me so afraid to try anything in her presence and i become rigid and afraid of missing something that i even begin to get mini-anxiety attacks before class because of her behavior. i know the procedure left and right (thru my own reading) but when it comes to showing her, i get so nervous that i screw up something small and there it begins (her crazy behavior). she does this to everyone in the group. a few times she has thrown gloves at students and called a few students stupid, lazy, etc....
the strangest thing is this behavoior is so on-and-off that you never know what you'll get when you walk into class that day. one day, she can be sweet as pie (besides her usual 1-hour speech about how nursing sucks) and the next day it is like hell froze over and she wants to just smack the cr*p out of you for nothing. and sometimes it's not day-to-day, it is minute-to-minute....
i just feel so uncomfortable around her.
should i really speak to the dean or the head of the nursing dept., rather?

funny how there's one instructor/professor who does this no matter what your major is. i've already heard the rant spiels. i could probably finish off her rants for her and i would probably find her pitifully amusing. but this kind of thing is bad - very demoralizing for younger students. no one wants to spend years working hard to get into school to study something and then have to hear every day how bad it is from an instructor who's supposed to be helping you get to that something.

not sure that anything can be done about her negativity. nursing instructors are on shortage as it is so schools can't be picky about positivity quotients in the people they hire. but if she's abusive to students then probably the victims ought to speak up and say something to the dean.

vashtee, RN · Mar 3, 2009

I wouldn't bother reporting her. Due to the shortage of nursing instructors, she is unlikely to be fired. Pretty much everyone ends up with at least one instructor like this - you just need to remind yourself that nursing school is like boot camp, and get through it one day at a time.

I had an instructor who was charged with battery against a student (I'm not sure the charge was warranted), and she is still teaching. She was volatile, but I learned a lot from her.

motivated2nurse · Mar 6, 2009

Are we at the same school or what? This must be the same instructor. Limits must be set. What is the deal!

tuffy2 · Mar 7, 2009

who exactly are the district people? cause I went to the nursing Dean and he said unfortunately he couldn't do anything. and this clinical instrustor is just awfull I am going to start documenting especially in response to what she put in my weekly evaluations anyway thanks

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 7, 2009

I had a boss that was just like that, no one wanted to "tell" on her, because when she was nice she was really nice and you felt bad for her. Bottom line though is this is completely unacceptable. You are paying for your education and you deserve a good one, you don't deserve to be treated like this or to have to constantly deal with someone elses emotional problems, and flat out abuse. If the other students feel the same way then I would as a group go and talk to the Dean, or collectively compose a well written letter addressing all these points and have everyone sign it.

We had to eventually do this with our boss. You can't sacrifice yourself because you feel bad or don't want to ruffle any feathers.

I hope it all works out for you.

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2009

Did anyone else catch what I just did?

If she is drinking energy drinks like they are water, I would be willing to bet her electrolytes are off so bad, that no wonder she is acting like a lunatic.

You need to report this to the Dean...make sure the Dean understands that this isn't a typical "My nursing instructor is difficult to deal with" speech...make sure you tell the Dean that you think that there is something MEDICALLY/MENTALLY "not right" about her demeanor.

There is a reason why someone drinks energy drinks all day...I know of TWO people that do this...not saying that this applies to the instructor, but both of the people that I know that do this are alcoholics. They drink the energy drinks to get them through hangovers so they can function at work until they can get back home and drink some more.