Published
I said I wasn't going to dwell on this, but I just can't help it.
I took a test yesterday. I passed it. But.... two of the questions my instructor had on the test we never lectured on nor was it even in our book. One of my classmates, asked her how are we suppose to know about that if we never covered it?
She replied with well, I guess you won't, but now you know what it is for next time. Next time, I thought. A few of my classmates did not pass due to the two questions. I could have gotten an A if these two questions weren't there. UGH! Each question was worth five points. Yes, thats ten points I could of had. Double UGH!
That's 80 instead of 70 for a classmate.
Is she going to do this with every test from now on? Its bad enough I don't like my med/surg. book. Now, I am scared.
Do you guys think this is fair?
Ok, back up. Look at the big picture. What in this situation can you control, change, effect long term? What are you willing to give up to accomplish your goal. One thing I have learned, as nurses, dealing with obstinant doctors and unrelenting families, if I stopped and argued to prove the point, I would never leave work, or have peace of mind. Sometimes cencession is easier to swallow than a defensive clinical instructor. Some people just have to be right, smart, better. Good luck and take this as a lesson not a beating. Good luck. :caduceus:
OK This question has now got me thinking about it. I looked in my drug book. Says nothing about monitoring BUN and creatinine but it did say to monitor LDL and triglycerides. Did a little googling and dark grean leafy vegetables have omega-3 in them, you can't place a person on fluid restrictions only a MD can do that. So it can't be all of the above.
After my search I'm going with restrict dark green leafy vegetables, because fish oil has other vitamins (A and E I think) in it and the patient can get a toxic level by having to much. So that's my final answer.
Did anyone in your class pick this answer if not ask your instructor if that's the answer.
First thing this morning in class, again, we asked about this particular question. Again, she told us to dig. I have dug, and dug. The only thing I found was exactly what tampa girl found. Avoid dark green leafy vegetables because that would increase the risk for bleeding for the pt. I chose bun/creat, which I now know is wrong.
I will never know what the correct answer is... she won't tell us. None, I mean none of my classmates got this answer correct. As a matter of fact, one of my male classmates asked our instructor if she would throw out the question. Her reply... "No, and don't ever ask me that again, and because you did I will give you and your classmates 20 list of medications you need to look up with their actions and side effects, and its due first thing in the morning." That's along with the already lengthy 2 Pt. Teaching plan, and I still have to read 5 more chapters by thursday.
UGH!!!! I have 16 more weeks, and I am sooooo done with this school! I think this maybe one of the reasons nursing programs don't have good attrition rates.
What mentally exhausting day. I am going to take a nap, and get up with a fresh new start.
Thanks everyone! Don't forget to pray for me.
Her reply... "No, and don't ever ask me that again, and because you did I will give you and your classmates 20 list of medications you need to look up with their actions and side effects, and its due first thing in the morning."
OK, now I'm on board.
THAT'S definitely wrong. Sounds like a crappy teacher to me, especially since they won't give you the answer and, more importantly, the thinking behind it.
Ok, so my second choice answer was restrict green leafy veggies, and here is my rationale:
fish oil has anticoagulant properties (drug book said it would increase bleeding) so IF the pt is taking it for that reason, then you wouldn't want them to have alot of Vit. K (Vit. K helps clotting factors- it would cancel the effect of fish oil maybe?). Thats really a stretch though, I think.
I think its pretty dumb that she is never going to give you the correct answer, how are you supposed to learn?
If you are serious about grinding this teacher until she gives in or breaks your will, then go straight to the Director of the program. You should have received an entry packet with specific instructions on grievance resolution, chain of command, etc. Be specific, be objective, be non-judgemental. Sounds like a hard-head, but you can't change her actions, only your reactions.!!! Apply that to just about everything!!!!!
Good luck.
I will never know what the correct answer is... she won't tell us. None, I mean none of my classmates got this answer correct. As a matter of fact, one of my male classmates asked our instructor if she would throw out the question. Her reply... "No, and don't ever ask me that again, and because you did I will give you and your classmates 20 list of medications you need to look up with their actions and side effects, and its due first thing in the morning." What mentally exhausting day. I am going to take a nap, and get up with a fresh new start.
That is just SO WRONG on so many levels!!! A good instructor would turn this situation into a great learning tool. You could have an open class discussion on all the material everyone had to "dig" for. She could then question everyone and try to narrow it down, and then DING, DING, DING, the answer could come to one or more students through critical thinking. But to not even offer the right answer with a thorough explanation? That isn't teaching!!!
Our instructors will often go over the test with us right after it's collected. Our memories are still fresh as to what answer we gave to questions, so we know right away which ones we got wrong and what the correct answer is. And we have had a question or two thrown off exams due to a class/intructor discussion about it being unfair. This doesn't happen with all the ones we question as a class as the instructor will explain where and when we did go over it, or why we should have known it through critical thinking, but she has thrown out one or two.
I feel for you! She doesn't sound like a very empathetic instructor!!
Give it up and turn it loose!
It's one question and yes I know it's the principle but if you keep pursuing this then you are asking for it. NS sucks and a lot of unfair crap happens and no it shouldn't be this way but it is, accept it and move on.
Go to the director? Ha, that's laughable they are probably friends and it will only turn around and bite the OP right in the butt.
By the way, regarding the answer to the question, here would be my GUESS:
I would choose "Limit green veggies." My reasoning is that vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. Since it's fat-soluble, it can build up in the body to levels at which it can be toxic. I would presume that fish oil has substantial vitamin A and I know that green veggies do. Therefore, since the pt. is receiving substantial vitamin A from the fish oil, I'd advise restricting foods that are also high in vitamin A, green veggies among them.
I might have guessed the BUN/Creatinine but I don't really understand the connection there so I'd have picked "restrict green veggies"
I don't know if I'd have been correct, though.
While I consider the instructor's attitude and response deplorable ("educational malpractice", actually), that specific question is not so far off base as to be objectionable as one question out of a large number. Just my opinion, though.
^^^^^ I agree and I found this article that supports your answer.
Hypervitimanosis A following long-term use of high dose fish oil supplements.
http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/reprint/97/5/1260.pdf
Also if you read the entire article please note that it says the patient's BUN/Creatinine levels were normal so that is definitely not the answer.
Hypervitaminosis A is a well described clinical entitywhich has usually been observed following the chronic
ingestion of vitamin A supplements.ı-ı It has been reported
that as little as 10,000 units of vitamin A intake daily may
be sufficient to cause symptoms of hypervitaminosis.ı Patients
usually present complaining offatigue, irritability, dry
itchy skin, loss of body hair, headache, myalgia, low-grade
fever, anorexia and vomiting.3 Hepatomegaly often is present
on physical examination, presumably due to an accumulation
ofvitamin A in the liver. Vitamin A toxicity results when the
transport system for vitamin A from the liver to the
peripheral tissues is overtaxed and free retinal and/or
retinoic acid interact with cell and organelle membranes.'
Concentrations of vitamin A in plasma over 300 pg/dl are
considered diagnostic ofthe condition.6
Fish oils in various forms recently have been the subject
of considerable media attention, principally due to their
reported ability to prevent the development of coronary
artery disease. It is interesting to note, however, that the
patient's massive intake of fish oils did not significantly alter
his blood lipid picture, and actually caused an increase in
his LDL level. Similar findings during periods of fish oil
intake were reported by Harris et al.ı Some ofthe available
commercial fish oil preparations (especially those containing
large amounts of cod liver oil), may contain significant
amounts of vitamin A. '-ı When used at the recommended
dosages (usually six capsules a day), these agents are
relatively safe. However, the quantity of fish oil capsules
taken by this patient far exceeded the dose usually taken or
recommended. The case reported here suggests that an
increase in episodes ofhypervitaminosis A may occur owing
to the overzealous use of fish oil supplements by individuals
wishing to lower their risk of developing coronary artery
disease.
REFERENCES
1 Yetiv JZ. Clinical applications offish oils. JAMA 1988; 260:665-70
morte, LPN, LVN
7,015 Posts
i think i would, as a group, insist on knowing the answer, how else are to learn....espicially as, as a group, allnurses thinks you are right!