Does my clinical intructor not like me or am I being sensitive?

[starrys]

I'm in my level 2 of my nursing program at a community college. I've been to 2 clinicals and I am in my 3rd one. I did well on the first 2 clinicals. Both instructors said positive things about me and I got a 4/4. Yesterday was our 3rd day at my new clinicals I'm in right now. I was in the patient's room trying to get an assessment. After getting the report from the nurse, she asked me if I can try feeding her. When I went in, she was very lethargic. I introduced myself to her even though she is lethargic. She is also very confused, has psychosis paranoia, copd, uti, bed rest, etc. When I introduced myself, she did respond so I wanted to see if she was able to eat. I gave her one small piece of her potato and told her to chew. She chewed and fell right asleep. I thought it was a bad idea to feed her so I was cleaning her mouth and cleaned the table. Then all of a sudden, I see my instructor walk in and ask what I was doing. I don't know if she was trying to listen to what I was doing behind the curtain since the patient was in bed 2. I tried my best to fix her up with the help of the nursing assistant later. I took her temp every hour because she had a high temp. I washed her face, arms, legs, and the patient managed to give me a smile although 5 minutes later she would yell at me saying to leave her alone and said she needed to go somewhere. I calmed her down and turned the tv on for her. I finally got some rest time so I went into the back room where some of the students were and I started to write my nurses note that I needed to hand in at the end of the night. the intructor comes in and goes to her bag trying to take something out and says to me that my patient is yelling out something that she needs to go somewhere with her mom. so i went to my patient to see if everything was okay. i just felt like she was just checking up on me or something. during post-conference, we were sharing about our patients. she started with the student near her and i thought we were going around in a direct circle, but just when it was my turn, she skips me and asks the next student. i was the last to go. i don't know if im being super sensitive. i help other students when they need help, i try to see what other nurses do so i can learn, and most importantly, i attend to my patient. am i being sensitive?

[chevyv, BSN, RN]

It sounds like your pt was an interesting one for a clinical experience. I'm sure your instructor knew this before assigning her to you. It sounds like you did your best under the watchful eyes of your instructor. I didn't see anything really negative. Maybe she saved you for last because it was a different type of pt.

[Hygiene Queen]

Yes. I think so.

Maybe your instructor felt that your experience with your pt would require the most time to discuss. She wanted to spend more time on your pt's issues, perhaps.

Your instructor was checking up on you, I'm sure... because that's her job.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Yes, you're being overly sensitive.

Good instructors have some post-conference discussion topics ready for when a good opportunity presents itself. Your day with your patient, which may have been more difficult than some others', may well have been the note on which the instructor wanted to end post-conference.

And yes, it's her job to check up on you.

[Emergency RN]

No offense to the OP, but being only in your third clinical, that's like being in nursing kindergarten. Expect to make plenty of missteps, and have constant, sometimes almost overbearing supervision at all times. I hate to shock you, but even after you graduate, pass the boards, and are finally considered a full fledged licensed RN; you'll find that it will be at least several good working years before you can ever feel comfortable enough to be expected to function fully independently. Hint: in most places, new grads too, are watched like hawks by senior nurses; and that's considered a good thing.

Having an instructor constantly watching you is to your (and the patient's) advantage. Not only will it allow her to pick up on where you need help, it would also prevent you from doing something inadvertently harmful. That said, perhaps it was her communication style or approach that is raising the hair on your back. But, please consider that not all people we meet are going to perfectly dovetail into our own individual personalities, and we need to remind ourselves of the overall purpose of the relationship. I remember a nursing instructor telling us on day one, to put our egos in check and try to learn all there is to learn. She highlighted the fact that, it isn't at all about any of us, but ultimately, about patient care and safety.

In fact, after a quarter century at the bedside, it probably remains the most important lesson of my entire career.

I wish you well, and good luck!

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

Too soon and not enough facts to say that your instructor dislikes you. You are being too sensitive, this instructor sounds great compared to what I've had before lol.

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

I concur with all those that say she is doing her job (checking up on you), and seemingly has no reason to dislike you.

I never go in order during post conference. Don't read into her sequence; some students I never get to. Sometimes I jump around, If one situation prompts me to jump to another students' situation.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i'm in my level 2 of my nursing program at a community college. i've been to 2 clinicals and i am in my 3rd one. i did well on the first 2 clinicals. both instructors said positive things about me and i got a 4/4. yesterday was our 3rd day at my new clinicals i'm in right now. i was in the patient's room trying to get an assessment. after getting the report from the nurse, she asked me if i can try feeding her. when i went in, she was very lethargic. i introduced myself to her even though she is lethargic. she is also very confused, has psychosis paranoia, copd, uti, bed rest, etc. when i introduced myself, she did respond so i wanted to see if she was able to eat. i gave her one small piece of her potato and told her to chew. she chewed and fell right asleep. i thought it was a bad idea to feed her so i was cleaning her mouth and cleaned the table. then all of a sudden, i see my instructor walk in and ask what i was doing. i don't know if she was trying to listen to what i was doing behind the curtain since the patient was in bed 2. i tried my best to fix her up with the help of the nursing assistant later. i took her temp every hour because she had a high temp. i washed her face, arms, legs, and the patient managed to give me a smile although 5 minutes later she would yell at me saying to leave her alone and said she needed to go somewhere. i calmed her down and turned the tv on for her. i finally got some rest time so i went into the back room where some of the students were and i started to write my nurses note that i needed to hand in at the end of the night. the intructor comes in and goes to her bag trying to take something out and says to me that my patient is yelling out something that she needs to go somewhere with her mom. so i went to my patient to see if everything was okay. i just felt like she was just checking up on me or something. during post-conference, we were sharing about our patients. she started with the student near her and i thought we were going around in a direct circle, but just when it was my turn, she skips me and asks the next student. i was the last to go. i don't know if im being super sensitive. i help other students when they need help, i try to see what other nurses do so i can learn, and most importantly, i attend to my patient. am i being sensitive?

yes. you're being too sensitive. it is the job of an instructor (and then preceptor and then charge nurse) to keep an eye on you and what you're doing. check your ego at the door and learn as much as you can.

[lvbnme1979]

This is very typical. They want to make sure you are getting the most out of your experience. If it happens again, just explain what you are doing. If you are within your scope of RN student practice, and you are not harming your patient or neglecting others, the instructor cannot argue. I have had good instructors and bad instructors. It just seems they are coming off rude when they are just as busy as you are! :)

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Yes you are being overly sensitive. Eventually, you'll learn to toughen up and go with the flow. And post conference is there to generate discussion. That is all.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

You must be sensitive because you are trying to do the best you can. I can relate!

I agree with the posters who mentioned that she skipped you because she wanted to allow more time to discuss your pt and your experience with this pt. More than likely, she wanted other students to ask questions which would then segue into a discussion on how to care for confused patients, pt's that might have inadequate nutrition, pt's that might be at risk for aspiration when eating, and what the best course of action would be for allaying confusion and anxiety in the pt population that you were focusing on during this clinical rotation.

You sound like you did all the right things. You should be proud of yourself!

[GimiRN]

There's nothing from your story that indicates your instructor was picking on you or singling you out. She asked you what you were doing. What's wrong with that? She mentioned that your patient was agitated when she saw you in the back. Again, I don't see the problem.

It would have been more inappropriate if she didn't say something to you at that point. After all, it was your patient. And if your instructor knows you aren't aware of something that is happening with her, it makes sense to bring it to your attention. It's also to your benefit to try and resolve different issues as they arise with your patient.

As far as her skipping over you, I agree that maybe she felt your patient would generate more discussion, so she saved you for the end. It happens all the time. Each instructor is different. So just because this one isn't praising you like the others did, doesn't mean she doesn't like you. She could just have a different style of teaching or hasn't had the chance to see you do a whole lot yet.

Try to focus less on whether or not your instructor likes you, and more on making the most of your clinical experience.