Eating your young

[abq rn]

the number one complaint i get from both current and former nursing students is that the instructors "eat their young":o . instructors are often described as out of touch, unfair and often unstable. if you go over to the student forums and read some of the things that are being written about you as a group you might be shocked. everyone i have met has a horror story about at least one instructor during nursing school:devil: . why is no one addressing this? i understand that there is a shortage of instructors in nursing schools but does this mean we should accept substandard and occasionally psychotic behavior? i know that patient safety is number one, but... how are you teaching people to be nurses if anyone who stands out is singled out and persecuted? i have been told that the best way to get through nursing school is to say nothing and be as invisible as possible. i have been told this over and over again by graduates across the country. anyone who stands out is terrorized by the instructors and is often driven out of the program. what is the point of this? can anyone give me a legitimate reason for this recurrent behavior?

[bookwormom]

I'm replying as a nursing instructor.

I believe the structure of some programs may be construed as abusive by some students. A program which fails a large percentage of the entering class may turn out a quality graduate, but this results in personal grief and a sense of failure for many. Do the schools (not necessary the nursing program, per se) have support and guidance for students who can't make it in nursing?

Also, is there support for students who have overwhelming personal issues, such as illness, child care, finances, etc? This is not specifically the responsibility of the nursing faculty to provide, but it is great when there is some one (or some department) in the institution to whom a needy student can be refered.

[Kelly_the_Great]

Interesting observations, bookworm...

We had to do a brief paper in my concepts & theories class over issues facing nursing today; I did mine over the lack of unity in nursing and believe me the "keeping it brief" was quite difficult...lol

One of the things I looked @ was ANA membership vs. AMA membership and within the comparison of the 2, the ANA was much more exclusive in that the AMA offered membership to students and residents (an auxiliary form), retired physicians and to doctors of both osteopathy and medicine, whereas the ANA offers membership only to RNs (excluding the vocational and student nurses).

Something else I thought was really clever that they offer in the form of support to their emerging future doctors is a program called the AMA (alliance) Spouses of residents and medical students.

Wouldn't it be great if nursing had support groups like this? Furthermore, wouldn't it be great for the spouses themselves - to be able to network with others to gain and share support with those who are in the same boat?

I think it would even be "something" if they offered an orientation to the significant others (whether spouses, parents, partners - whichever) of the nursing students letting them know what is involved for nursing school and how much support is needed. It requires so much more time and dedication than many other degrees that the significant others just have no idea of what is entailed. And, you know, the individual students can come home and vent their frustrations/struggles 'til their blue in the face but for many it just comes across as an "individual" lack of coping/struggle. It would be soooooo much more effective if it were presented as a "universal" struggle of nursing students, coming from a source of credibility if the schools offered this.

ETA: In essence the schools of nursing would be advocating for the support that the students need, just like we encourage ourselves (nurses) to do for our patients. If we don't/can't advocate for ourselves/eachother how can we possibly think we can effectively do the same for our patients? Or for that matter, that you'll be producing future nurses who will? It will have never been modeled to them.

Oh well, more deep thoughts and wishful thinking by Kelly.

[melanie1126]

Real world nursing difficult and very high pressure. While no one deserves to be "persecuted" as you wrote, it would not benefit you to go through nursing school being handled "with kid gloves" as someone else called it. You're going to have to learn to cope with all types of people in all types of situations so just try to learn from each experience, be self aware of how working with a demanding instructor effects your performance and know that other students have made it through this rotation, you can too! I just posted in another thread about a bad experience that I had with an instructor while I was in school and I mentioned that it actually helped to thicken my skin (which I needed). Nursing instructors should hold their students accountable while they're in clinical. And many times, when they get tough, it's b/c the student is unprepared. Don't slide by or be invisible. Be prepared each clinical day, ask questions and welcome the opportunity to learn how to handle difficult people at the same time. You will find yourself a much more prepared nurse on the other side. Good luck!

[abq rn]

This is what I have HEARD.... Not what I have experienced so far. I love my instructors! I like my clinical site and I feel like I am learning a tone of new stuff. I guess I was just worried about what to expect and started believing the "hype".:trout:

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

To the OP:

As a staff nurse and poster, I review what is said and generally find in favor of the instructor. Frequently, students have misconstrued the requirements of nursing and are getting reality shock.

But as a nurse (and as human being of religious beliefs), I have long given up seeking "fairness". Life is not fair and neither is nursing or nursing school. My job as a successful nurse (and person) is to deal with it, treat everyone well, regardless and succeed in spite of the "unfairness".

[nurseladyhawk]

You know to this day, I still do not know why my Med-Surg Instructor was such a bear.That was 28 years ago. I entered my third term of nursing school 18 days after graduating high school.Just turned 18 and would not say boo if my life depended on it.

She was the hardest woman I have ever dealt with. She was my clinical as well as class room instucter. Nothing I did pleased her. I was the only student to pass meds, write drug cards and OMG care plans on every patient every week.With much sleep deprivation and determination I did it without asking why. After the semester was completed I still refused to drop out of the program. I was given an incomplete and instructed to go back in the fall and prove I knew how to give an injection. My goodness how hard can it be to give an IM injection.

I refused and dropped out of the program for a year.

I returned a year later and completed without further problems.

This instructor still teaches at the college. I enquire about her every so often when new graduates come thru . lol, it proves she made a lasting impression on my life.

Twas a little harsh and some explanations and feedback from her would have been helpful.I can say that now .

28 years ago I would have not understood. I entered nursing school at 16.Thought I knew it all just because I was there and did not grasp the concept of what she was trying to tell me. I aced all my exams but was to young to deal with the real issues.Like how the book knowledge actually relates to patient care.

Wow,what a concept. Over the years I have worked wih the good,the bad and very bad. As well as excellent.

I have worked in many fields over the years and the one I am in now I dearly love. I will always be a nurse first . My residents deserve quality of care and above all compassion.

I have been a Nurse Educator for the past four years.I love teaching . But, OMG it can be a challenge some days.

I still owe my old instructor an apology for being young, dumb and naive. But most importantly a thank-you for making me the strong nurse I am today.

[HididiScribbler]

I think it would even be "something" if they offered an orientation to the significant others (whether spouses, parents, partners - whichever) of the nursing students letting them know what is involved for nursing school and how much support is needed.

Chiming in as a nursing student :)...

Our school has something LIKE that. It's a mandatory meeting for all new nursing students, and they bring their families (this is after the official orientation). A lot of it is telling the families what it's going to be like, and how they can support their family member through nursing school. I think it's a good idea, because it gives the family a sense of what the nursing students are going through...

[squeakykitty]

How many students have you encountered who are failing in school who admit that their performance is deserving of a failing grade? Not many -- and when you do, it is like a breath of fresh air. Those are usually the ones "worth saving."

Most struggling students blame their instructors -- often glossing over their own shortcomings and magnifying every little imperfection in the instructor. Teachers are expected to be 100% perfect, while every error that the student makes is supposed to be overlooked and/or tolerated.

In addition, some nursing students have never had to live up to high standards before. As children, they went to schools that awarded prizes to "every student who participated" and never had to face a situation in which only the students who did better than average were rewarded. They never had to confront their own weaknesses before and master them. Unfortunately for them, the "real world" is not as tolerant of their weaknesses as were their childhood nurturers. The "real world" of professional standards and patient expectations demand that the students perform at a high level. Some students struggle ... and then can't emotionally handle the fact that they are not doing well and look for someone else to blame.

Certainly there are some bad instructors out there -- but many of the stories you read here and elsewhere are not the "whole truth." You are only reading 1 side of the story, and sometimes that is the side of the student is looking for someone else to blame for her poor school performance.

llg

I've seen that, people not taking responsibility for their behavior, and I truly believe that if people get their hackles up and get defensive when criticized, rationalize away, or my personal least favorite attitude, "What about So-and so's behavior?!? Look at what they did!!!" (Said to distract from their own behavior), they're not going to be able to learn anything.

[rninme]

Sorry for the late reply...I just found this post.

Just taking the time to say THANK YOU!! to all my nursing school instructors. You pushed me to learn more. You encouraged me to be the best that I can be. I never resented you, or felt that you were being mean. You were there when I had a problem...and you helped me learn the necessary skills to solve that problem. Because of your hardwork, your caring attitude and your devotion to nursing education....you have made me the nurse I am today. Again...thank you!!

:flowersfo

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Sorry for the late reply...I just found this post.

Just taking the time to say THANK YOU!! to all my nursing school instructors. You pushed me to learn more. You encouraged me to be the best that I can be. I never resented you, or felt that you were being mean. You were there when I had a problem...and you helped me learn the necessary skills to solve that problem. Because of your hardwork, your caring attitude and your devotion to nursing education....you have made me the nurse I am today. Again...thank you!!

:flowersfo

Thank you for an encouraging post. If you haven't already, please relay these appreciative thoughts to your former instructors - I guarantee this will "make their day." :)

[happygrad06]

but i do see alot of stories about such things and its scary. Should i be prepared to be torn and ripped to shred's by my instructor.

I'm a new grad. The answer to your question is yes, be prepared. It could happen. It may not, but it could. If you are not prepared..then don't go into nursing because let me tell ya one day you may have to deal with it from a patient family member, or a physician, or...who knows who! (I've not yet experienced that but I've heard from some who have!) It happens sometimes even to GOOD people/students/workers. Sometimes it happens deservedly; sometimes it happens undeservedly. People are people, imperfect...good days/bad days and all the rest. Nursing school isn't easy. But you have to just take it as individual experience and know that, everybodies experience will be different. Don't get discouraged by pipeline of rumours over one instructor or another because everybody takes away their own experience and where it was difficult for one person the next person may excel! And it may be semester to semester and vary the whole way through! I certainly had instructors that left a poor recollection in my mind and some that were wonderful and encouraging and even fun. So you just get what you get and you don't throw a fit and you get on through and keep on keepin on! People will always be people and therein is imperfection.

[happylife]

I have to say Thank You to all instuctors . My instuctor was the most patient and understanding instuctor I have ever met. I was diagnosed with Add after I failed my last semester of nursing. My instuctor was so suportive. She encouraged me to take my last semester over again. I thank God she had the insight to know I wasen't ready to graduate.I can't thank her enough for her suport and understanding. I graduated and passed my Nclex answereing 75 questions. When my instuctor had to be harsh, I learned the most. I commend all instuctors for what they do, I know how hard they work with small amount of pay,and not enough recongnition for how they contribute to the nursing profession. Thank God for my instuctor.