First week of class wasn't what I expected.

Nursing Students Male Students

Published

Alright, this is my first post. I'm new to this so if I make any social web faux pas I ask to be excused. I was kicked out of my Nursing program the first week due to...irreconcilable differences between the instructor and I. I simply cannot imagine spending 2 years being taught by a woman who seems to have no passion for the field of Nursing. Any recommendations of good Nursing schools in New York State?? Thanks so much, and Take care.

First of all, good luck to you (and anyone who cares enough about people) to want to make a difference and be a nurse. It is an amazing field of study. It also is a very challenging field. Challenging to get into (once, let alone a second time at a different college). Anyone who pursues nursing is in for an uphill battle for a long time. Getting into a nursing program, dealing with differing personalities all throughout nursing school (instructors as well as other students), passing each individual semester, studying and passing the NCLEX, and getting a job, finding the career you were meant to have, and the huge learning curve with any transition along the way.

The fact that you are a younger learner means that you will need to study that much harder to succeed in all of those areas. Age does factor in. Seasoned students and nurses have life experience on their side. Hind sight is 20/20. That you understand in time.

I graduated from one of the nursing programs in Rochester. Tread lightly as black marks will follow you were ever you decide to go. The nursing community is a tight one. Please don't forget instructors are the ones who hold your future career in the palms of their hands, no matter how inept you feel they are.

It may be a hard pill to swallow - to realize that someone you disagree with has your fate in their hands, but it's the truth with any field of study. Especially with nursing, where you can have a bulls eye on you from day one for the choices that you've made in the past. You can pass or fail a nursing program based solely on the discretion of a clinical instructor. I've seen many nursing students fall. Some get back up, dust themselves off and try again. Some go on to be great nurses, some don't.

The only failure I've had to deal with is my own. I own my failure, not anyone elses.

Good luck. Show yourself what you are meant to be.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in taking a break from inpatient psychiatric nursing.
can you share what specifically that turned you away from the program/instructor?

I second that motion. Who was the instructor, and which school were you in?

Also, where in NY are you?

In my experience, there are some doozies out there who may or may not have been good practicing nurses, but are very troubling as teachers.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

OK

Being a student not long ago and having a daughter who was failed out on the last day of clinical (she had 90% in all of her classes), this year. She learned a hard lesson, life is not fair.

Everyone needs to get over themselves; nursing school is hard and has nothing to do with being right or fair.

Nursing school is a lot like nursing will be. There will be co-workers, bosses, patient's, family members, educators who you will love, hate, are dangerous, kill their patients, save their patients, families will love you, hate you, and everything in between. Regardless of what you do.

You are paying your $$$$ for the privilege of being a nurse, not for the chance to have the best instructors, have a fun time in school, bla, bla, bla. It is just another HOOP you have to jump through to get a nursing license, nothing else.

Nursing instructors make about half the $$ they would make working as a nurse, most do it out of the love of teaching, some don't

To be a Nurse you have to go to school, you have to endure to the end, you have to be strong enough to make it to the end, regardless of what instructors, classmates, former friends, who you will no longer have because you will no longer have the time for friends while you are in school, Relationships will fail guaranteed, at least 30 % of your classmates will not make it to the end.

SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO :nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Okay so that is unfortunate and I agree with some of the posters regarding learning personalities etc... there is always going to be an instructor that you find boring or uninterested in what they are teaching - so yes - sometimes you have to suck it up.

In regards to your question about nursing schools in NY - I just graduated from Christ Hospital School of Nursing in Jersey City, NJ. Not sure where in NY you are but the school is fantastic and right outside the Holland Tunnell. The NLN gave the school a "School of Excellence" award in 2009. They truly want you to succeed and they will give you all the tools and support that you need - but your success is up to you and you only. It is you that must give up your weekends and holdiays and parties for 2 years. I did not give "everything" up and the consequences were semesters of anxiety wondering if I would pass. I did with a 77.7 - just barely but I passed and that is all that matters.

Personally I enjoyed and respected all of the instructors at the school. Some were tough - I'll admit but I respected each and everyone of them. Last I heard there is a waiting list but if your pre-reqs are completed you might be able to still get in for next fall. Good luck

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nurse, Maternal Newborn.
llg: I am more than willing to deal with people constructively, however I won't pay for education that doesn't meet my standards, taught by instructors who don't meet my standards. That is a complete waste of money. You are right though, I should have simply withdrawn from the nursing program as opposed to being removed by the instructor. However, if I'm passionate about something, as I am about nursing, I feel the need to speak my opinion. I informed the instructor of how I felt about her style of teaching and her class, and she didn't like it. I realize that this may effect my future endeavors in nursing, however I see it as a positive effect. I would not want to work at an establishment that viewed what I did as wrong. I don't feel as if I shot myself in the foot while leaving, perhaps in that College I did, but otherwise no. I thank you for your advice, do take care =).

Wow, good luck. Tell me, how did you reach the conclusion in ONE WEEK, that this instructor was "not up to your standards"? I am amazed at your ability to decide this, but based on WHAT? You have no nursing experience, so you may want to examine your perceptions of the field. Are they coming from the media, movies, or your imagination? What would have constituted "passion" from this woman that would have satisfied you? Personally, if you really wish success within this career path, you may want to consider examining your own motives and belief system. It may save you a lot of misery in the long run....:twocents:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Did you consider goin to school in te city? Hunter college has one of the best nursing programs. There is also LIU, Lehman and adelphi. Not sure how far away these school are to you but those are some options if you're close to the city

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Leaning towards Trauma and Lifeflight.

Welcome Mr BJ,

It is a genuine burden and a challenge to be the smartest guy in the room, all of the time. Until you can find a school with the quality of teachers required...who also understand that "They work for You" perhaps you could take some of the required courses at a local CC, maybe get your Psychology. reqs. out of the way there first.

If you want gung-ho, dedicated, professional instructors... you could look into the various Military Medical Education options...that way WE WILL be paying for your education(and YOU will be getting paid to receive it) You will get all of the "serious education" that money can buy.

Good Luck in your new career. TJ

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I second that motion. Who was the instructor, and which school were you in?

Also, where in NY are you?

In my experience, there are some doozies out there who may or may not have been good practicing nurses, but are very troubling as teachers.

I third this

one of my pet peeves is the lack of information in posts or sigs

I often read posts where people say, "I loved my school, just keep persevering and it will all be worth it"

but they never mention what school they were in

if you make a post where you like or dislike school, please be specific

give the name of your school and exactly what it was you liked or disliked

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello Mrbojangles255,

Welcome to the club. I truly believe most if not all nursing schools are like that. The one I went to was like a piece of 1960 that actually survived and was alive and well in 2006,07,08. It was disgusting to say the least. Alot of these people have no respect whatsoever for the student. I had one instructor that said some gossip about me to the hospital personnel and boy were they whispering for weeks. It was dehumanizing. I went to the head honcho to make my complaint and, it seemed like it was not big deal. They were racist, not only them but even some of the nurses at area hospitals. For instance, one day the students were waiting to be sent off to different areas of an obstetric unit and finally there were just me and a young man (I was 53 at the time) and the nurse came over and took me first as if she was giving me a chance first (to see a woman giving a baby) but she actually placed him with a patient that was actually having a baby like within minutes. my patient wasn't having a baby for another 48hrs. There was one instructor that at every chance would tell me that I was not doing well, but everytime she said that I would look at everyone else's scores that were posted and I would see each and every time that I was doing average or better than average. If I had to do it over again, I would not even have gone into nursing, not because I don't love nursing but because of all the politics and abuse. Put a bunch of woman together and you have lots of problems. Lastly, after graduating, I have read and heard of nurse to nurse violence and patient to nurse violence, it's scary. Good luck in your pursuit.:twocents:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surge, Geriatrics(LTC), Pediatricts,.

You do have the right to your opinion, and you do have the right to withdraw from a class if you feel you aren't getting the best education for your money. However, for a 19 year old, maybe you should pull in your horns a bit and take a good listen to the experiences of the instructors. Most nursing instructors have to have some acute care experience, as well as other areas of experience before they can be certified to instruct. Two years as an aide does not make one fully experienced.

I was once in a class with an instructor who was a total jerk off, he had ADD and ADHD, and was constantly screwing up our, the students, records. So we, the class body, went to the head instructor and presented our conserns and complaints. We didn't get the response we thought we should, rather we were told to do better ourselves, that he, the screwup instructor, was something we werent. He was the Paramedic and we were lowly basic EMT's. We learnd fast how to seek tutoring from outside the classroom.

I'm not saying for you to seek outside the classroom, the EMT advantage, was we went to our home departments and sought tutoring from the ALS providers, that was enough to get us threw the class. For nursing, you may have to get together in a study group. And learn how to just keep your mouth shut when around those whom you dislike.

As far as an older nurse not having compassion for this field. Remember, not everyone shows their compassion in the same manner. What might be considered as gruff and harsh to you, may be that nurses way to cope with 50 years of being peed, pooped, vomitted on, Having confused pts punch and throw things at her. Many different things.

One of my positions that I held, was training new orientees. The ones who gave the biggest attitude are those who thought they knew it all. The "kids" 18, 19 year olds fresh out of school, they went to nursing school either in a brige program while in HS, or straight out of HS, in any event, they gave me attitude when I was trying to orient them to the job, they would ask me to teach them the shortcuts, and how to cut corners to ge the job done quicker. I'd tell them there are no shortcuts nor can you cut corners to give the best care to your patients. Then they would tell me that my years experience didn't make a whole hill of beans, that they were fresh out of school and they knew everything. And they didn't feel they needed orientation to the job, the unit, or the routine. So, under direction, and against my better judgement, I'd sign them off. They would be put out on an assignment of their own. And guesse what? They fell flat on their faces! Yes! their "know it all" attitude only got them in a pickle that they had to have an experienced nurse come help them out. After that, is when they would either do one of two things, either conceed to listen to experienced nurses on the units and who were orienting them. Or, they quit, gripeing that they couldn't see how any nurse could be expected to do a med pass of 48 clients without making shortcuts and cutting some corners. Those who pulled back and started listening to those of us with experience, did well, they learned how to get the job done without cutting corners. Those who quit, well they are flipping burgers at McDonalds, or pouring coffee at Dunkin Donuts.

So, ask yourself, do you want a good education, or do you want to be a cry baby about how someone else does the job?

I refer you to my first Nursing supervisor, a battle ax of an old Army nurse. I thought she didn't care, but quite the contrary, she was the way she was, because she cared with all her heart.

If you realy want to be a nurse, then you will learn how to listen to those with the experience, and who, are what you aren't.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My school wasn't what I had expected either, and I had some unfit instructors too. However, if you use the proper channels to voice your concerns over any issues you come across in school, you will eventually find a reasonable ear. Also, there is power in numbers. My whole class (and my instructor) got together and wrote a very professional letter to the VP of our school over an incident with another clinical instructor, and that letter helped paved the way for some beneficial changes, including the removal of the program director. Good Luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i am sorry for your, crazy instructor, but you have to be stronger. this is your career, your life and your future, don't let anyone change your mind or get in your way. i am a senior nursing student that will graduation is dec. and i met and had some teachers that were completely nuts, but, they were nurses, and i wanted to be a nurse, i needed to squeeze all the knowledge they had out of them, why would i ever make about them? if you not a nurse, why would you have an option of it, and why would you not listen to the instructor? you pay them a ton of money for their advice, don't get so high on yourself and think that you're smarting then the person that is teaching the subject. ask yourself, what kind of person get kick out on the first day of school?

sorry i not trying to be mean, but don't let others control you like that, this is your life.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment