I have not written much on these boards but i love reading them so i thought i would post what happened to me today in hopes that it would make me feel better. my peds clinical instructor is very hard to deal with, so that being said, i had a baby for my patient and she had to be fed every 3-4 hrs, so she was to be fed between 11:30 and 12, well my nurse had told me it would be fine for me to go eat my lunch real fast it was 11:10 and that she would check on my baby but the baby could be fed when i get back. when i got back 15min later my instructor was in the room feeding the baby, i walked in and she told me i was so busted because i went to lunch. she assumed that i had just walked off the floor without telling anybody and left the baby to cry (which is not true, i checked on her before i left and she was sound asleep, and my nurse said she would look in on the baby) well, my clinical instructor made this huge deal about how i wasn't there to feed the baby even though it wasn't time for the baby to be fed and the nurse told me she was fine. so my instructor actually wrote me up for that, i know there was a communication problem but she made me out to be this horrible person who abandons her patients which is completely not true. i know that i am beating myself up ( i have never had any problems at clinicals). i am the kind of person that cares too much so i keep worrying about this. i was hoping writing it on here would make me feel better. also this clinical instructor has had numerous problems. I know this was long thanks for letting me vent.
Specializes in Pediatrics, High-Risk L&D, Antepartum, L.
Since this incident resulted in a write-up, I suggest that you respond in writing, and insist that your response be placed in your clinical file. Write in objective detail the events as you remember them, including your conversations with your instructor and precepting nurse. The nurse may even be willing to sign your response or write one of her own if she feels that you were unfairly disciplined by your clinical instructor.
While this incident is probably not a big deal on its own, and most other clinical instructors probably know that this teacher is "a little off", it is best not to let a write-up go unaddressed. Some programs have policies that prevent a student from advancing to the next level if they have more than 1 or 2 write-ups in a grading period. God forbid this silly incident should prevent you from advancing thru your program. If the need should ever arise, you would have thorough documentation to justify an appeal.
Good luck!
This is a GREAT idea. Even if it just sits in your file you never know what happens in the future. If you don't write it now and something comes up about it...it could be too late.
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
Since you knew you were written up, I'm assuming that you also had to sign the write up. That means you also must have had a chance to respond to it. If so, you need to respond with your own comments defending your position with the facts exactly as you wrote them here. That way your side will be documented and placed in your file as well. When it comes time to get instructor's references for your first job out of nursing school, you won't be using this instructor.
What I found really odd is that SHE was sitting there feeding the baby when you came back. What's up with that? Doesn't she have some students to supervise somewhere else? Sounds like she's got a problem with her own self-esteem and she likes to go out of her way to get the one-up on her students as a way to boost her own ego. What a jerk. She was probably a crappy employee that no one else liked working with. You know what they say. . .those who can't do, teach.
Since this incident resulted in a write-up, I suggest that you respond in writing, and insist that your response be placed in your clinical file. Write in objective detail the events as you remember them, including your conversations with your instructor and precepting nurse. The nurse may even be willing to sign your response or write one of her own if she feels that you were unfairly disciplined by your clinical instructor.
While this incident is probably not a big deal on its own, and most other clinical instructors probably know that this teacher is "a little off", it is best not to let a write-up go unaddressed. Some programs have policies that prevent a student from advancing to the next level if they have more than 1 or 2 write-ups in a grading period. God forbid this silly incident should prevent you from advancing thru your program. If the need should ever arise, you would have thorough documentation to justify an appeal.
Good luck!
I agree with this. You communicated with your nurse did not abandon your patient. You should not let this be placed in your file without your own account of the experience.
I agree with the above two posts. There are instructors who will literally fail students without so much as a "boo" beforehand, as well as supervisors in the workplace who will do the same. Many get blindslided everyday. Unfair, but part of the way it goes. So anytime that you are criticized in any way, whether justified or not, or even partially justified, always address the criticism in writing and keep your copy. You have been warned that you are not in a good light here, so act on the warning. Good luck to you.
Judging by many posts I've read there are a lot of horrible instructors out there. I've had a couple, I know. I sometimes wonder if they forget that we aren't in high school and that we are college students PAYING for their services and for them to teach us....not berate, degrade or humiliate us. Unfortunately they are so few and far between there isn't much we can do but take it most of the time. I'm sorry you're feeling this way, but if the nurse said it was ok, and she is the baby's primary caregiver, I don't see why you taking lunch was a problem. I'd make sure to let your instructor know from now on when you'll take a break or lunch....to cover your orifice. Good luck and try not to let this get to you.
I wish I had this witch's email so I could tell her a thing or two. Don't worry, my dear, it's good practice for some of the shrewish, backstabbing women that you'll face down the road during your career.
I have not written much on these boards but i love reading them so i thought i would post what happened to me today in hopes that it would make me feel better. my peds clinical instructor is very hard to deal with, so that being said, i had a baby for my patient and she had to be fed every 3-4 hrs, so she was to be fed between 11:30 and 12, well my nurse had told me it would be fine for me to go eat my lunch real fast it was 11:10 and that she would check on my baby but the baby could be fed when i get back. when i got back 15min later my instructor was in the room feeding the baby, i walked in and she told me i was so busted because i went to lunch. she assumed that i had just walked off the floor without telling anybody and left the baby to cry (which is not true, i checked on her before i left and she was sound asleep, and my nurse said she would look in on the baby) well, my clinical instructor made this huge deal about how i wasn't there to feed the baby even though it wasn't time for the baby to be fed and the nurse told me she was fine. so my instructor actually wrote me up for that, i know there was a communication problem but she made me out to be this horrible person who abandons her patients which is completely not true. i know that i am beating myself up ( i have never had any problems at clinicals). i am the kind of person that cares too much so i keep worrying about this. i was hoping writing it on here would make me feel better. also this clinical instructor has had numerous problems. I know this was long thanks for letting me vent.
oops, meant to hit reply but hit thanks! I think you should write up your events and go speak with the director of the program to set things straight. Have that nurse that was covering add in her or his events as well to cover you. You have to address that.
I swear, I think half of all nursing instructors are just washed out, frustrated, post-menopausal women who need to have their psyche meds reevaluated. I've read so many stories here of emotionally unbalanced nursing instructors who have definate sadistic propensities. I also experienced this way back when with some of my own instructors.
I'd switch with them, give them a dose of the ER for a while....
I wish I had this witch's email so I could tell her a thing or two. Don't worry, my dear, it's good practice for some of the shrewish, backstabbing women that you'll face down the road during your career.
maybe she'll end up being your patient down the road, and you can find out just what she's on. she's probably threatened by you because you are an adorable, attractive 22 year who has a wonderful life ahead of her. not a washed out old biddy with sagging boobs...[/quote]
that is frickin' hilarious, absolutely h i l a r i o u s !!!! :hhmth:
Um, this thread is from spring of 2007 .....I think the issue has been resolved by now :)
then maybe it should be closed? I don't look at the dates most of the time, I assume they are current - though I've seen some that are 10 years old, come on now! Close those threads already!!!
I've read so many stories here of emotionally unbalanced nursing instructors who have definate sadistic propensities. I also experienced this way back when with some of my own instructors.
IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP
1,344 Posts
This is a GREAT idea. Even if it just sits in your file you never know what happens in the future. If you don't write it now and something comes up about it...it could be too late.
I would definitely do this.