Frustrated student

Published

I would like to try this again. If you don't have anything constructive to say about my actual problem then please don't post. Also, my internet goes in and out so if there are words seperate or a sentence doesn't make sense. Take it for what it is. I posted this before and wanted help with this issue. Those of you that have already graduated from school, please try and rememeber what it is like to be in school. It's stressful, so incredibly stressful. On top of the stress of school I started my classes at a few weeks post partum. I'm exhausted. All nursing students are exhausted...I know that. So again please stick to the topic if you want to help or just rant with me. Otherwise please don't post. Thank you

Ok a quick rant....

I'm in med surg 1. I have a B average and in nursing school I'm very happy about that. However one teacher is constantly putting us down treating us and talking to us like we are stupid. She is always saying new nurses are so dumb and that she's always having to fix their mistakes. When anyone goes to her for help she tells them maybe they shouldn't be a nurse. All of that is terrible but I can handle it. I have tough skin and I beverage to be a nurse you need tough skin. What I can't handle is that she will teach us something, it would be clarified in the book and on our powerpoints given to us by the program( word for word instructions on nursing care drugs etc). But then on the exams she will ask questions and give the right answer but mark us wrong. And then won't give a rationale for why it was a different answer then what she taught us. For example...

A patien admitted to the ER comes in presenting left sided heart failure and 2+ pitting edema. As the nurse what should you do FIRST.

a. Assesment respiratory status

B. Take temperature

C. Take weight

D. Call the physician

Ok so left sided heart failure can lead to pulmonary edema...so does acute decompensator heart failure..actually ADHF primarily presents as pulmonary edema. So that means a lot of trouble breathing. That is what we were taught and .ales the most sense. We all put A. Assess respiratory status. That is priority. She said it would be take there weight. I said why. She said bc you just assume they are breathing. She said if they are breathing they are fine otherwise they are dead. WHAT. No i assess respiratory bc of the pulmonary edema. And yes weight is important because if they gain X amount in a certain amount of time. But seriously? As a nurse I will never ever ever just assume bc they rnt dead yet that they are breathing fine.

That is just one examplr. There are ALOT of questions like that. I need advice bc she won't listen to our rationales. She says that's the answer bc it just is. I went to the director who told me to talk to her again but that is pointless. The teacher is stubborn and obviously HATE new nurses and thinks we all are dumb and can't do anything. Where do I go from here? All the students have lost between 5-15% PER EXAM. This is a big deal when u can fail by .01% .

I always wonder if the nursing shortage isn't just about unmotivated students, lack of funding, or lack of teachers, but also about terrible teachers that can't put together valid exams that actually test our knowledge on a subject. End rant.

Look at your handbook. Find the process to challenge questions.

Challenge the question with page numbers and quotes

If it's still not resolved, meet with teacher. Then proceed up.

I would have said respiratory status too. ABC framework would have you check airway and breathing first.

Even urgent vs. emergent would have you check resp. first.

Specializes in geriatrics.

Wt would not be priority here and the physician will want to know what you've assessed. I'd also choose respiratory status.

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

There is no nursing shortage.

If you don't assess respiratory status and know level of pulmonary edema the weight will be meaningless, except to the coroner.

OP, you got some good feedback about this on your other thread. Go back and reread the responses - just ignore the ones that you find to be off-topic. If you are going to pursue this, then you will have to follow the chain of command and policy of your school.

Also, there is no nursing shortage. Might as well start to deal with that reality as well.

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

closed for review

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