I really hate going to clinicals

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Here I am on vacation, but already dreading starting school again b/c of clinicals.

I've pinpointed a few reasons why I hate them, and I'm hoping someone here can help me out...

1) It's not so much the fear of the unknown that haunts me when I roll out of bed at 5:30 a.m., it's that I'm scared that something bad is going to happen, and the finger is going to be pointed at me.

2) One of my instructors rides the hell out of me and I don't understand why. I was warned about her from previous students. they told me that she finds one person in the group to ride, and she rides them during the whole rotation with her - which was 6 weeks for me last semester....WTH?....

I always get there before any other student so I can get organized. I never smart back, etc, etc....but, i do get VERY nervous when she comes around me that I always make a silly mistake or say something silly - nothing major at all...i.e.,

I put a blood pressure cuff on on of my patients upside down, but realized it myself. She embarassed the hell out of me. And one time I grabbed for some gloves to give an IV push and she asked me what I needed them for...."do you see any drainage coming from his IV?" Then rolled her eyes.

She once cornered me and told me that I need to be more assertive with the staff nurses because they are using me to do everything and now I've put HER behind schedule and how she may write me up. I cried when she walked away.

I was looking thru one of the charts and I guess the unit clerk was looking for it. She told me to go give it to her, while adding..."she's got your number now" WTH?

I'm going to have her for 6 more weeks next semester, and I hope she will find someone else to pick on b/c I don't know if I can take anymore. The stuff that I listed is only a few, and it's very hard to describe the condescending tone she uses and the faces she gives.

Also, in post conferance one time we were talking about the Hesi test. That is the "final" exam after 4th semester and we get 3 tries to pass it. If you don't pass by your 3rd try, she stated, "that means you are too stupid and you need to repeat 4th semester - hahaha" I thought that was very unprofessional. In my opinion, you must have something going on upstairs to make it to 4th semester. If you don't pass Hesi or state boards, you probably have some type of anxiety issue. That response was not called for at all.

She also embarasses people during post conference.

So, how do I deal with her? I was thinking of going to my doc to see if he would put me on Zyprexa or Ativan to take PRN, and I would take one before every one of her clinicals. I absolutely dread them.

Any other advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

It sounds like your instructor has a problem. I had a clinical instructor who was kicked out of nursing school about 50 years ago, so maybe something in her past is haunting her. Anyway, it's not your problem to solve her problem. Just hang it there, new instructors always come along next semester.

Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.
Hang in there Raindrop, I had several instructors just like her and was dropped twice from my nursing program but I didn't let that stop me. Trust me, you will be thankful to these instructors when you graduate and you're out on the floors. I had alot of nightmares about nursing school, but I'm grateful for the instructors being such b***hs because they want to make sure they graduate good nurses. If they or one of their familiy members should be fortunate to get you as a nurse someday down the road, they want to make sure that they/they're family members are getting the best care possible and they will because they taught you. You will toughen up and when you're out on the floors you will appreciate it.

I disagree. There is a world of difference between being tough but fair and just plain being a b****. I attracted that kind of attention from more than one instructor in school five years ago; I now believe it was because of my hesitant and unsure manner. At the time, I told myself it was for my own good and sucked it up. I have since come to realize that this kind of pressure NEVER helped me to learn, or to toughen up, or any of those things they tell you. It just stressed me out more, sometimes to the point of totally blanking out on info I was totally knowledgable of. (No, nothing like that has happened to me on the unit with a patient- only when I had an instructor hovering over me specifically TRYING to trip me up...). This is not the way to help a student become confident OR competent. I have no respect and certainly no thanks for instructors who liken bullying to legitimate instruction. The only positive thing I learned from their negative example was I vowed I would never treat a student, new grad or any other co-worker in this way, and I never have. I am a tough mentor with new orientees but I prefer to let them think a problem through if the situation permits. They seem to be able to come to me with the questions that begin "this is a stupid question but...". I tell them that very few questions are stupid, help them think it through, and we get it resolved once and forever. I now have a number of newer colleagues who are competent, critical thinkers and with whom I share a mutual professional respect.

I agree. Unfortunately, those instructors come along more often than we would all like to think. How sad to think that this is the way to help our new nurses!

I agree that you need to go above this woman to the director of your program. Present your case, as you have here, with no emotion: just the basic facts.

Good luck to you and merry Christmas

play her up....... most of these people just want so much attention. that they would do anything for it.... even being bastards..... I find sitting back and seeing her faults and massaging peoples egos works for me......... but believe me I have alot of anxiety as well. Just get by... dont give up

As far as the theory of intimidation goes, I wonder how many critical errors have occurred on the floors during clinicals or even on-the-job with these sorts of abusive instructors/coworkers when students/nurses are too terrified to ask pertinent questions for fear of being verbally abused/belittled/threatened with being written up for asking. THAT can't be very safe for the patients we are entrusted to care for.

A friend of mine was in a similar situation. She pretended to LOVE her. The instructor ate it up. You can say whatever you want about her when you get out of her class.

I am kind of in the same situation now... I make stupid mistakes during clinicals just because I am so nervous and hesitant. My instructor is very intimidating and we all agree that he is an awful teacher and has a very belitting/condescending attitude. However, I think I do worse because I am not very aggressive and it is difficult for me to act buddy-buddy with him when I really dislike him. I am afraid that my instructor is going to tell me that I am too quiet and not aggressive to be a nurse and fail me!

From all your experiences with cruel instructors who are out to get you, have any of you been failed by them?

Wow. I guess we've all had one of those instructors. I'm a strong person and was older than most of my classmates, so when she got to me, I knew she was tough. I dreaded clinicals with her as well. The staff nurses felt so bad for me that they would wait until she was gone and try to tutor me without pressure on the task that was simple but impossible to perform in front of her! The only thing I could do was remind myself to play the game her way to finish school. When she did humiliate me in front of a patient and his family I pulled her into the hall and said very calmly that I found it very unprofessional. I certainly wasn't going to change her, but I changed how I reacted. I reminded myself that I was not a stupid person, that I was learning, and that it would all be worth it. I strongly object to this type of teaching, but if you can survive her and her miserable environment, you will be able to deal with the many difficult associates, patients and family members you will no doubt encounter. You can do this.

your nursing instructor is a sadist. i would definitely file a formal complaint with her superior. you should not be humiliated by your teacher, especially in front of patients. this will not only increase your anxiety but also the that of the patient. also, the actions you described (the bp cuff, gloves with iv push) did not interfere with patient care or cause harm. that is ridiculous. also, when working in a teaching hospital, the staff nows that students will be utilizing the charts for information. if you are taking care of the patient, you are part of the health care team and you should have equal access to the chart to obtain the info you need. if the staff does not like it, they shouldnt work at a teaching hospital. and it sounds like your instructor shouldnt be working there too. what a b*tch. hang in there. try alternate measures before the drugs. try to switch into a different clinical class with a teacher you feel comfortable with if that is possible.

I am kind of in the same situation now... I make stupid mistakes during clinicals just because I am so nervous and hesitant. My instructor is very intimidating and we all agree that he is an awful teacher and has a very belitting/condescending attitude. However, I think I do worse because I am not very aggressive and it is difficult for me to act buddy-buddy with him when I really dislike him. I am afraid that my instructor is going to tell me that I am too quiet and not aggressive to be a nurse and fail me!

From all your experiences with cruel instructors who are out to get you, have any of you been failed by them?

We had one instructor like that (she and I were about the same age). I finally asked her why she acted as she did and why she thought scaring students was helpful. I think she was truly taken aback that she was perceived in that way.

It's necessary in nursing to be able to stand up for yourself and not be intimidated by others. I know that is easier said than done in many cases, but if you can just stand your ground, you will be better off in the long run.

Personally, I would approach this instructor and tell him how intimidated you feel by his treatment of you. Be honest. There is NO reason for him to intimidate you at all.. It serves NO purpose. After speaking with him (if you get nowhere) go up the chain of command at your school.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
We had one instructor like that (she and I were about the same age). I finally asked her why she acted as she did and why she thought scaring students was helpful. I think she was truly taken aback that she was perceived in that way.

It's necessary in nursing to be able to stand up for yourself and not be intimidated by others. I know that is easier said than done in many cases, but if you can just stand your ground, you will be better off in the long run.

Personally, I would approach this instructor and tell him how intimidated you feel by his treatment of you. Be honest. There is NO reason for him to intimidate you at all.. It serves NO purpose. After speaking with him (if you get nowhere) go up the chain of command at your school.

where I went to school doing these things would have given us a quick trip to the door. It was a survival thing, really. Dog eat dog. I would not go back now.
Here I am on vacation, but already dreading starting school again b/c of clinicals.

I've pinpointed a few reasons why I hate them, and I'm hoping someone here can help me out...

1) It's not so much the fear of the unknown that haunts me when I roll out of bed at 5:30 a.m., it's that I'm scared that something bad is going to happen, and the finger is going to be pointed at me.

2) One of my instructors rides the hell out of me and I don't understand why. I was warned about her from previous students. they told me that she finds one person in the group to ride, and she rides them during the whole rotation with her - which was 6 weeks for me last semester....WTH?....

I always get there before any other student so I can get organized. I never smart back, etc, etc....but, i do get VERY nervous when she comes around me that I always make a silly mistake or say something silly - nothing major at all...i.e.,

I put a blood pressure cuff on on of my patients upside down, but realized it myself. She embarassed the hell out of me. And one time I grabbed for some gloves to give an IV push and she asked me what I needed them for...."do you see any drainage coming from his IV?" Then rolled her eyes.

She once cornered me and told me that I need to be more assertive with the staff nurses because they are using me to do everything and now I've put HER behind schedule and how she may write me up. I cried when she walked away.

I was looking thru one of the charts and I guess the unit clerk was looking for it. She told me to go give it to her, while adding..."she's got your number now" WTH?

I'm going to have her for 6 more weeks next semester, and I hope she will find someone else to pick on b/c I don't know if I can take anymore. The stuff that I listed is only a few, and it's very hard to describe the condescending tone she uses and the faces she gives.

Also, in post conferance one time we were talking about the Hesi test. That is the "final" exam after 4th semester and we get 3 tries to pass it. If you don't pass by your 3rd try, she stated, "that means you are too stupid and you need to repeat 4th semester - hahaha" I thought that was very unprofessional. In my opinion, you must have something going on upstairs to make it to 4th semester. If you don't pass Hesi or state boards, you probably have some type of anxiety issue. That response was not called for at all.

She also embarasses people during post conference.

So, how do I deal with her? I was thinking of going to my doc to see if he would put me on Zyprexa or Ativan to take PRN, and I would take one before every one of her clinicals. I absolutely dread them.

Any other advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

Please do not even consider taking meds. This instructor is the problem, NOT you. As you stated, she is unprofessional and needs to be held accountable for her actions. No one, student or otherwise, should be treated in the manner that she is treating you.

Please write down (without emotion) the things that have happened (as you have here). You need to sit quietly and think of all the incidents. List them on a piece of paper so you can refer to all of them.

Then you need to take this list and speak to someone in authority ABOVE this instructor (a dean of your school). In other words, you need to go UP the chain of command. After you have spoken to this person above the instructor, you need to ask to have a meeting with her with this supervisor present.

Please keep in mind that the instructor's behavior is NOT appropriate , ethical or professional. She has NO right to treat you as she is doing.

Just the few things you have mentioned give you a good case right there.

If you feel it is more appropriate to speak to this instructor personally FIRST, by all means do so (with your list in front of you) but be prepared to go up the chain of command anyway. remember, she has told you that you need to be more assertive. THIS is a good time to start practicing that. You always need to stand up for yourself, no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Good luck. Please let me know what happens.

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