Several weeks ago, I posted a new thread regarding diversity and cultural awareness (please see below). Well, I was threatened, again, by the same classmate. He reminded me, in front of approximately 20 of my classmates, that he threatened me before and that he, presumably, could fulfill those threats. Although I had reached my boiling point, I refrained from saying very much. Instead, I went to one of the initial instructors I approached the first time and she escorted me to the director's office. I met with the director, one of the school's security guards, and the director of the hospital's security department. According to the student handbook, intimidation and threats can be grounds for dismissal from the program. I don't want my classmate to be dismissed, but only because I would fear for my safety. The director met with my classmate the following day and she requested a follow-up meeting with me for Monday.
I would like to think it is highly unlikely that this student will intimidate or threaten me for the remainder of the program (end of June). However, I don't know what will happen when the program ends. What bothers me most is knowing (which I heard months before I was threatened) that the classmate carries a gun in his car.
I consulted a lawyer who specializes in gay and lesbian issues. She was very supportive and recommended several additional measures to ensure adequate documentation. I owe the healthcare system two years (in exchange for my education). Would it be unreasonable to ask them to cancel this committment so that I can pursue employment in another city?
Thank you for reading this message and I look forward to everyone's advice.
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First off, I passed peds/OB. I LOVED peds! I'm headed to my last clinical rotation, psychiatric nursing, on Monday. YEAH!
So, can anyone recommend hospital systems that are recognized for their diverse workforce and cultural awareness? I attend a diploma program in Pittsburgh and my classmates, GENERALLY SPEAKING, are incredibly narrow-minded. One of my classmates, widely known as a homophobe, racist, and sexist, recently threatened me because I am gay and, as a result, I had to have a meeting with him and the course coordinator. What bothers me more is that none of my classmates who heard our exchange came to my defense. The hospital where I completed my pediatrics rotation has a lot of Amish patients and we were advised to think twice before entering an elevator with several of them because we may be overwhelmed by their collective body odor. The same thing was said about Muslim patients. Did I mention that these sentiments were expressed by my instructor?!?!?! And she has a master's degree!
This, of course, is a perfect segue to my next thought: why do so many nurses with master's degrees know nothing about anything outside of nursing? Where are the nurses, advanced degree or not, who have more altruistic aspirations? Johns Hopkins? WHERE?
Well, thank you for listening to my rant! These experiences make me feel like a complete outsider in my nursing program and, as a result, I want nothing to do with the majority of my classmates.
