Out of nursing program cause i am smoker!!!

[misstaz25]

Help, I am at risk of being out of the nursing program because I am a smoker.

I really could use some advise on how to deal with a very unfair instructor. I am a first year PN student and we just started clinicals in Nov. I have an instructor that is absloutely against smoking. Of 18 students in the class only about 6 are not smokers. We were informed that if we as much as smelled of smoke during clinicals we would be docked in our grade.

One day another student and I got busted for smoking. Please no lectures on smoking and how bad it is. I really would like to quit. Anyway, our grade for the day was docked in every area it could. I would be fine with that. What I dont feel is fair is the way the instructor handled it after that.

A few days after the incident the instructor pulled me into her office when no one was around. She flat out asked me if I had smoked, and I said I will not lie, I did. She asked why after knowing her clear views on smoking I would do that, was I just that addicted? I told her yes, it is an addiction. This teacher than asked me about the other student and if she had smoked also. I felt uncomfortable about her asking me about another student, but I admitted she did also. I told her that I was sorry and would make sure it didnt happen again during clinicals. In fact I had just done another clinical the day before and told her in no way did I smoke before or during that clinical. This lovely woman told me that I need to think about what my punishment should be for disobeying her rules. Now remember my grade got docked for smelling of smoke. She also threatened to tell my mother about the incident. My mom works at the college but in a totally unrelated department.

A few days later she pulled me and the other student aside in a public hallway to lecture us and give us our punishment. She stated that we would write a 2 page paper with 2 references on how to quit smoking. Also we would write a 2 page paper on lying. Now I never did lie to her, she asked me if I smoked and I told her yes I did. If I wouldnt have confessed she wouldnt be able to punish us at all. Then to top it off she wants a 3 page paper on patient abandonment. She informed us, this is on the very last day of class before Christmas break, that we will have an incomplete in her class until she recieves these. I feel she is out of line and that she did this in a public hallway is just aweful. She wanted to make an example of us in front of the other students and I feel she handled this poorly.

I am furious. I have read the policies and procedures for the program I am in and nowhere does it say anything about smoking. In fact I dont think she can even assign extra papers because of it. My grade was docked as we were warned would happen. How can she make up extra punishment when I was punished by my grade? How can she make up extra assignments when we were told our grade would be docked. I earned a very hard A in her class. I got a 98% on her final.

Also this woman is a constant overeater and is constantly snacking on candy and other fattening treats. She flat out admits she cant live without candy. Yet she has the balls to judge anyone that smokes. She actually will pick out little things to dock grades on just because someone is a smoker when a nonsmoker can do clearly worse and recieve a better grade. I wrote in a letter to her that her behavior toward me and the other student was rude. In public to degrade us and ask us to write about effects of smoking and lying. How would she like it if she was asked to write about her eating habits and lack of exercise and how her fat butt is bad for her health? She can walk around with a jelly donut in her fat hand, but god forbid she smells smoke on a student.

She called me at home tonight to inform me that if she does not have these papers in hand by Weds of this week she will not let me continue in the program. I am considering taking her actions to her superiors and filing a greivance with the college regarding my grade.

Is it fair for a teacher to withhold your grade because of something like this? I have wrote her a letter pointing out how unfair it is and that I will not write extra papers for being a smoker. I admited to her I was wrong to smoke during a clinical, and said it will not happen again. My grade for that day was lowered because of it. I expect the grade I earned for the semester. I completed her course and than on the last day she throws 3 papers at me as a punishment!!!

I wrote her a letter that I expect the grade I earned and will not be treated like a child and will go to the board if she follows through on her threat. I feel I should add I am a president and deans list student. I have a print out of the points in her class and have earned a 96% fair and square. The class is over and I have an incomplete at the time deans and presidents list are being made, so she has taken that from me.

Please no lectures about smoking, if i could just quit I would. I want to know if her behavior is even justifiable? What are my legal options in this?

[lorster]

I am not a smoker, never have and don't know a lot of people who are smokers. I don't like the smell of it. I will say that I have taken care of many many smokers. And they reek. That said, are we going to start telling patients we can't take care of them because they smoke? Where do we draw the line? Sure, professionals should not smoke, overeat, do drugs, drink alcohol, jump out of planes, ski off cliffs, climb mountains...but do we not allow them to work beside us because they do one or more of these things? If the school policy states no smoking around clinicals, then don't. But the school cannot dictate what we do outside of that.

[Jay-Jay, RN]

Sounds like a case of pick-on-them-don't-pick-on-me now.

I don't see this thread having much of a shelf life since the (self-righteous and unecessary) usage of the word "fatty." Not to mention the comparison of bad food and smoking is, well i'll be dipped, apples and oranges.

Could we stick to the original issue, please, and steer clear of any personal attacks?

I don't want Marie's post about the life of this thread to be a self-fulfilling prophecy!

[mamason]

I am not saying pick on them not me. I have many of the other bad habits listed above. However I only get ridiculed over the smoking. I have seen others get ridiculed over other habits by those that think they are so much better than everyone else. The issue at hand is not smoking, it is abuse of power. If you cant stay on track there is a red X at the top of the page to close the window.

I really don't think that there is an issue with "abuse of power" here. You stated in your original post that the instructor informed you {meaning you and the other students} that if you smelled of smoke, during clinicals, that your grade would be docked. And, well, I guess you smelled of smoke from smoking. So you got busted. Am I right? If so, write the papers and be done with it. Or, create a stink about it and set yourself up for one miserable ride in nursing school. Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

[Ms.RN]

oh my god, this is such a &^%%$!@#. who is she to make this childish rule? why do you have to follow this rule? what does smoking have anything to do with her clinical performance? yes, if there is an evidence that student is under the influence of alcohol or drug, then student should be expelled from nursing school. but smoking? does this instructor have 100% healthy lifestyle? does she eat healthy? does she exercise? student's performance should be based on "performance", not based on her childish rule. instructors should get rid of this "i'm a god" complex. i suggest you to talk to the dean of the nursing program, then the president of the college.

[lorster]

I really don't think that there is an issue with "abuse of power" here. You stated in your original post that the instructor informed you {meaning you and the other students} that if you smelled of smoke, during clinicals, that your grade would be docked. And, well, I guess you smelled of smoke from smoking. So you got busted. Am I right? If so, write the papers and be done with it. Or, create a stink about it and set yourself up for one miserable ride in nursing school. Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

Well Mstazz, mamason has risin in the ranks because she chooses to stand in line. You however will get nowhere in this profession because you abuse your rights as a citizen to question authority. See where this is going?

[morte, LPN, LVN]

I really don't think that there is an issue with "abuse of power" here. You stated in your original post that the instructor informed you {meaning you and the other students} that if you smelled of smoke, during clinicals, that your grade would be docked. And, well, I guess you smelled of smoke from smoking. So you got busted. Am I right? If so, write the papers and be done with it. Or, create a stink about it and set yourself up for one miserable ride in nursing school. Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

this post, amongst many, make it obvious that MANY persons ARE NOT reading the whole OP... ......remember, in nursing, we need to take ALL the facts....and form an opinion/dx/plan.....ALLLLL of the facts.....this student has accepted her punishment....even had the sense to write a letter to vent her feelings and then throw it away.....she has been bullied, plan and simple.....is this why we are gettng new nurses who CANT accept responsiblity for errors, because they have been brow beaten by a........ like this one instructor? so that they cant ever be wrong?...and some one in this thread made an observation that i had earlier....and hardily agree with, this instructor needs psychiatric attention.....

PLEASE, if you are not going to READ the whole presentation, dont bother answering......

[burn out]

The real problem that I see (after reading the whole presentation) is that this girl has a monkey on her back and it is not the instructor. The problem is that smoking controls this girl to the point that she is willing to get kicked out of nursing school... just to smoke...she needs help. She is letting her addiction control her life and it is keeping her from being the person she wants to be. She knew the rules (and believe me the hospital I work at just enforced no smoking on the premeisi (grounds) by any one not even the patients) and she must sooner or later abide by them. She is going to have to shape up or ship out.

[TinyNurse, RN]

just write the paper.........as my mother told me years ago. "Do whatever you have to do to finish school".

smoke on your own time.

[misstaz25]

Thanks WanttobeRN my point earlier was exactly that. She doesn't have a healthy lifestyle and really doesn't hid it either. Morte amen and thank you. The nursing programs do push you to be so perfect and infallible I can see where new students would be a pain to the nurses training them on the job. We are basicly expected to be above human and never make mistakes. If we do make a mistake there are harsh consequences. We are not even allowed to miss more than 2 days or we are automaticly kicked out. No exceptions and no excuses. Also with the programs being like this you can expect your newbie on the floor to be the whistle blower and a**kisser because it is an admired trait (by instructors) in the program. If there is a rule that no one really follows your newbie will be the one running to a superior about you breaking it. I understand nursing since I have been a CNA and Medication Aide for years. Sometimes you can't follow every rule that looks good on paper. Patient care needs to come first. I know rules are important, but sometimes they are just paperwork and redtape to look good for state.

[Jay-Jay, RN]

Burnout, please, the OP has asked SEVERAL times that we not bash her for smoking. That is NOT the issue here. And nurses who work at this facility ARE allowed to smoke on the grounds. It's just the students who must abide by this teacher's 'no smoking' rule, which is not even written in the college's manual.

[misstaz25]

Burnout and TinyNurse, I you had read the whole post you would know I am writting the papers and have admitted my wrong and agreed not to smoke before, during clinicals.

Addiction does not control me to the point of being willing to give up my dream. If you had read you would know that. My problem is the legality of her actions. Get off the high horse about smoking and focus at the issue at hand.

[RN mom of 2]

Smoking is an addiction people! I smoked for years and quit almost 5 years ago. Stress causes people to want to smoke, and the nursing program is stressful! I can't believe she's telling her not to smoke if it's not in the student guidelines, and it's OK to smoke on the hospital grounds. I can't stand the smell of smoke, but that's not the issue here. I would take this to a higher level if I were you. The teacher sounds like a bully!