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?

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Our clinical dress code was exclusive to the nursing program.

Ours too - as I mentioned, for classes on campus smokers made a bee-line outside to smoke during breaks and lunch.

We were not to smell of smoke during clinicals. No smoking at all. Period. We knew it ahead of time.

I still think the teacher is being unreasonable and a bit of a tyrant - calling mom is unprofessional.

The rules need to be cleared up. The teacher needs to be more respectful.

The students need to not smoke and not smell of smoke during clinicals.

steph

[jimthorp]

Our clinical dress code was exclusive to the nursing program.

Come on Marie, don't compare apples to oranges. Attire is not the same as behavior.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Come on Marie, don't compare apples to oranges. Attire is not the same as behavior.

I simply stated that my school had a rule where smoke was concerned under our dress code. I wasn't comparing apples to oranges, so please don't take my words and run with them.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Come on Marie, don't compare apples to oranges. Attire is not the same as behavior.

I think she meant that her clothes were not to smell of smoke . . .

steph

oops - Marie already clarified that.

[CHATSDALE]

instructor was wrong but if you get left behind in the program is being right going to help any??

when you go to work you can choose where you want to work and you will have more rights

i had a tyrant for an instructor and i don't know how i survived it but i did and i worked and made a living and provided good care for patients...

after you graduate you can make an offical complaint to those with authority OVER HER

but right now be invisable for the time remaining..see if you can get classes with an other tteacher

keep space between yourself and other smokers, don't want to be accused when you are innocent

good luck

[MomNRN, BSN, RN]

This is a rather dictatorial view.

Even if there is a rule against smoking during clinicals, that rule does not apply to traveling to or from the clinical site, as another poster suggested is "the rule." Such a rule is beyond the boundaries of the school's authority.

It may be beyond the boundaries of the school's authority, but it is fair to say that the OP was warned ahead of time that smoking was not allowed. How is that not clear?

In my opinion, it was a clear cut rule. No smoking period. No smelling of smoke.

What is there to debate if this is an infraction?

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

My school also has a smoking policy but it is not more restrictive for nursing students than for the rest of the student body and rightly so.

So I suppose that you didn't have to wear uniforms to clinical, and could go wearing shorts.

I guess that y'all were not drug/alcohol tested and could not be prosecuted if you came to clinicals and giving care, impaired from going on a bender the night before.

And no one gets kicked out over a domestic violence or DUI conviction.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nursing School is not like "regular" classes and most nursing students get critiqued on issues that "regular" students are not judged on. It may not be fair, but then life and nursing is often not fair.

In school, my fellow classmates and I got marked off for getting spots of betadine on our uniform and scuffs on the heels of our shoes...and yes, the instructor checked. People wore their slippers while driving to clinical, and put on their shoes when they got to site, so not to scuff shoes.

If you ever go to work reeking of garlic, onions, perfume or day old alcohol - which sweats out and does carry an odor..well after the detrimental effects are gone, You will find out fast that what you do outside the workplace DOES affect those that you work with. And it will show up in ways on your employee eval. Work to a certain extent can be affected by what you do on your own time - DWIs can get your license pulled.

Responsible nurses do not reek of ANYTHING - smoke, perfume, food, etc. - this is called "common sense" and need not be addressed by a "smoking specific" rule. Most schools address appropriate hygiene/grooming as part of dress codes. It does not matter what attached to you carries the odor - jacket, pants, whatever.

That said, your instructor seems very over the top and childish in threatening to notify parents. Adults do not need Mommy called on them. She needs to get a grip.

I would also suggest notifying her superior about her excess behavior.

[bethin]

I wanted to say that from a patient standpoint, it can be harmful. My 6 week old grandson just got out of the hospital after a five day stay (with oxygen) for RSV. He had one CNA that smoked because I could smell it when he stood outside the room to put on the isolation gown! My daughter-in-law asked that he not come into the baby's room anymore because the smell was so strong and made the baby cough.

Also - in IL - it is illegal to smoke on hospital grounds. When I worked at our local hospital, it was illegal to smoke in the parking lot in your car even!

I do not think the instructor should be calling you at home, threatening to tell your mother (how bizarre!), or threatening you.

However, the no smoking rule isn't that unusual.

I have a coworker (also a CNA) that smokes. She went into a pt's room and the pt told her not to come back because she reeked of smoke. Just this past weekend I was eating lunch in the break room and she walks in. I immediately lost my appetite and the whole room stunk. It's against hospital policy to smoke on the property but they just stand on the sidewalk and do it. I'm allergic to smoke. Watery eyes, sneezing, stuffy nose, the works.

I think it's unprofessional. I'd write the paper and never smoke again. As far as her telling your mom? What, are you 14? Tell her to mind her own frigging business.

Off topic, but this reminds me of the time that I got a speeding ticket. A coworker of my dad's heard it on the scanner and he called me on my cell phone! I was 26 years old, made my own car payment, insurance, plates and this guy had the nerve to tell my dad!

[bkaymsn]

Sometimes you have to decides how bad you want something and if your willing to play the game to get there

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

originally posted by jimthorp

my school also has a smoking policy but it is not more restrictive for nursing students than for the rest of the student body and rightly so.

there is a campus-wide policy for all students about when and where they can smoke. there are smoking areas.

this all changes for nursing students at clinical sites. and that is fair in my opinion.

however, the instructor was still off the wall about some of this.

steph

[RN 4 U]

It seems very unfair however,i would suggest that you look over syllabus most of the time there is a statement that states that syllabus are not binding contracts and can be changed. I think that you should not have battled with the professor and insult her regarding her eating habits, she could say the same thing about your smoking habit. i have seen plenty of people get failed for battling the teacher, she holds your future in her hands. do the work and reconcile it later.

[Jay-Jay, RN]

I'd be interested in these studies. Could you point the way?

Jim, I don't NEED to see those studies! I am one of those unfortunate individuals who is very sensitive to smoke. I was suffering from a bad cold one day, and when a couple of my biology students came to ask me questions after being outside for a smoke break, the smell from their clothing sent me into an immediate fit of coughing. I had to ask them to back off so I could get my breath back to answer their questions.

We are health care professionals. We OWE it to our patients not to do anything that might adversely affect their health.

I do, however, agree that this teacher is bullying the OP. It is NOT fair to dock her grade, then ask for those additional papers. Nor is it right to threaten to tell her mother.

I was bullied by an instructor in nursing school, and would not have passed if I hadn't stood up for myself. This teacher's behaviour was so over the top, our clinical group had a meeting with the VP of the school to air our grievances. The teacher was demoted to teaching part time, and had to take remedial courses. She showed a total lack of respect for her students, some of whom were adults. I have a background in teaching, and I told the VP that if I EVER spoke to my students the way she speaks to us, I would be out the door so fast it would make my head spin.

What she was on my case about was my hearing loss. She kept saying she felt I couldn't do an adequate chest or BP assessment. Did she EVER check me out on this? NOOO! The one time I needed her help with an assessment, she had 'other' things to do. Yet she stated on my evaluation that I could not do an adequate assessment. And this was after me buying a $300 amplified stethescope. (Did THAT ever put a dent in my poor, impoverished student's budget!)

There are times when you need to stand up for yourself. I was told when I started nursing that I would need to learn to become more assertive. Little did I know it was going to be the teachers I'd have to be the most assertive with.

The smoking policy SHOULD be thoroughly spelled out in the college handbook. Just like in charting for nursing: if it ain't written down....