What do you do when a teacher lies?

Nurses General Nursing

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I have a problem and first hello to everyone ... I am beginning my second semester of LPN school and ending the first .. It has been very stressful ..

We have a great clinical instructor but we have had a awful experience with our teacher in Nursing Fundamentals . I ask a lot of questions and of course would like answers .. After the first month of asking questions that the instructor could not answer in math , I got a tutor but yet during class I still asked questions and the teacher did not know how to answer the question

The whole class talks about her behind her back , how she grades , how she is ineffienct and doesnt know what she is teaching and her subjective grading

Finally this teacher went to our nursing director and stated several untruths about me .. I had to go to a meeting and I signed a disiplinary action because I felt I had no other choice

I was practically hysterical in tears during the meeting .. I have recorded lectures .. Today we were told we could have no more recorders in her lectures . I had felt fairly safe having it on recordings so in case of something I could show the truth of all things stated.

Bascially I feel this teacher wants me out of the program and I think it would be very easy for her to do .. I am finding a lot of backstabbing in this profession

IS THIS NORMAL ?

Bascially several students went in to the nursing director to speak to her about this teacher .. But the teacher feels I have led now an organization to complain about her which is not true .. They have thier own statements and issues with her which they are slowly being brave enough to voice to the director .

Of couse I am told not to talk about the situation, but my classmates are concerned .. WE are told not to talk to each other about our interactions with the administration to other students and we are told not to discuss grades with each other or any other information with each other . but we practically live together five days a week Is this NORMAL .. I do value this place ..

Venting is good .. however i am concerned that a teacher could lie and I could be out of nursing school I have worked so hard for . she is a new teacher .. Is my worry for naught ??? Thank you so much

Specializes in Tele, Acute.

Sara, I am so sorry that this is happening to you. I noticed that you are 53 years old. I was 50 when I was in LPN school. I had a similar problem with an instructor. This teacher did not like me and it was well known to my classmates. I was their class secretary. I also had a medical background for many years. EMT-A, I and P.

I tried to figure out why she always came down on me so hard, never would let me be team leader in clinicals. I thought it was my age or my background. I did not act like a know-it-all, but some things were easier for me than for my classmates. I just could not figure out what was wrong.

One day, about 3 months before the end of the program, I was in the computer room taking the practice test for boards ( we started this after I first clinical rotation). She walked in, no one else was in the room. She turned around and started to walk out when she saw me. I her if I could talk to her, she said "yes". I looked her in the eyes and asked her "why she did not like me". She said it was not that she did not like me but felt I did not need as much attention as my classmates because of my background. We talked for about an hour. When it was over, we both cried. For the next clinical she assigned me team leader. The rest of the time, she was very attentive to me. The duty of the secretary was to plan the capping and pinning. The capping had been held about 4 months before our little talk. For the pinning which was held 3 days after our final clinical, the other officers and I made sure she got the recognition she deserved. When it came time for her to place the pin on me, I watched her eyes well with tears. She gave me a big hug. When she got my board results she called me and said " May I speak to ......, LPN. It was one of the best moments in my life and a lot of it was the support that she gave me those last few months.

I am so glad that we were able to put aside or differences and move on. I don't know if I would be where I am today if it were not for her. She became my biggest supporter.

Specializes in ER, tele, vascular.

There is an R.N. instructor in the DCCCD who is like this. Anyone who has been thru this program probably knows who I am referring to.

Craig

Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

Lord I hate emotional moments! It MUST be a female thing! :D I really don't feel bad seeing how late some of you are changing careers (into nursing) -I just felt so OLD in class -being in my late thirties when nearly everyone else was in their very early twenties -even some of the teachers were in their twenties. Wanted to give a dirty look to the poor girl who first called me 'pops' (grin). Told me her dad and grandfather both rode bikes like mine (gee, thanks! ). Sigh. Seriously, though, I really did enjoy going back to school -though I admit I had a lot of misgivings about it before I began even the pre-reqs for the RN program. Along the way I did meet a few who were my age and one who was older (but not by more than a couple of years).

..[ I had to go to a meeting and I signed a disiplinary action because I felt I had no other choice ]

You NEVER should of signed anything if you feel you are not in the wrong or are being unjustly accused of something.... I know you didn't know probably by the sounds of this, and felt like you had to sign.

Unfortunately now that instructor has a paper with your signature to "prove" she was right......you could though maybe tell her slander is a serious offense ........ I don't know how much of a leg you have to stand on though where you signed.......:uhoh21:

I feel for you believe me! maybe you both just have a personality clash that's all.

Just do as you say you will be doing from now on.....do not stand out for any reason......and the recording without her knowing is a good idea BUT I think you can get in serious trouble for not telling someone they are being recorded.....you have to tell them I believe...... When I was taking my nursing lectures we had to ask permission to record...some didn't mind & others absolutely did not want to be recorded........ Good luck & hopefully you'll be done before you know it......

Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.

I kept my eyes on the prize & played her game.

I would just worry about doing what you have to do in order to get your degree. It makes me nervous that you had to sign disciplinary papers, though. If you can, just try & get through her classes - nursing school is not forever. If this teacher's trying to get you out of the program, though, I'd follow the advice of these fine other posters.

Good luck.

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I have been you. I have been the one chanting "I'm just gonna sit in back and be quiet" in nursing school. I've been called in to talk to the director. I've contacted lawyers for advice and written petitions to the school president. And I'm not the only one, judging from all the replies. And I'm (I hope) graduating in 11 weeks. The thing is, you can only fight them so many times before they will find a way to get you out of the program. Is is right? No. Should you let yourself be cowed into silence? No. But you need to survive and keep your eyes on the prize. Here's my advice:

1. Signing that disciplinary paper is regrettable. I would visit the ombudsperson or grievance committee about that. Don't let them have that strike against you.

2. Accept that one, and maybe many, of your teachers are not particularly intelligent or knowledgable. They most certainly aren't intellectuals. they are teaching to their test and the NCLEX and anything else may be beyond them. You want to be a nurse, a good one, so YOU teach yourself what you need to know and just take the tests.

3. Yes, maybe you need to keep your head down. But you know what? Once you've perfected your submissiveness you will graduate and be expected to morph into a hard-ass patient advocate who knows her stuff and ain't afraid to speak out-so shut your mouth as a maneuver but don't lose your spirit.

4. Gossip is negative, but not for the reasons the admin states. Many fellow students are maybe just spreading intrigue, not really caring.

Hang in there! You will make it through, and those people will survive you too!

Be careful of the teacher evals. They can be anonymous, yes, but in a small class it's not hard to figure out who wrote what because the handwriting can be recognized. If you can, take it home, scan it into your computer and type your answers. Have your classmates do the same so you are not the only one.

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