Do you have any classmates that want to set you up and fail?

[hopefully]

I never knew people could be that evil. We were doing IM injections which were pass and fail in lab. We suppose to draw up syringes with normal saline. A classmate, Ms. Evil said "Here is a syringe and I filled it with normal saline." Well, I had to check it because I did not trust her. Well it came out that the syringe was filled with nothing.

Two months before we were at our second clinical rotation. Ms. Evil was more familiar with the hospital since she was at that site before and I was not. I asked her several questions because she was in the hospital before. She gave me misinformation two times about charting and giving patients bed baths. In the charting, I acutally got in trouble with the instructor because I did not do it. I suppose to do it but Ms. Evil told me that I did not have to.

Now, I am getting paranoid because today I had to hand in an assignment. Not really thinking, I passed it up to my other classmates to give it the instuctor. You know while your sitting, papers get handed in by it passing it along. It so just happened that the paper landed in Ms. Evil's hands. I am concerned that she kept my assignment and that was a big chunk of my grade. I did not look to see if it was passed in or kept by her.

People are evil.

[ear]

Hi,

Think of this as a lesson, learn that you are the one responsible for your own actions. This is a time of learning for you, and it is just something else you are learning. Ms. Evil may actually just be Ms. Clueless, and really doesnt know the "right" answers that you are asking. Some people in my clinical group work in the hospital that we are in. I see them being a little cocky because they are more comfortable in the environment. Remember though, they are supposed to be there as students during your clinical time. That is usually a completely different situation then when they are there working. (one of the reasons I chose not to do clinical where I work)

Another thing to remember, rely on your instructor to direct you. He/She is the one ultimately responsible for your actions at your site. If something were to happen with you, they are held accountable. You really wouldnt be able to say "well, Ms. Evil told me it was this way....."

Dont get down about this, it is just something that is helping you open your eyes. As a nursing student, I want to be able to trust those around me, (we are all there for the same purpose right?!?!) but I have found that I can only really trust myself completely. If someone gives me more reason not to trust them, I steer clear.

If Ms. Evil is really Ms. Evil, and not Ms. Clueless in disguise, then she will have her own problems as the program moves on....

As an aside, keep copies of everything you hand in. Once I handed in a huge paper, and my instructor lost it, and nope, I didnt have a copy. Lesson learned for me...

~ear

[GrnHonu99, RN]

nope...no one in my class would do that, we are a pretty tight knit group, but even if someone did I wouldnt let them...I go to school, worry about me, shut everyone else out and just do my thing..i dont bother with all the drama and silliness...

[KatieBell]

Ummm, shouldn't you be filling your own syringes? I don't let my fellow colleagues hand me syringes of unnamed stuff and tell me it's morphine.

Also, if unfamiliar with a site, the person to ask is your instructor.

I'd avoid that person, however, no matter what-

In my program there were many people I didn't like but none that I would have been evil to.

we were never allowed to do clinical where we worked. It was considered inappropriate.

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

Sorry to read about this:

Yes, I have been in an uncomfortable and similar situation before.

When I was doing one of my sciences there were many days that class was cancelled because of snow days....

Well the next lab we had to double up to catch up. The instructor would assign lab partners and would have us each do something share the answers and rip the page off the lab manual and turn it in.

On several occasions, my lab partner would give me incorrect measurements/answers/data etc.....

I would end up with low markings and she always had high ones. The instructor pulled us aside once and said that how was it possible to have different answers if we were partners?

Turned out that my lab partner would jot down "made up" answers and after I turned my paper in she would erase hers and jot down the correct one.

Very childish IMO.

I learned the bitter lesson and will only trust someone else if I double check and confirm it.

Good luck to you

[pixiestudent2007]

It's so sad that in a profession where we are suppose to be caring individuals this would happen. WTF? I'm lucky and have a really good group. We look out for each other.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Next time pass your assignment to the person sitting next to you and let it get passed up a different row of students. Another thing you can do is just hand your assignment to the instructor as soon as you go into the classroom. Even better, from now on sit in the first seat of a row so you are at the front of the class. Why are you sitting in the back? Don't trust anything Ms. Evil says. It sounds like she likes to prey on the gullibility of others. You've probably pegged her right--she wants to see people fail. When first reading your post I was thinking that she sounds like someone who likes to pull practical jokes on people to watch their reactions. Unfortunately, it sounds like she doesn't know where to draw the line when it comes to causing hurt to other people. You guys are dealing with real people who are needing help in the real world and if Ms. Evil doesn't get that then she is a potentially dangerous practitioner. Stay away from her! Also, pay attention to the rules your instructors lay out for you. Copy them down somewhere so you won't forget them. If you are ever in doubt about what you are supposed to be doing in a clinical area pick up the phone and page your instructor and talk to her yourself. It's always more accurate to verify something with your source rather than depend on some goofball like Ms. Evil. Live and learn, my dear, live and learn.

[RN and Mommy]

I don't think we have any quite as bad as Ms. Evil, but we do have some very competitive people in our class. We were all accepted into nursing school. I think the petty competition can stop now! Just little things, like some people won't tell you what the teacher said if you miss something. It's just really childish. We are supposed to be there to help and support one another, not set each other up to fail. I am sorry to hear about your situation. Just avoid her at all costs! Good Luck!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Stay away from this person, don't ask her any questions. But first, ask her point blank why she's given you misinfomration several times and if she is doing it deliberately. She'll deny it of course, but maybe she will stop.

Regardless no one but you yourself can make you fail.

Good luck.

[CallMePatti]

Wow...these are some sad stories on this thread. I hope everyone in my clinical does a great job on their exams. In fact, I shared my study notes for the first exam with everyone because I knew they were clear notes and would help everyone prepare for the test. As it turns out, it started a pattern, and now others in our clinical group are sharing their notes as well.

I do think there is a sense of competition to a certain extent in nursing school, but that sense of competition should only be used to drive each of us to do our best. Not to figure out a way to get everyone else to fail.

This is nursing school, not "Survivor."

[Fun2, BSN, RN]

Ms. Evil probably cheated her way through to get accepted, don't you wish she was ratted out?

Ok, sorry...that's bad.

Actually, I'm very sorry you're dealing with this. Keep an eye out, don't trust anyone to do anything for you that you are responsible for doing. If you have a question, ask the instructor. If there is a paper due, give it to the instructor.

Good luck.