I think my professor is making up stuff.......not sure what to do.

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So, I think one of my professors is making up statements. One in particular: 90% of allergies are caused by drinking milk-based formulas to babies.

OK, so I asked her about that statistic and where I could find it. She told me it was on the AAP site. Searched 45 minutes and found nothing. Looked thru medline....nothing. She makes other incredulous statements... and I am beginning to think she's fabricating them (other students found alternate truths to her statements before).

What would you do? I'm thinking about going to my advisor with this.

A couple of my instructors would present altering views, but I'm totally ok with it, when they SAY it's an altering view.

They'll say something along the lines of, "Your book states ______, but in my 20 years of experience, I have found ______ works better." or "Your book states ______, but I have never seen that work."

That way....you know what is being taught that might appear on the boards vs what might work in actual practice.

To me...that is the responsible thing to do.

Exactly perfect!

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Specializes in mental health.

Let me guess the class....Nutrition :-)

Grin and bear it.

You want really wild and unsupported statistics? Take a psych class (or look at some govt web sites).

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A couple of my instructors would present altering views, but I'm totally ok with it, when they SAY it's an altering view.

......To me...that is the responsible thing to do.

Oh, I totally agree when they indicate real world vs nclex world. I appreciate those kind of statements.

FYI, my professor's latest statement: "Poor women don't usually drink because they can't afford to."

I just tell myself "focus on my GPA, focus on my GPA..."

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FYI, my professor's latest statement: "Poor women don't usually drink because they can't afford to."

Your instructor sounds like a total ding-dong. I too would have a hard time ignoring that kind of garbage. Keep your eyes on the prize!!

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
What would you do? I'm thinking about going to my advisor with this.
I haven't read the thread and I'm sure somebody's already said this but it's worth repeating...

I would keep my mouth shut and parrot back to her what she wants to hear.

Trust me... NOTHING good will come of making a stink about this.

Going to your advisor? :eek:

The best that could happen is that you'll get some platitudes and nothing will change. The worst that will happen is that you'll tick everybody off and end up kicked out of the program.

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Specializes in Medical.
FYI, my professor's latest statement: "Poor women don't usually drink because they can't afford to."

:eek: Write it down - even if you decide against taling this further it will make you feel like you're not just letting it go and give you an unbeatable source of annecdotes when you and friends reminisce about your degree!

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The information may be unfounded, but don't forget to at least learn what she may be trying to teach. Introducing milk too early can lead to milk allergies as a result of an immature immune system that is unable to handle cow's milk proteins and thus...MAY lead to more allergies with similar protein complexes. Per the attached link, about 1 in 50 babies will have this problem(http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=114&np=302&id=1785#2) So when doing your research on her facts, learn from what you are reading. Many schools have post - class surveys...utilize these for your concerns. If you ask your instuctor for more details, maybe something like "I am really enjoying this topic, and would like to study more on my own. 90% is such a huge percentage, where can I learn more about it?" she will not feel you are questioning her but are showing interest.

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*IF* you decide to take this matter to an administrative level, you *must* have documentation. It would also be advisable for the other people you said have noticed this to document their observations as well and present your facts as a group.

Another thing you might also consider is taking a tape recorder into the classroom with you so that when these things are said you have absolute proof. Do not however, just go into someone's office and start making accusations. You could get suspended or worse, expelled.

As for the comment someone made about letting it go and ignoring it, if indeed, she is making things up and in general not giving factual evidence in her teaching, then who *will* stop it?

Just some thoughts.

lakotsu

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Oh, I totally agree when they indicate real world vs nclex world. I appreciate those kind of statements.

FYI, my professor's latest statement: "Poor women don't usually drink because they can't afford to."

I just tell myself "focus on my GPA, focus on my GPA..."

I suppose I really don't mean "let it go". I did, in fact, with my pharmacology teacher, submit my remarks via the supposed "anonymous instructor feedback form" we had for each class. Well it wasn't very anonymous. The next class I had her, for she "called" me on what I had typed. Even though I denied it was me (I am a terrible liar). She told me she was keeping an eye on me and she rode me the rest of my time in school.

I will say that after I secured my first nursing job I wrote a fully documented letter to my school's Dean of Nursing about this woman. Given that I graduated w/ a 3.8 this woman couldn't put it down to me being a poor student.

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Hi 2BSure,

Sorry you had such a bad experience. That was one of the reasons I suggested having everything documented before approaching anyone. As you so well pointed out, "anonymous" routes are hardly ever anonymous. When done properly, reporting anyone for anything within an institution of learning or employment very rarely has the consequence of "retaliation". In instances of obvious retaliation such as you described, this too, should be documented and if witnesses can be had, included in a report to the Dean of the school. There is no place in education for such behavior.

When I was in an ADN program we had an instructor who made it very clear she did not like having males in class. She was also very unpleasant to any student who appeard afraid of her. (Her nickname was "The Weedeater", lol). She took every advantage to intimidate to the fullest any student she took a dislike to for whatever reason. She went so far as to give a pt to one of the male students in our clinical that had only one lung. (The pt, not the student:smokin:). As most of you may know, a person w/ one lung can still evidence breath sounds on both sides due to "echo" effect, depending on the anatomy within. When this male student reported he heard "bilateral breath sounds" on this pt she then tried to have him expelled from the program for "falsifying a medical record". When we all heard about this we dug up as much documentation as we could on breath sounds and presented it to the Dean along with our observations of this teachers behavior. She was put on suspendsion for the rest of the term and did not attempt retaliation when she returned. She had been "outed" and it was made clear her unprofessional behavior would not be tolerated.

As long as one follows the proper procedures and chain of command and does things in a professional, adult way...leaving all emotion out of the issue...using documentation and clear presentation of facts, then it is very unlikely that the issue will go uncorrected and/or there will be retaliation. Yes...there are always exceptions.

Anyway, thanks for your response and I wish you the best in your career!:coollook:

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Use the opportunity to look up everything she has to say. If she gets you mad, you'll remember the real statistics long after the class is finished.

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Hi 2BSure,

Sorry you had such a bad experience. That was one of the reasons I suggested having everything documented before approaching anyone. As you so well pointed out, "anonymous" routes are hardly ever anonymous. When done properly, reporting anyone for anything within an institution of learning or employment very rarely has the consequence of "retaliation". In instances of obvious retaliation such as you described, this too, should be documented and if witnesses can be had, included in a report to the Dean of the school. There is no place in education for such behavior.

When I was in an ADN program we had an instructor who made it very clear she did not like having males in class. She was also very unpleasant to any student who appeard afraid of her. (Her nickname was "The Weedeater", lol). She took every advantage to intimidate to the fullest any student she took a dislike to for whatever reason. She went so far as to give a pt to one of the male students in our clinical that had only one lung. (The pt, not the student:smokin:). As most of you may know, a person w/ one lung can still evidence breath sounds on both sides due to "echo" effect, depending on the anatomy within. When this male student reported he heard "bilateral breath sounds" on this pt she then tried to have him expelled from the program for "falsifying a medical record". When we all heard about this we dug up as much documentation as we could on breath sounds and presented it to the Dean along with our observations of this teachers behavior. She was put on suspendsion for the rest of the term and did not attempt retaliation when she returned. She had been "outed" and it was made clear her unprofessional behavior would not be tolerated.

As long as one follows the proper procedures and chain of command and does things in a professional, adult way...leaving all emotion out of the issue...using documentation and clear presentation of facts, then it is very unlikely that the issue will go uncorrected and/or there will be retaliation. Yes...there are always exceptions.

Anyway, thanks for your response and I wish you the best in your career!:coollook:

I am glad you think that, if properly done and without emotion, complaints in an academic setting cause no backlash. It simply is not the case and I think it is unfair to present this untruth to a student nurse. Whenever anyone makes a complaint the need to consider the law of unintended consequences is extremely important. In your case you speak of how more than one of you chose to dig information up to manage a situation. What frequently happens in a conflict is the plaintive ends up standing alone. Also, my opinion is nothing to do with my experience in nursing school (ancient history) but much more to do with my experience as an employer and an educator.

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