Need help with clinical advice

UnewmeB4 · Apr 9, 2005

I am in my last 3 months of LVN clinical, and have done well till now. I am currently with an instructor who has long had the reputation of "making or breaking you" I just had my evaluation, and was very dissapointed in some of the things she said about me. I make excuses for not knowing answers, I'm too dependent on her, I need to distance myself from patients because I'm too emotional. I am not going to deny some of these things, but I feel that she made it sound like there were many instances of this happening than there actually were, and I was not about to argue! I did pass, and I have 3 more clinical sites in the next 3 months. I thought I had what it takes to be a good nurse, I don't want to work in a hospital, and told her so, my hopes are to work in a rehab or long term care facility because I don't like constant changes and I do like having patients for more than 2 or 3 days. I am so utterly disgusted with myself and the whole situation, now I question my intelligence, ability and character. I have 10 years of experience in CNA and HHA work, am I just not made to be a Nurse?!?! Oh, I was also told I need to work on my organizational skills.
Have I made a mistake? Am I being to hard on myself? Please someone give me some feedback!!!! Thanks, Dana

Reread what you said...SOME of the things she said disappointed you. Instructors would not be any good if they only told you what you wanted to hear. What were the GOOD things? Take "criticism" for what it is..."critique" of your work. After we graduate, we get evaluations as well. I like when they tell me areas I need to improve, because often, I am unable to see it, or I wouldn't be doing it. You DID pass with an instructor who did not break you. Obviously, you are doing something RIGHT. Don't beat yourself up. Use it as a learning experience...and go on to the next clinicals with the goal of improving in those areas. It is the only way to grow as a nurse...or, even as a person.

grinnurse, RN · Apr 9, 2005

Girl, you have made it this far so you know you can make it for another 3 months. Don't doubt yourself either. I had an instructor like that 3rd semester and it is hard to take the critique at times but you know what? I know who I am as a person and some of the things she told me I took into consideration and others I let go in one ear and out the other!! The instructors usually see us when we are under extreme stress of trying to get things checked off not to mention that you usually have to wait for them which just puts added stress on the students and the PN. I also think that it's a great thing that you are close to your patients. If my instructor ever told me that I was to close to my patients I would have to laugh!! I personally don't want to be one of those old hard a** nurses that are cold and emotionless.

I say keep on keepin on and mark the days off the calendar, and cooperate to graduate b/c when you do, you will have the opportunity, if you so choose to tell her that you know what you don't want to become when you get to the floor :rotfl:

Nrs_angie, BSN, RN · Apr 9, 2005

hahaha, I have to laugh. I spend this entire last semester feeling the way you do right now.

I had heard the stories about him having "favorites" and the others making their lives hell. There were always atleast one girl who he'd make CRY each semester. It happened to my cousin last year. It happened to my fellow classmates last semester. And it happened to me this semester!

He used to say that I was unorganized and he'd find anything to pick on me for. But then a patient's family wrote a good letter to administration praising me for professionalism. Ever since then he's been nice to me and he found two other students to pick on. He's made both them cry.

So now I bet he feels like an *** for all the mean things he's done to me. I never expected one of my patients would write a letter. But it could not have come at a better time.

So keep on doing what you are doing! The patients will appreciate you for your kindness and empathy. Maybe who knows they will write a letter or something. And your instructor will 'eat her words'. You never know.....

RNSuzq1, RN · Apr 10, 2005

Dana, First of all - congrats for making it so far in your Nursing Education - that's wonderful. I'm an older student in an RN Program and never thought at my age that I'd listen to "rumors", but I'd heard several people mention what a hard time a very young, new Instructor was giving students and I was panicked because she was to be my new clinical instructor. I heard all sorts of things about her - she yelled at you if you hadn't memorized your meds, down-graded you in front of patients, was just looking for reasons to give you an unsatisfactory for clinicals, etc. I loved my clinical experience last semester, but was sick to my stomach a few months ago and was truly fearing and already on the defensive about working with this new instructor.

My first day of clinicals this semester I met "this witch I'd heard about" by accident - my ID badge wasn't swiping right and I couldn't get into the employee door of the hospital. Someone behind me said - let me help you, I looked at her name badge and it was "HER". I thanked her and introduced myself as one of her new clinical students. She was nothing like I'd expected, she was very soft spoken - almost shy, very kind, etc.

I've spent the last Semester with this Nursing Instructor on a very busy Telemetry Floor and she has been nothing but incredibly helpful to those of us in my clinical group. We have been quizzed about the meds we are giving, but if it's a new Med ordered for the patient - she always says - I know you aren't familiar with this medication - take some time looking over your medication book and find the reasons you are giving it and any side effects that might happen, before I watch you give it to your patient. She has let me do more procedures "solo" than any Instructor I've had - always asking beforehand how comfortable I felt and saying she'd gladly stand back and watch just in case I froze and needed her help.

We are just going over Diabetes in Class this week, but last month I had a diabetic patient and knew very little about the disease, insulin, etc. I was totally honest with her, told her I didn't know much about the disease and asked her to please explain the reasons for giving different insulins and amounts to patients. She was actually thankful that I wasn't willing to give a med without knowing much about it and took a lot of time explaining the disease process to me. She's almost half my age, but not once did I feel like she was talking down to me. She's a Nurse first and wants to train us to be the best that we can be in the field, because someday we might be working alongside of her.

My advise to you and anyone in the field - never judge someone on the comments of others. The 3 people that told me this Instructor would give us a hard time are no longer in the Program. They were very young and I'm just guessing that they were a bit immature and didn't like "anyone" telling them they did something wrong - but with maturity, you realize you don't know everything and learn to take a bit of instruction.