Problem Student in our Class.

[Nurse2BinNC]

We have a student in our Nursing class that is driving the whole class crazy. She acts like a know it all and tries to tell us how to do things and she is alway wrong. She shows up for clinicals dressed unappropriatly, open foot shoes, no sock, no name tag, looking like she slept in her uniform. It makes the rest of the class look bad, because of the way she looks. She not only bugs us, but she gives the nurses at our clinical sights a terrible time also, following them around asking them DUMB questions, when they are trying to take care of pts. Most of the nurses at our clinical sights have been very helpful to most of us, but their attitude is changing toward us because of the other student. We have discussed this with our Nursing Advisor, she has talked to this student and her appearence problem has improved. She is passing all of the classes so they can't do anything academically about her. But she is making enemies out of the rest of her class mates. One of the students in our class took the iniative to talk to her and tell her that she was making enemies by the way she is acting, and her response was " I don't care, None of them will ever be my supervisor, so I don't care if they like me or not." The problem with that attitude is we may not be her supervisor, but we are her team mates and we have to work as a team and help each other. Any suggestions how to handle a person like this. This is only my 2nd semester with her, I am dreading the next 18 months with this person. :confused:

[Mkue]

Oh gosh Tammy, that is too bad, I guess like relatives we can't pick our classmates. How are her grades doing if you know, maybe she won't make it any farther.

I've always heard that instructors have a way of weeding out students that they don't think will be good nurses. How is she with patients I wonder.

Keep us posted, sorry I don't have any good advice.

mkue

[calililly]

Hey, you must be in my class!

We have a person in our class who is THE EXACT SAME WAY. I was in the same clinical group as she was, and I was embarrased to be even associated as being from the same school as she was. She was nosy, bossy, inappropriate, crass, and loud. She was elected first semester president (because no one knew how obnoxious she was!) and thought that her 'official title' entitled her to be a know-it-all and to barge into conversations.

Ugh, classes start on Wednesday and I am NOT looking forward to being in the same room as her again. I know that the rest of the class feels the same way. You are not alone.

Remember: there's one in every class...

Sincerely,

A Fellow Suffering Nursing Student & Her Class in CA

[mattcastens]

If this student is really that bad, she won't be around that long. It's only second semester. If you're noticing how bad she is, the instructors are as well. They're waiting to see if she does anything dangerous, blatently wrong or unethical, or simply waiting for failing scores. I am willing to wager, though, that she won't be back next semester.

However, until she's gone...

Simply don't let her help you, and let the instructors see you at work in comparisson. It'll make you look wiser and better.

[ADN 2002]

We have someone similar in our class. She goes around trying to make herself look better than the rest of us and tries to tell us how to do stuff, but at the same time, talks about everyone behind their backs. She asks people what their test scores are, then tells other people, she lies about her own test scores (says they're higher than what they actually are), and actually hangs around the office of the director of our program trying to get information about stuff and when she does hear something, she tells people in the class and she blows it all out of proportion and we wind up with false information. A few of us have talked about it, and frankly, we believe that she is a threat to patient confidentiality - how can she not be, the way she treats her "friends?" But, until she really messes up, there's not much we can do.

I agree with your point, Nurse2BinNC - that even if none of you ever is her supervisor, you will always be a team, and she needs to understand that whatever it is about your class that she doesn't like/doesn't respect - she will see it again in the workplace. If she goes out there and makes enemies out of her co-workers (which is what you guys are now, by the way) she will not last long in this profession. The only way that the health care profession can work is to work as a team, and she does not sound like a team player.

I am sorry to hear that you have 18 more months (maybe) with this person. I am in my last semester of school, and while my advice is not the greatest, I can tell you how we have dealt with this person in our class. We take NOTHING she says at face value. I personally do not ask her for help, I do not talk to her about sensitive subjects (such as my patients or anything else I don't want to have talked about). I also double check things she tells me, such as information from an instructor. This can be very difficult in the clinical situation, but the thing is, we could all encounter someone like this in the workplace. I suppose what I'm saying here is to cover your own butt. Be responsible for yourself and your patients, and let the rest happen as it happens; she'll be gone before too long.

[prmenrs, RN]

Actually, someday, you MIGHT be her supervisor!!

Secondly, nursing is all about teamwork, and if there is someone refuses to be part of the team, they get in the way! Maybe you could have a discussion about teamwork in one of your classes (to make sure she's included). She might see the light, but I'm not so sure.

If the faculty is not aware of how difficult she's making both you lives AND their lives (because her attitude will be @ the clinical sites long after she's gone, making it harder for everyone to work @ those places), they NEED to know--keep telling them.

Good Luck!!

[jschut, BSN, RN]

Huh...We had one of those. Marched to the beat of her own drum, one might say. She marched right out of the nursing program too. Said she missed passing a class by one point. I don't buy it, and neither do alot of the others.

It's sad, but you do what you can. You keep on being friendly to those nurses. They know. You do, don't you? (Of course! Us nurses know how hard it is!)

Just keep on doing what YOU have to do, and ignore her. Sounds like she just wants attention, and she's getting it. Just the wrong type!

Hang in there! It'll be all right!

Julie:)

[Cubby]

Originally posted by mattcastens

If this student is really that bad, she won't be around that long. It's only second semester. If you're noticing how bad she is, the instructors are as well. They're waiting to see if she does anything dangerous, blatently wrong or unethical, or simply waiting for failing scores. I am willing to wager, though, that she won't be back next semester.

However, until she's gone...

Simply don't let her help you, and let the instructors see you at work in comparisson. It'll make you look wiser and better.

Don't count on her "being gone" There are alot of 'them' out here:(

[Mkue]

Oh come to think of it I had a classmate in a pre-req course that would try to make others look bad and would be sure to tell the instructor how stressed out she was putting so much time into the class and she would whip out 3 stacks of index cards while the instructor was watching and would try to compare how many more index cards she had made out than anyone else, in front of the instructor of course.

It was pretty obvious that she didn't like anyone in the class that had a medical background because she didn't. I wonder how she is doing in clinicals.

mkue

[betts]

Moderate Disruption and Minor Disruption

The behavior is perceived as disruptive, disrespectful, offensive, and/or threatening and interferes with the learning of other students or impedes the delivery of college services. This behavior may include speech or action that is not part of the learning process but is perceived to create an atmosphere of hostility, intimidation, ridicule or anxiety among other students, instructors or staff. The student may be verbally harassing the instructor/staff/students, or making unreasonable demands for attention or special treatment to the detriment of other students in or out of the classroom, or engaging in other behaviors covered in the Student Conduct Code.

The behavior may stem from a conflict with the instructor, staff or another student, from the course itself, or personal problems that may be causing inappropriate behavior. For example, the student deliberately distracts other students from the task at hand, talks loudly out of turn during lecture, monopolizes the discussion, makes disrespectful comments (written or verbal) to the instructor or to another student, comes late and is disruptive settling in, hinders cooperation, harasses or intimidates a college employee or another student, or engages in other behaviors covered in the Student Conduct Code.

Step 1. Make a reasonable attempt to talk to the student first. Determine whether the disruptive behavior is in any way related to problems that the student is-having in class or to other situational factors which the instructor may be able to directly affect. Very often a private conversation with the student can be more productive than a scolding or a warning in the presence of other students.

Step 2. When the instructor acts reasonably and the student remains disruptive, disrespectful, offensive and/or threatening, the instructor may choose to:

a) write up a contract with the student that clearly identifies behavior and actions for the student to take and the consequences of inappropriate behaviors;

b) contact the Division Chair and/or the Counseling Office, who may choose to consult with the instructor outside of class, observe the behavior in class, meet with the student to discuss the situation, or facilitate a communication process between the instructor and student. Depending on the nature and perception of the disruption, the student may be referred to other support services; and/or

c) ask the student to leave the classroom or learning environment;

Step 3. To take formal action against the student, notify your Division Chair and the Dean of Student Services immediately of this incident in writing.

[80BETH]

We have one of them in our class as well she tranfered from adult to child last year and i has the delight of spending a 6 week placement on the wards wih her and the staff all felt the same about her she was lasy on the wards and dident help other people and she ordered the axilurys about but it looks very much like she is going toqulify as we only have 6 months left

[Paprikat]

Hi. It seems that every class has one of these know-it-alls. Ours was ingnorant, bossy, and because she failed second semester, came into our second semester with a "been there, done that" attitude, which irritated our instructor, and I found that the instructor rode her even harder than us! She eventually wound up failing again.

When you get into the work force, there is always going to be that one jerk and 99 nice people. It's just a matter of dealing with them. I usually tend to ignore her crappy attitude and let it build up and then I get angry with her, about once every six months. It's probably not the best way to deal with her, either, but I just don't know what else to do. I guess these people are always going to be around!