Harassment in nursing school

[Tiara Walker]

So basically this semester a nursing faculty member has harassed me. She purposely tried to block me from clinical, pulled me out of simulation and accused me of being on drugs (passed my random drug test), also texting my clinical instructors to keep an eye on me. She even went digging thru my file saying I was missing some forms (which was false because I have evidence) and stressing me out during my final week. So most of these occurrences happened during my finals week which was detrimental of me passing. I failed my class by less than 1% due to lack of studying because I had to make up clinicals and work due to her false accusations on me which set me behind. I went to the dead and all they told me was "well you should of said something earlier" and when all the proof was provided that she was harassing me and I was given an apology for what I was going thru all they had to say about my grade was "well your grade still stands and we can't give u another final to take so basically you still have to repeat even tho this faculty me never was unprofessional and was picking on you.” I don't know what to do or how to feel because I was so close but yet so far all because of her and it seems like my institution does not want to take responsibility.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

Your message you take zero accountability.  Anything you fail is someone else's fault.  Here is the deal.  In nursing there will be a lot of people you don't agree with.  Docs, head nurses, house supervisors.  It doesn't matter. You have to figure out a way to succeed. If you have a legit concern then take it to the department head. However you better have more than "I feel" in your argument.  Blaming others gets you nowhere. Nursing school is like preschool compared to the stresses and work in nursing.  Learn to succeed even with people you don't like.  

[missaretha]

I have to agree with the comment above. Nursing instructors are always going to be super tough on their students. They know exactly what it's going to be like after you graduate so they will be all over their students to do well. 

If there was legitimate harassment, you should have gone, proof in hand, to the department head or the Dean immediately when it started. And I have a feeling from the reading that whatever may have started did not start right during finals week. You said, "this semester," so it started way before finals week. In fact, you should have spoken to that instructor immediately first.

There's a lack of self-accountability here.

Now, even if ALL of what is here is actually completely true, it's still up to you to do the studying regardless of state of mind. Basically, get it done no matter what. 

I had right rotator cuff surgery 2 weeks before I started nursing school. I went to classes in a sling. I missed three 12 hour clinical rounds and I had to make it up. I also had to PAY EXTRA to have an instructor there for it. I had to make up portions of lab hours that I was physically unable to do at the time, on off days. I aced every class because I still did all the theory. I never missed a class or a quiz or a test. I graduated with a 4.0.

Here's reality...and it was the same reality when I went to school WAYYYYYY back: there's a shortage of nurses. That means there's a shortage of instructors. That means nursing school is excessively competitive to get in. And it also means that instructors are practically untouchable unless they REALLY do something that is a fireable offense and it's completely provable. That has not changed and it's highly unlikely it will change.

Repeat what you have to and get it done. As soon as you walk through the door, nursing school is your life until you graduate.

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

How did she try and block you from clinical? Why did she remove you from simulation lab? Had you done something that made her contact your clinical instructors? I don't see you taking any responsibility for anything that went wrong. I sincerely doubt that a clinical instructor is going to do all that without reason. One of the biggest things in nursing is being accountable for your actions, you have to be willing to admit your mistakes for the safety and well being of our patients. I don't see any of that here. 

[LlamaLlamaMamaJamaac]

missaretha said:

I have to agree with the comment above. Nursing instructors are always going to be super tough on their students. They know exactly what it's going to be like after you graduate so they will be all over their students to do well. 

If there was legitimate harassment, you should have gone, proof in hand, to the department head or the Dean immediately when it started. And I have a feeling from the reading that whatever may have started did not start right during finals week. You said, "this semester," so it started way before finals week. In fact, you should have spoken to that instructor immediately first.

There's a lack of self-accountability here.

Now, even if ALL of what is here is actually completely true, it's still up to you to do the studying regardless of state of mind. Basically, get it done no matter what. 

I had right rotator cuff surgery 2 weeks before I started nursing school. I went to classes in a sling. I missed three 12 hour clinical rounds and I had to make it up. I also had to PAY EXTRA to have an instructor there for it. I had to make up portions of lab hours that I was physically unable to do at the time, on off days. I aced every class because I still did all the theory. I never missed a class or a quiz or a test. I graduated with a 4.0.

Here's reality...and it was the same reality when I went to school WAYYYYYY back: there's a shortage of nurses. That means there's a shortage of instructors. That means nursing school is excessively competitive to get in. And it also means that instructors are practically untouchable unless they REALLY do something that is a fireable offense and it's completely provable. That has not changed and it's highly unlikely it will change.

Repeat what you have to and get it done. As soon as you walk through the door, nursing school is your life until you graduate.

This.... I was pregnant with my oldest during nursing school..  I was able to front-load my clinical shifts (after arguing it's reasonable accommodation vs preferential treatment)

So all of my shifts were done when I was 36-38 weeks pregnant.  I took two weeks off and then had to retake the patho test I missed (respiratory)—AND take the patho test scheduled on my first day back (endocrine and renal)