Horrible Clinical Instructor!

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I just had my last clinical in the Med/Surg rotation and I am SO glad it's over! Our instructor was awful! She had NO patience, and often assumed that as LPN-RN students that we should already know everything. She practically humiliated us publicly if we had never done a particular skill before. She even told one of my peers that he was never going to make it as a nurse! It was to the point where none of us ever wanted to ask her a question, and several students passed up performing skills to let the patient's assigned nurse demonstrate it. It makes me so sad and I feel cheated in that I didn't learn much in that entire rotation. The only things I learned came from the amazing staff that picked up our instructor's slack... they didn't have to do that and I'm so sorry they did, but they were awesome!

Well... on to peds and OB! I can only assume I'll have better instructors because I don't think it could get any worse.

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You have one thing to be thankful for, and that is that you got past this instructor. The sad thing is when instructors like this fail students and poison their nursing future.

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Sorry That happened. that had to be a horrible experience :crying2:

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You're right, it can definitely get worse... I hope to see all of my classmates in the next course.

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

Sometimes there are bad instructors. Make sure you give honest but constructive feedback in your evaluation of her teaching skills. Don't just say, "horrible teacher". Say that she seemed impatient when students asked questions or needed help performing a skill. Say that you felt like you could not ask questions. If you say something general and vague, "worst teacher I ever had" without giving examples, chances are the school will ignore your feedback as just end of semester venting. Worse, unless you give examples, they can't help the instructor improve her teaching.

Please feel free to vent here but make sure that when you are given the chance to evaluate the instructor, do so honestly but constructively. I'm sorry you went through this. It sounds awful.

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It's interesting how every school will have some instructors like that. I think that's the way the instructor wants to teach and make us learn. It reminds me of Asian culture where parents are always putting down their children, making them feel miserable, attacking their self esteem, so that somehow someway, children will be able to become successful. Works for some people but not always effective. I cannot imagine what I would do in your situation, but that's something I will definitely work on for the remaining of my nursing school. =)

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I agree with tokidokifantasy... that method might work for some people but I am not one of them. I ended up having to withdrawl from Med Surg because of a similar situation. My teacher was a nightmare!!! I was also afraid to ask questions. I remember the first day I ever did meds I had three injections. I was so excited but the teacher's son was home sick and she wanted to leave early so she rushed me through it, degraded me in front of the patient and was just impatient and I did not learn anything. It affected me by making me nervous and forgetful in clinical and eventually it was interfering with my studies. I don't blame the instructor for that I blame myself for letting her get the best of me and doubt myself. I was so shaken up by her I had no self-confidence and looking back I know I give excellent patient care. She was at the computer most of the time and never saw what we did. Anyway I will not let it happen again when I retake the class. Congrats to you for making it through the entire class with a horrible instructor!!!

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.

We had one evil like this and she got fired before she pulled another student's leg. Thank god.

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