Horrible Clinical Instructor!! WHAT SHOULD I DO?

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · May 3, 2014

If you fail to get hired by a hospital because of the color of your shirt or kneeling to take a BP, then you shouldn't want to work there anyway. If that is all she has to complain about then you don't have much to worry about. To an employer, those issues are trivial.

aeris99 · May 3, 2014

If it were me I would review the rules/requirements and do my best to conform to them.

As far as getting hired, you're in school to learn. Those evals are not the deciding factor in employment after school.

We all come into contact with people that we don't like. It's our job to be respectful and polite no matter

our personal feelings. Just another part of being an adult.

krisiepoo · May 3, 2014

I had an insecure, first-time, young instructor one semester who wrote the oddest things on my eval and it made no difference in me getting a job after graduation.

I cannot see a potential employer calling the school office to have your eval read to them. If you have an instructor who wants to be a reference, they'd call that specific person but they won't make a blind call to the college.

Let it go

sharpeimom · May 3, 2014

Forget about those picky details because they both say much more about your instructor than they do about you. Experienced interviewers will recognize that instantly. Stop worrying!

...

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · May 3, 2014

No employer is going to look at a clinical instructor's notes from your first clinical rotation, or any rotation, for that matter. Forget that. But don't forget that floors are filthy and you don't want your uniform on them, and dress codes are, well, dress codes.

If this is what it takes for someone to be "horrible," honey, you is in fo' a big worl' of hurt in the rest of your rotations (and your career). Jus' sayin'.

Don't look at her criticisms as you being "charged" with something. Every time you find yourself being criticized, think to yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Feedback is a gift, even if you don't want it.

So... now you know that those little things count, so go back and reread the student handbook and go forth and sin no more. :)

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · May 3, 2014

I second the above post and am compelled to ask: Is any of what she put on your evaluation UNTRUE? Because, from reading your post, it sounds like you're just upset that your mistakes were pointed out and your instructor didn't bend the rules for you.

loriangel14, RN · May 3, 2014

Those are piddly little things you are complaining about. And she was right. Follow the rules and learn from her feedback. She wasn't being "horrible". She was correcting you when you did something wrong. In the real world not everyone is warm and fuzzy. Wait until you are working in the real world and a manager tears you a new one.

Learn to take the criticism and follow the rules. I fear you will find some CIs down the road much more difficult. The tough ones will keep you on your otes constantly and you will learn a lot but you need to suck it up. Hang in there and good luck. I predict you are in for a rough ride.

ThatBigGuy · May 3, 2014

Welcome to nursing school. Seems like your instructor is simply following the guidelines set by the school, which you accepted at the beginning. Not following the guidelines would make the instructor horrible.

Your evals from school won't be available to future HR personnel, but I'm concerned about your attitude towards simple guidelines that seem easy enough to follow. Immediately posting to a public site and using the title you've used is a little dramatic, don't you think? HR personnel CAN see things you post on the internet. Keep that in mind.

mzrainydayz, BSN, RN · May 3, 2014

When you are at clinical you need to think before you act. Some clinical instructors are very picky, so stay on your A game. I have had some that would call you out if your hair wasn't pulled back off your collar, uniform wrinkled, white pants dragging the floor etc. If I were you I would review your nursing handbook. You are in school to learn so relax and use common sense. No future employer is going to contact the nursing school you graduated from to see what your clinical evaluation was. Basically do what you are suppose to do and stay under this lady radar.

I had a tough CI for med surg and she was always riding your coat tail. I prayed every clinical not to upset her in any way (the first day I left crying). At the end of the semester I realized there are going to be stern people out there to work with. At the end of that semester I felt so prepared and confident as a nursing student. I am going into my fifth semester and today I look back and thank her for that.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 3, 2014

Don't do anything. Let it go. It sounds like you actually DID the things she pointed so I'm not really following how that makes her "mean" or "horrible". No employer is going to call your school looking for evaluation forms from clinical. At most they will seek your transcript and that's only if you're a new grad.

nursinglove15 · May 4, 2014

It is your instructor's job to notice what you do wrong and what you need to improve. Documenting these things does not make your instructor horrible. A clinical evaluation is about reflecting on what you do well and what you need help on (skills, professionalism, etc.). If none of the things are untrue, there is nothing wrong with her recording them.

The best thing you can do is take the constructive criticism and work on improving these things.