How do you deal with the conflict in nursing school?

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I graduate in 3 1/2 months and for the past year +. Its this one student that is like a bully. She walks around all day in class and clinical, saying and these are her exact words. " I don't like anybody in this (f'ing word) class? I only like so and so and just rude this girl had to have said this over 500 times since I've been in this program plus she's rude and evil. I asked her why do she say that she said " I don't give a f, because I don't" mind you it was two teachers that went to the DON about her and she did nothing. A few classmates and nothing gets done. I swear its taking all of me not to literally go off. She does this all day every day and the teachers doesn't do anything about it. Its so hard to have a positive atmosphere in the class because of her. Its like high school all over again. I'm so stressed out as is and just to put up with it is really annoying me. How should I handle this? Have you ever dealt with something similar before? Thanks in advance!

You really can't know what the instructors and/or the dean *(or head of the nursing program) is doing about this. They can't discuss it with you. (Nor should they). You might run into this as a nurse. Keep this in mind, just because you don't see them doing something does not mean they aren't. It just means that you don't see it. As I said before, focus on you. It's so much healthier.

I just figured it's been going on for so long and no one at least spoke to her about her behavior. I focus on myself but during group conversations she;s back to her ways and it's tiring to deal with someone like this for this long. We have class 5 days a week and she doesn't miss a day honestly.

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Specializes in CMSRN, hospice.

You have such a short amount of time left in the program. Don't let this person distract you from what is important right now! I'm sure you've got plenty to study right now, and also a lot to be excited for (graduation and pinning, finding your first job, etc.). Focus on that, and frequently remind yourself that this girl's nasty words cannot take away from your hard work and accomplishments.

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I feel your pain! I graduate in May and I'm surrounded by those types of people. I also have dealt with actual nurses like her in the hospital setting - some were rude to the point I wanted to run and hide in the linen closet whenever they were present! :bag:

The best advice has been shared already - ignore her, focus on graduating, passing NCLEX, and getting a job. People like her usually get what's coming to them... eventually. :)

Good luck - you're almost at the finish line!

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Trust me I have but Its like every SINGLE day. I thought if I ignore her she;ll stop but she keeps right at it.

Your goal is wrong. You seem to be allowing yourself to believe that there is a way you can make her stop. There isn't.

I know it's kind of difficult to wrap our minds around if we haven't really pondered it before, but please believe me when I say the secret to dealing with innumerable interpersonal difficulties in this life is to simply learn how to not be negatively affected by them. Leave the problem with whom it originates. It took me a very long time to learn this lesson and now I encourage everyone that I can to not waste one minute struggling along with this concept. Just see the truth in it, and internalize it.

You can't imagine how free you will feel.

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Specializes in PhD in mental health nursing.

Report it to your teachers again in writing and advise them that you will escalate if they don't address the issue. Report it to your student union if you have one as well. You are being passively complicit by ignoring the behaviour. The teachers are validating her behaviour by not addressing these concerns and are part of the problem. Bullying is an ongoing epidemic in nursing and must be addressed.

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Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.

Whether you ignore her or not, she is going to keep on with this behavior. I found the best thing to do with such people in school was ignoring that person. While hard to do, you have to. You need to keep focused on your goal and achieving that goal. I found that some of the people with bad attitudes ended up taking NCLEX more than one time. They aren't focused on the goal and when they don't pass, it will be humbling. Sounds like she has a sense of entitlement and she is going to do what she wants to do. I only hope she is not like this around her patients.

As has been said, let your instructors and your dean of nursing know and then put it behind you and focus.

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I dealt with a person like this at my current job. It was driving me crazy, I ended up talking to someone about it. They told me that I should write a list of reasons why I should "thank" this person. At first I was appalled. "Thank a person whom is rude on a daily basis and makes my job and my life miserable?" So I sat down, I wrote about how much more I value being empathetic to patients (she retaliated against patients she found rude). This individual had a phenomenal set of skills, but she didn't have the warm personality to match. So I said, I'm thankful for her showing me her tricks that she's learned, and that when I finish my degree, and I'm as skilled as her, that I want to be more down to earth. Maybe it will be helpful for you to also write a "Thank You" list to your bully. It has certainly made me a better professional.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I dealt with it by refusing to engage. You can't control what other people do. Only how you respond. Don't give her so much power over you. You will be moving on very soon. Keep your eyes forward, not lateral.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

By constantly letting yourself get drawn in by her behaviours, you are also responding as if you are still in high school. This is the grownup world now. If she is acting like a child then be thankful she isn't your child. Other than being annoying, what can she really do to you? She can't affect your clinical performance or your grades. She can't influence whether or not you complete the program or get a job.

You really just need to spend what time you have left applying yourself to your studies. This is a bit off-topic but your original post was a bit hard to follow. Working on your verbal and written communication skills will pay off in the very near future. Meanwhile, your classmate's personality will trip her up, probably sooner rather than later. Good luck.

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just roll your eyes so,so, so hard that the person that it's directed towards can feel it. Then smile.

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IMO, its only bad behavior, let it go.

Seems like she passing all her classes and not getting sent home from clinical.

People can have two faces: personal and professional.

If she doesn't get a job or gets fired from future employees because of attitude, it her own fault.

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Well, she's gonna have a rude awakening IF she gets a job after nursing school with that attitude. If she asks any of her teachers for a recommendation, I'd bet they would most likely tell her no. At least, I'm hoping they would after all you've mentioned. If she does land a job, then she better watch her mouth. Staff won't take her attitude :D

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