How do I complete my horrible CNA class? Help

Kunzieo · Sep 29, 2009

It's a shame to suggest after you've paid for the class...

Are you required to take the class to sit for the exam again?

I know different schools/states may have different rules regarding this,

but I was able to apply for just the exam at a tech school after I let my certification lapse a few years ago.

I had to pay about $160, but other than showing up for the test (written and practical) I didn't have to redo my class hours.

mustlovepoodles, RN · Sep 29, 2009

It sounds like you're in a pickle. I don't know why your instructor is giving you a hard time. However, you have to pull yourself together. You have a lot of money invested and you'r e{this} close to finishing. Don't quit now!

Some instructors shouldn't be teaching. I would venture to say that almost none of them has ever taken courses in education. They may be good nurses, but that doesn't necessarily translate to good teaching. Nontheless, as a student sometimes you just have to take it. Consider it experience for the real world.

Do NOT make a complaint against this teacher. It will not serve you well. You will come off as a disgruntled student with revenge on the agenda. You will need references from your school and now is not the time to make enemies. Just suck it up. Sometimes we aren't appreciated for the hard work we do and sometimes we work with jerks!

Don't allow this woman to keep you from acheiving your goal. Get up (on time!), get dressed, pretend you want to go to class, then do it. Put on a smile and do your time. It's only 6 days; It's not going to kill you. You CAN do it.. No more calling out unless you're dead! You have to finish this or all your money and work goes down the drain.

Remember: Success is the sweetest revenge.

work&play · Sep 29, 2009

I contacted the health dep. in my state, California, and I need to re-train. I completed my first CNA class 18 years ago. I have to take the class! It's so stressful! I paid $1500.00 to get stressed!:smackingf

Thanks mostlovepoodles, I'm getting my scrubs on tomorrow and pushing myself to clinicals. I got a stronger med. presc.for my migrane, and I'm making it back the last days of that stupid class. No choice!

Thanks for the ecouragement!!!!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 29, 2009

I agree...it is just six more days. It may seem like torture for the moment because you don't like your instructor, but, it is almost over. And, you paid your money to recertify! Without this, you cannot work, and there is no reason why this instructor should be allowed to keep you from earning a living.

I would kill her with kindness or at least (try) to stay out of her way, and each day you come home, count the days, pat yourself on the back and see yourself one day closer to obtaining your certification. Best of luck to you.

work&play · Sep 29, 2009

One thing I don't understand is why would they asked her for references. My first CNA course instructor/school was never contacted. I so wished they have because then, I completed as an honor student with perfect attendance certificates.

Not only that, but the course was 9 months long, in an well- known hospital, instructed by an RN, not an lvn. Through the nation's second largest school district, not trough a private school.

Why would they call her?

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 29, 2009

One thing I don't understand is why would they asked her for references. My first CNA course instructor/school was never contacted. I so wished they have because then, I completed as an honor student with perfect attendance certificates.
Not only that, but the course was 9 months long, in an well- known hospital, instructed by an RN, not an lvn. Through the nation's second largest school district, not trough a private school.
Why would they call her?

I'm a bit lost...who asked who for references...the second instructor asked for references from the first?

Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN · Sep 29, 2009

I have to say this. Since I am not there to see it for myself. I can only speak about my experience. When I was in nursing school I felt that every instructor I had from beginning to end pick on me and gave me the worst patients they could find. I mean very complicated and sick sick sick. I was a critical care tech when I went to LPN School and had worked only in CCU or ICU.

And for a while I thought they were trying to get me to quit. I went to the director to complain. After I just let it all out, she looked at me and said You have a 3.7 grade average and we do assign you the hardest load. But you have a job already in CCU just waiting for you to graduate. You will be an excellant nurse in that area. That is why you get the worst patients.

That was the 70's and she was right I stayed in Critical Care for the rest of my career. for 38 yrs, After I understood that everything else was cake.

I just wanted to let you know since you obviously have been a CNA for a while maybe they expect more from you.

Moogie · Sep 29, 2009

I need your advice. I'm retaking a CNA class because I let mine lapse. I found a 7-week class for $1500.00. I'm now 6 days away from completing and I can't even get up in the mornings to attend.
Anyway, I've noticed the instructor picks on me and two other students. She makes us be an task every minute. The rest of the students get to take off from the clinicals site, and return whenever they feel like. They haven't practice any of the skills at all. But! We have to.
With my 8 years of experience as a CNA , I know all the skills. The instructor constantly checks on me. If I leave the room to get sheets, or anything, she yells at me infront of everybody.

Your instructor may be picking on you because you already know the skills. Does she know that you are retaking the course? If you've done a course before---and that course seemed to be superior to the one you're taking now---she might feel threatened by you. It is also possible that you could subconsciously be giving off vibes that you don't need to be there because you already have the skills. In your post, you sound like a very sweet, conscientious person and it doesn't sound to me like you have an "attitude". But maybe your instructor THINKS that you do. And even if you are the kindest, most humble person in your class, if your instructor is incompetent or insecure, she may pick on you harder because you are a threat to her---and she may blame you for having a 'tude. (I am afraid I speak from personal experience here. Am still licking my wounds from a previous job in which my manager was less experienced than I and VERY threatened.)

But you know, even if you had a ginormous chip on your shoulder and strutted around like you were the Princess (or prince) of the CNA world, there is NO EXCUSE WHATSOEVER for the instructor to yell at you in front of your classmates. Okay, maybe if you were about to do something that might harm or kill a patient, but otherwise, there is no reason for her to embarrass you in front of your peers. IMHO, that's just a sign that your instructor is out of her league and either does not know how to teach or does not enjoy teaching. Shaming is NOT an effective way to help someone learn. I can understand completely why her abuse makes you physically sick. I am so sorry this is happening to you. :icon_hug:

The other day, she had two of the students whom never do anything there, do vitals, and the other change a bed.
The student doing vitals put in an elec. thermometer without a plastic cover in a pt's mouth. The other one doing the bed, couldn't do a drawsheet and walked out the pt's room with her gloves on to get the instructor to do it for her. In five days they will be graduating!

In a patient's mouth?!? In a real, live, breathing patient's MOUTH?!? Sorry, if I saw a student make a mistake like that I would immediately flunk the student. The drawsheet is pretty bad, but putting an electronic thermometer WITHOUT a cover into someone's mouth is beyond belief. This student is unsafe to practice. Period. And it tells me that you have a very poor, inconsistent instructor if she let this mistake slide.

Well, to make the story short, I've been absent for the last two days with a strong migrane headache. I can't sleep because I know, I have to see the instructor the next day. I won't be able to get my certificate with the rest of the lazy students because I now have to make up the hours. Should I report the instructor?
I don't really want to because she was really nice in the begining. I had a deep cut on a finger and she was cleaning it every day with a lot of care. I just don't know what to do?

Do other students in your class feel the same way? If there are others who feel similarly treated unfairly or who are unhappy with the instructor, you may be taken more seriously if you all approach the instructor's supervisor (program director?) with your concerns. Also, document, document, document! If you ever have to file a complaint against an unfair instructor, make sure you have documentation of what occurred so it isn't just a matter of, "well, I feel the instructor is picking on me." I would not worry about your instructor ever providing you with a job reference; you are an experienced CNA and I am sure your previous employers would be far more accurate in their assessment of your abilities than this instructor. Besides, if she is so critical of you now, she will likely not give you a positive reference in the future.

So again---examine your behavior to see if there's any chance whatsoever that you MIGHT be giving off a know-it-all attitude. Document, as completely as possible, incidents in which she has treated you unfairly. Report the incident about the student and the thermometer. (That is not being a snitch---it is keeping someone who is UNSAFE away from patients!) Talk with your fellow students and get some support. And then turn the instructor in. Students do have rights and remember that if program directors do not get honest feedback about instructors (good and bad) they will continue to let the bad ones keep on teaching and abusing future students.

Oh, and take care of yourself. Do whatever it takes to get a little R & R and be good to yourself. It is almost over but, having been in similar situations myself, even a few days can seem like forever.

Moogie · Sep 30, 2009

I have to say this. Since I am not there to see it for myself. I can only speak about my experience. When I was in nursing school I felt that every instructor I had from beginning to end pick on me and gave me the worst patients they could find. I mean very complicated and sick sick sick. I was a critical care tech when I went to LPN School and had worked only in CCU or ICU.
And for a while I thought they were trying to get me to quit. I went to the director to complain. After I just let it all out, she looked at me and said You have a 3.7 grade average and we do assign you the hardest load. But you have a job already in CCU just waiting for you to graduate. You will be an excellant nurse in that area. That is why you get the worst patients.
That was the 70's and she was right I stayed in Critical Care for the rest of my career. for 38 yrs, After I understood that everything else was cake.
I just wanted to let you know since you obviously have been a CNA for a while maybe they expect more from you.

You bring up some excellent points here. But had you not spoken to the director, maybe you never would have known that no one was picking on you but they all just had very high expectations that challenged you but were still within your capabilities. Kudos to your school for doing so well!

I think a lot of the difference between having high expectations and picking on a student is that the former means that there is respect and empowerment whereas the latter conveys a sense of the instructor having power over the student. In your experience, the instructors empowered you to be an outstanding student and become an excellent nurse. They helped you achieve your potential and helped you gain the nursing skills and knowledge necessary to have an extremely satisfying career for the rest of your life. :up: But verbally abusing a student, shaming, yelling at a student in front of the rest of the class---those behaviors are meant to belittle someone and render him/her powerless. I think "tough" instructors are great and I learned so much from those who had the highest expectations of me. But those instructors who were unfair or seemed to get off on power trips, the ones who were so insecure in their own abilities that they had to take out their frustrations on their students---no. From them, I learned what not to do and how not to treat others.

I have a hunch, based on the OP, that it might be that the instructor is abusive rather than just tough. Tough instructors bring you up. Nasty ones bring you down---sometimes for a very long time.

work&play · Sep 30, 2009

do not make a complaint against this teacher. it will not serve you well. you will come off as a disgruntled student with revenge on the agenda. you will need references from your school and now is not the time to make enemies. just suck it up. sometimes we aren't appreciated for the hard work we do and sometimes we work with jerks!

sorry!i was refering to this comment. i don't think employer contact cna course instructors/school. its has never happend in my case.

work&play · Sep 30, 2009

Thank for understanding what I'm going through.