Huge Zoom Mistake....Nurse Instructors Caught!

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

zoom-error-instructors-caught.jpg.543c81e9c3ad750e8288d57423c34f87.jpg

Recent nurse graduate here...but my question today is being presented on behalf of the students in the cohort behind me who have been backed into a corner and are now “afraid” to speak up and are afraid to take action.

Last week, two professors posted a class recorded lecture onto the classroom portal, D2L, not realizing the recording included a “private conversation” between the two of them after the entire class had logged off.

This recording was viewed by many of the students and included details pointing out and making mockery of students with “accents”, remarks toward how they (the two professors) prefer to have a say in the number of minorities allowed into the program, “hoping” that some of these students fail, included names of students (who actually watched the recording themselves and heard their names being said), and the list goes on. 

None of the students recorded the recording and only have information of what they recall/wrote down from this recording.

Shortly after, the two instructors sent out a mass email stating that details of the conversation needs to remain private and respected.

As professional nurses, is this something you feel these students need to remain quiet about? Or should they band together and go to the Dean (who is new) about it and call for yet another investigation?

Note: One of the instructors has already been sued in the past by a student based on similar allegations.

Wondering what your thoughts are? 

4
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

Wow, unfortunately they do not sound like people that should be educating the next generation of nurses. However, I do not know what the appropriate recourse is in the situation. Since there were many students that saw the recording, I would imagine that they would be unable to deny the allegations if they are brought forth by the students to administration. I'm not sure how they can just send an email and say it needs to remain private and respected- they certainly weren't respecting anyone when they had the conversation. It's unclear what the outcome would be, but if you have enough classmates willing to pursue it, it's something that administration should probably be aware of. 

19
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

LOL, what utter fools. Turn them in! 

21
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

You can report them to management/the DON.  That's probably what I would do. But then, it's their word against yours so I am unclear that it would help. Awful professors!  I always told my kids, if someone has a strong/strange accent, to always understand and respect they speak more than one language. And that puts them at an advantage.

14
Up Vote Up Vote ×
18 minutes ago, SmilingBluEyes said:

You can report them to management/the DON.  That's probably what I would do. But then, it's their word against yours so I am unclear that it would help. ...

Not necessarily, if the instructors did send this email.

49 minutes ago, Pre.Nurse_tobe said:

[...]

Shortly after, the two instructors sent out a mass email stating that details of the conversation needs to remain private and respected.

[...]

Also, consider this:

50 minutes ago, Pre.Nurse_tobe said:

[...]

Note: One of the instructors has already been sued in the past by a student based on similar allegations.

[...]

 

12
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.

These professors need to be fired.  The students should meet with the Dean and take it further if she/he does nothing.  And if they're afraid of retaliation they will have a good case against the professors if it happens.  But if they don't say anything NOW then they might not be believed if there are problems later.  Discrimination is not OK, ESPECIALLY when the people doing it have so much power over the ones they're discriminating against.  

27
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
18 minutes ago, chare said:

Not necessarily, if the instructors did send this email.

Also, consider this:

 

Excellent points. It's early and I need more coffee clearly. REPORT THEM OP. Please.

9
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you for the feedback!! I feel the same way, but having no direct association with the situation, I’ll just continue to support the few students who are wanting to take action.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
2 hours ago, Pre.Nurse_tobe said:

This recording was viewed by many of the students...

Did you watch the recording and see the private conversation? I’m assuming it wasn’t just the targets of the professors’ ugly comments but also other students who witnessed this?

2 hours ago, Pre.Nurse_tobe said:

Shortly after, the two instructors sent out a mass email stating that details of the conversation needs to remain private and respected.

1 hour ago, chare said:

Not necessarily, if the instructors did send this email.

Spot on. It never ceases to amaze me how utterly dumb people are capable of being. This post-offense conduct can easily be construed as consciousness of guilt. Or maybe that’s just the cynic in me ?

 

2 hours ago, Pre.Nurse_tobe said:

As professional nurses, is this something you feel these students need to remain quiet about? Or should they band together and go to the Dean (who is new) about it and call for yet another investigation?

I’m a European nurse and both laws and culture might differ in substantial ways. As might the power balance between students and faculty. I suspect the difference in culture might be significant. This means I can’t advice you on how to proceed, I can only share how I would handle this of it happened to me in my own country. 

If I had personally witnessed actions that I perceived as either racist or gave me reason to believe that my instructors weren’t carrying out their duties in a fair manner, meaning giving all students an equal chance and only failing individuals based on actual, objective poor academic performance then I would take action. I would first make sure that the email sent by the two instructors was secure. A mail in a school email account on the school’s server wouldn’t be what I considered secure. 

We don’t sue people or organizations here. What I would do was gather everyone who had witnessed the conversation and march off to the Dean’s office and present him or her with the facts. I would expect the Dean to take the appropriate action. The bias that the professors demonstrated is not acceptable. I don’t see how any students could have faith in them after this incidence and I really don’t think their employer has cause to view them as valuable employees. At least here, they would be considered a liability. 

But as I said, I can’t tell you what to do. I know my own rights and the culture I am a part of and I know that here the professors would be in more trouble for doing what they did, than I would be for reporting it. 

10
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for this response. No I have no direct association with the situation. I would certainly be more involved if I was. The email sent by the professors has been screenshotted and saved by students hoping to make a move soon.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

If I can remember a 1967 image on the screen of my 5th grade teacher in her underwear due to a mistakenly placed slide in the projector, I'm sure this conversation between these two professors will not easily be forgotten.

7
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in nursing ethics.

It is not uncommon

for professors to be fired for this kind of comment. More likely if they are adjuncts or new and usually men. Maybe lose tenure. HR gets involved. Such remarks are inexcusable anywhere

 

 

 

7
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment