My clinical group is forming a lynch mob in an attempt to get rid of our clinical instructor. At least 7/10 of our clinical group has an appointment to meet with the school's vice principal. The legal and justice systems are both involved in actions against this instructor. (I'm being deliberately vague.)
I am two months from graduation, and I just want to get through it.
For the record, I actually LIKE this instructor, even though I agree she is unreasonably harsh with some of the students (she's been fine with me).
I am worried about taking anyone's side. I will have to work with some of these students in the near future, and don't want to be thought of unfavorably. I obviously also don't want to bring the instructor's wrath down on my head.
I had a similar situation. I several students in clinical felt instructor was unreasonably difficult, "had it out for them", etc. I could see where they were coming from though I never witnessed this myself, and based on initial interactions with the instructor I tended to believe my classmates. However, I didn't have a problem with this instructor. But I was our clinical group's designated go-between for student issues/faculty involvement. So regardless of how I felt I had an obligation to bring this up with faculty because I was asked to do so by my fellow clinical-mates. Anyways, I met with a faculty member and simply said that some of our clinical group (without naming names) had a concern about our clinical instructor and presented what they had told me. I just told the truth and what I had been told, and when asked if I had witnessed this behavior I answered "No" because I had not, and followed it up with what I said earlier, and that I personally have not had such interactions with the instructor. So to sum up, it's also not bad to tell the truth. I tried to go at it like "perhaps she doesn't realize how she is coming across. I'm sure she would want to make an environment conducive to learning, perhaps she doesn't realize how students feel". It was hard, because I'm not a one to tell behind someone's back, and I made that clear too. I said that I was not sure the course of action to take because I hadn't ever had to do this before, and that it was not my intention to get anyone in trouble, but just like I said, perhaps this would lead to improved teaching on the part of the instructor.
sooooo, do what you feel is best. BE HONEST. if the instructor is unfair and you know it, don't lie and say she isn't. But you don't have to initiate anything either. If faculty comes to you with questions, answer them truthfully, and do it with a positive attitude and with the intent to HELP the instructor be a better instructor in the end, not to get somebody fired.
I would keep my head down and out of it...If I was asked, I would give a HONEST example...while stating that "this is only my opinion" but I feel that so and so is a very good CI.
I had a CI like that. Plenty of students did not like her....but she was tough. If you didn't know your stuff, you were toast. In clinicals, she would check meds with me, let me go give them, trust that I was checking on my patients, etc...without following up with me all day....
I personally did not have a problem with that, because there were students who needed to have a closer eye on them.
Stay out of it, and get on with your life. GL on getting through it....worst case, they just won't like you...
After graduation, you probably wont even see many of your fellow students again.
That is so true, as a student it seemed the world consisted of nothing other than our group and getting through. Once we graduated we all went our separate ways. Out of 73 in my group I see one on an infrequent basis.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Two months before graduation, to me, is a bad time to start rocking a boat that has no leaks as far as you're concerned. I would not go with them, I would focus on my studies. They may have valid points, however, unless you were unreasonably attacked as well, this doesn't concern you, really. There may also be other things happening that they are NOT telling you, which may warrent some of the behavior.
I can understand the issues if the students are being harassed for no reason, however, you have to protect your future. You didn't know these people before you became a nursing student, I am sure (at least not all of them), and will probably separate from them upon graduation. There are so many other distractors that may keep YOU from graduating...any illness, accident, computer glich, or God knows what else...why add another problem to your plate? Best of luck!
Keep out of it. Silence is golden. Be true to yourself. You do not have to give any opinion, or you can say what you truly believe. Let the chips fall where they may. Be empathetic, though, to those who are having a hard time with her. Realize that you are not responsible for their experience with her but don't lord it over them just because you are doing ok with her.
Actually, to be fair to the students, this is more than one or two people who are stirred up, and they have been treated in a way I wouldn't appreciate. Also, we aren't talking about kid students here... we are talking about grown women in their 30s-50s, and their complaints are not invalid.
For some reason, this instuctor likes me and leaves me to work pretty independently, which gives her more time to target other students. Their misfortune has been to my benefit, and I feel a little guilty about it, I guess.
It's really not your problem. Be invisible. Keep doing whatever you're doing and get done with school.
Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.
my advise is to not make waves for yourself. keep out of it and don't let the drama keep you from graduating. nursing instructors are hard for a reason (i will agree that some are to hard) but this stuff you have to know if you are going to take care of people. i bet you will eventually thank this teacher later on because you knew your stuff when a complex situation came up. i had a teacher that was so hard people cried when they got her for clinicals , i kept my head up and mouth shut did exactly as i was instructed. i learned so much from this woman that i think her quite often. i sailed through my theory in rn school because this women believed in me enough to push hard...and i mean hard...
Thank you all for your responses. I decided not to participate in their action.
I know one of my fellow students is quite disappointed because we are rather friendly, and I am sure none of these students will have my back now if the tables turn and the instructor comes down on me. I just hope I won't need them later.
Actually, to be fair to the students, this is more than one or two people who are stirred up, and they have been treated in a way I wouldn't appreciate. Also, we aren't talking about kid students here... we are talking about grown women in their 30s-50s, and their complaints are not invalid.
For some reason, this instuctor likes me and leaves me to work pretty independently, which gives her more time to target other students. Their misfortune has been to my benefit, and I feel a little guilty about it, I guess.
I understand were you are coming from .. I had a situation at my school and my instructor liked me and not others ( like my whole group). my advice to u is that you truly don't know who is friends with who and if ur school is anything like mine your not going to win !
I'm a fighter .... but things I saw in nursing school made me kinda keep my options to my self. I have seen all kinds unfair treatment .. as much as people being "asked" to leave the program . As long as safety is not an issue I would just ride out the strom and stay out of it .
Your post made me smile. (Really) I am the ONLY one in my clinical group that liked our instructor. He was tough, yes. He really pushed us to do more and find skills to learn. He probably gave us more credit than we deserved by having too much confidence in our skills! That being said, the other groups say how lucky they are to leave early, get out of a day d/t their instructor being ill, etc. etc.... Is there any way that this is good???? Not in my eyes. My very first clinical day I did 2 IM injections and D/C'd a JP drain. Here it is 8 weeks later and some of the other groups have only passed meds and done bedding changes and baths. I think we were very fortunate to have someone "riding" us and pushing us to do more and think on a higher level. Again, my opinion but there is always going to be that one person you don't like. This is a job, like any other. If you don't mesh with someone, move on. Get over it and deal with them on a professional level only. You don't need to be best friends with your instructor. You are so close to being done.... Good luck and Congrats on making it this far!
Specializes in Diabetes, Transplant, CCU, Neurology.
Well, I'm going to relate your issue with what you might see in your real job. We use a flow sheet with a "Day", "Evening" and "Night" section for writing an assessment. At night, I can see exactly what each of the other shift nurses wrote. I do my assessment. I carry on a conversation with the patient. I find the patient has severe neuropathy in the lower extremities and a very unsteady gait. I determine the patient is a fall risk. But, I see that the previous 2 nurses checked "Ambulates with steady gait" and didn't see the patient as a fall risk. Do I chart what I observed or go along with what the others charted? You know the answer. Apply it to your own situation.
I too was a non-traditional nursing student, a little older than most of my peers, male, and 4 years EMT & level two EMT instructor. That being said, i had an instructor who tried to find fault with almost everything i did. After I graduated, she had an student placed on the unit I was the charge nurse for (about three years later). In front of one of my nurses, two unit aides, and her student she passed the comment: "of all the students i have had this is one i never thought should have finished the program". I can tell you I was embarassed first, but i calmly replied, "as usual you continue to make errors in judgement, based on ignorance, i'm glad to see you have not changed"
my point ?
sometimes the universe gives us a second shot if you wait for it!
Vashtee .... wait for it! don't take a swing in the dirt!
My_brain_hurts
135 Posts
I had a similar situation. I several students in clinical felt instructor was unreasonably difficult, "had it out for them", etc. I could see where they were coming from though I never witnessed this myself, and based on initial interactions with the instructor I tended to believe my classmates. However, I didn't have a problem with this instructor. But I was our clinical group's designated go-between for student issues/faculty involvement. So regardless of how I felt I had an obligation to bring this up with faculty because I was asked to do so by my fellow clinical-mates. Anyways, I met with a faculty member and simply said that some of our clinical group (without naming names) had a concern about our clinical instructor and presented what they had told me. I just told the truth and what I had been told, and when asked if I had witnessed this behavior I answered "No" because I had not, and followed it up with what I said earlier, and that I personally have not had such interactions with the instructor. So to sum up, it's also not bad to tell the truth. I tried to go at it like "perhaps she doesn't realize how she is coming across. I'm sure she would want to make an environment conducive to learning, perhaps she doesn't realize how students feel". It was hard, because I'm not a one to tell behind someone's back, and I made that clear too. I said that I was not sure the course of action to take because I hadn't ever had to do this before, and that it was not my intention to get anyone in trouble, but just like I said, perhaps this would lead to improved teaching on the part of the instructor.
sooooo, do what you feel is best. BE HONEST. if the instructor is unfair and you know it, don't lie and say she isn't. But you don't have to initiate anything either. If faculty comes to you with questions, answer them truthfully, and do it with a positive attitude and with the intent to HELP the instructor be a better instructor in the end, not to get somebody fired.
Best of luck!