I LIED to a professor

B52, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 1, 2015

If you confess, your professor might make an example out of you and make you sit out a semester.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2015

Another thought - the Bible tells about the prodigal son. His father was wealthy. This son wanted to "experience life", so he asked his father for his share of the inheritance he was to receive. Dad gave it to him, the son left home and began living high on the hog. He burned up the inheritance and found himself homeless and broke - and hungry.

The prodigal had to get work so he could eat. He worked slopping hogs and eating their food - quite a fall from being wealthy and living quite comfortably. Eventually, he came to his senses and headed for home.

His father saw him coming and ran out to meet him. The son asked if he could work for his father, not resume his previous life of ease under Dad's roof. The father's response was to say no to employing his son. His response was to rejoice that his son had come back home, had come to his senses. His response was to throw a big party to celebrate his son's return. He had beautiful clothing put onto his son, too.

The Prodigal's brother was angry and jealous. He told their father that it wasn't right to be so good to the Prodigal and reminded their father that he himself had never been given such a party, even though he'd been faithfully working hard for the father all along and had never asked for his own inheritance and then burned through it with riotous living.

Dad's reply? Son, at any time you could have had your inheritance and we could have made you a fantastic party. We can still do it anytime. As for your brother, he was lost but has now returned and I'm so very, very happy that he has come home.

The purpose in sharing this is that it made me think about times that people sin or use poor judgment in the Bible yet God forgives them, to the point that we don't read anything about them being punished.

Another Bible story is about the servant who owed his boss a lot of money, so much that the boss realized that the servant could never repay it, so the boss just forgave the debt - wrote it all off. I've been marveling that the boss was willing to forgive the servant his great debt. I know there's more to the story, but the point of this section I've mentioned is, as I say, that the boss forgave a great debt.

So, must we always have blood? Or can we turn the other cheek? On the cross, Jesus Himself said "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do". His forgiveness extended to the beatings and humiliation and even death being done to him.

So, I guess that's about it. I know some of you here just hate Jesus and the Bible and, by extension, those who call ourselves Christians, and I apologize if I have offended you. You are certainly free to have your own beliefs, but I did want to tell about the truly marvelous forgiveness that Jesus gives to all who ask.

OP, think about this and see if it helps you to figure out how to find peace.

caliotter3 · Mar 1, 2015

At this point, discussing this matter with the instructor is going to emphasize to her that you are obsessing about it and have not moved on or learned anything to put into your behavior pattern since that day. It revisits the matter in her mind and may have a negative effect when she decides upon the final standings for the course. She may wonder why you aren't discussing any teaching points presented since that isolated incident.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2015

So, OP, what do you think?

Peonies n posie · Mar 11, 2015

Okay, sorry I didn't update, I've been busy. I want to thank everyone for there input and advice. It was very helpful. I did tell my Prof. As I said lying is not something that sits well with my concious.And she told me not to worry about, she said I was a good nursing student. I am so blessed! :) She is such an amazing proffesor. To those of you the commented on religion. I am christian, so I thought about facing Jesus and myself and I think I akways knew I was going to tell her I was just scared. But I am so happy I did. Its my profs liscense on the line, so I felt like it was important on that front. As well as patient safety. Tgank you again for your advice!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2015

Newsflash. Everybody has lied at some point, some in a heedless panic like this one, some because they didn't want to look like idiots or have somebody get mad at them, some because they are facile liars and it's a way of life. Not all try to make amends. To your great credit, you have a prickly conscience, have vowed to yourself not to do it again, and did not let harm come to your patient from it.

I think there's good in confession, and I think your instructor may be far more understanding than a lot of these posters think. I would go to her, and tell it exactly as you did in your original post. Throw yourself on the mercy of the court, and tell her emphatically how much you learned from this. I think she will understand.

GBRKG122 · Mar 18, 2015

At this point, my two cents: you should focus on forgiving yourself :) You don't need absolution from your teacher... No one is perfect That is so heartbreaking to hear because you've demonstrated such caring, reflection, & passion. It sounds like you've already put yourself through an enormous amount of negative self-talk... You've clearly thought about this intently & deeply; seems like the best think to do is to look forward. Speaking with a clinical therapist could be an awesome way to work through and let go of this burden. Thinking of you!

TheNGTKingRN · Mar 18, 2015

The fact you have a conscience matters. Learn and move on. If you were a sociopathic individual, this (the lying etc.) would be as casual as taking a sip of water.

Blance2 · Mar 20, 2015

It seems as though you have "beat yourself up" enough and you're aware that you made a mistake, at this point I personally would just move on and not say anything about it. You went and checked on your patient after you "lied" so technically you covered your butt. While I don't condone lying I would just say it was more erroneous than a lie since you panicked and you say that lying is out of your character. If I were you I wouldn't jeopardize your schooling, relationship with this instructor, or your chances for success in completing the program. Just chalk it up to a bad judgement call and don't repeat it. :shy:

lovinglife2015 · Mar 24, 2015

You might want to google: 'self sabotage.'

Glycerine82, LPN · Mar 25, 2015

*DEEP BREATH*

First of all, your lying didn't hurt the patient, because you checked them right away.

Second of all, you've learned your lesson.

Thirdly, you are under a TON of pressure and made a mistake. Coming forward now won't do anyone a bit of good, you're in school to learn, and that's what you did.

When you're a nurse and your supervisor comes to you with the same kind of question, you will say "NO, I'm so sorry that was totally my fault, I'm on my way", and that is a good thing.

*DEEP BREATH* :-) xo

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2015

Quick clarification: Your professor's license was not on any line.

This is a very common misconception but completely untrue, no matter what anybody told you. Students have clinical placements based on contractual agreements between the school and the facility. Students are well-aware of the scope of practice they have (for example, "Students can't give meds (" ... insert IVs," "... place a Foley or Salem sump tube," etc) unless the instructor is present.")

IF an instructor directs and supervises a student in an action that is outside of the scope of practice of that student or that nurse AND harm results, then action may or may not be taken against the nurse's license, depending on many factors. Loss of license is reserved for very serious things, not just "mistakes" such as most students make from time to time.

A student does not practice "under" an instructor's license. Students are adults and responsible for their own behaviors. A student practices under authority from the college, and has the responsibility not to exceed his/her scope of practice as a student. A student can lose his/her position in the college by making a serious enough mistake (the kind that makes you just slap your forehead and say, "What the fresh hell were you thinking?") or repeatedly makes lesser mistakes on things s/he should have mastered already, with no awareness of how that's a problem. But these things do not cause action on the instructor's license, no.