Insecure Unorganized Nursing Instructor

[misplaced1]

I am in an RN to MSN program an taking my first bridge class. My instructor is completely out of it. Black is white, up is down, left is right but tommorrow right might be right again and black maybe black again. There is a syllabus but she adds and substracts from it at will and sometimes with only 24 hours notice as in oh by the way you will nee to o this by tommorrow or you will need to come in tommorrow at 12. As far as written guildeline for how the coures is graded forget it. It is a clinical class with assignments but who knows how they should be submitted, written or by email and which ever way you do submit it that is the wrong way an she said that an now the assignment is late. It seems that in particular I and another girl have been targeted in our small class but I think the rules change for everyone at will. If you ask her a question, because again nothing is in writing she will tell you that she alreay told you or that you should know that. She also told us that if we looked at her the wrong way that would affect our grade. On the other hand if we don't speak up and tell her what we need THAT will affect our grade.

So far I have apparently earned a C- in the class for reasons that are not clear to me. I put off talking to my avisor because I am not a wave maker an thought I would just stick it out but now wondering if I should just drop the class and forget about this particular program because this is a required class. I am not going to spend months in crazyland to fail a class. Moreover, I have ha to repeatly, like three times, change my schedule around at the last minute which she seems to think is fine. Sorry I have a mortgage to pay.

Make no mistake that if I do have to drop the class the chairman of the department will be well aware as to why as will student affairs but I have never had to do anything like that before an do not want to now. I just dont know what to do.

It also once again makes me have second thoughts about this career path. I have been very encouraged to take this path and have had multiple people ask me to talk with them when I am getting close to finishing due to some other background I have. But in the end I have to say I am starting to get the feeling that no matter what I do, if I stay in the nursing field it will be a dead end because to be honest, although I have met some wonderful wonderful nurses, I have never seen so much unprofessional nonsense tolerated and so much jealousy and backstabbing in all my days. I thought if I pursued a graduate degree things might be different but it seems that once again nurses are their own worst enemy.

It is sad for me because I have a very strong idea of what I would like to o an think I would like it and be goo at it. But there is more out there for me so if it ends here so be it. This is not the first time I have had doubts and it has nothing to do with not liking taking care of people, it has to do with liking to take care of myself also.

There are so many lovely people here. I don't understand where this eat your young and try to kill them things comes from but it is alive and well. Thanks for listening.

[caliotter3]

It is a shame that one off the wall instructor can interfere with your career plans. Think you should talk to someone above her before you decide to throw this program away.

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

I would have a conversation with the powers that be. This so unprofessional! There are online programs that are RN to MSN that stick to the syllabus at hand-you know what is due when with great feedback from instructors.

I wouldn't stay an extra day in this setting-like you don't already have enough stress......

[jrw03282009]

Hahahahaha! I think we might be in the same class but I doubt it. I am in LVN. Maybe they are twins? I dont know. There are times that she will have mistakes pointed out to her and she will say something like dont worry about it, it wont be on your test if I cant figure it out. HUH? That is just one minor example. I doubt there will be any change. She has already been brought before the board of the school but nothing changed except that there isnt QUITE so much homework (as if we are in high school x's 5). I want to LEARN the info in these chapters... not cram it so fast that I forget it in 6 hours. Anyway, good luck. I hope it gets better for you.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Wow that makes 3 of us! How bout having a CI that is scared "----less" to be near students and med passing she will actually make herself MIA. OMG I can hardly believe it.

[iwanna]

I had an instructor like that too. She changed things as she went along. Our first clinical day was a mess, and she was wreck. She was yelling at everybody. then the next day, she came to clinical saying the day before did not go so smooth. She asked for suggestions on how we can organize our clinicals better. The scary thing was that she had done this for several years.

[misplaced1]

Yes this instructors asks for input on how to make things better then shots you down an treats you like an idiot if you say anything. Like perhaps we should have some idea where our grade comes from? This is wy beyound a person that just does not know how to teach. This is a very insecure woman on a power tripping on the control she gets from NOT putting anything in writing so that she can constantly change the rules.

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

Yes this instructors asks for input on how to make things better then shots you down an treats you like an idiot if you say anything. Like perhaps we should have some idea where our grade comes from? This is wy beyound a person that just does not know how to teach. This is a very insecure woman on a power tripping on the control she gets from NOT putting anything in writing so that she can constantly change the rules.

IMO that is a worthless instructor---she must have tenure or they would have booted her by now...

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

Let me tell you what I heard a boss say (pre nursing, but I could still see it happening at my hospital). We had a new project manager, complete know it all jack*** , couldn't organize anything from a meeting to a training session, threw all the work on us, screwed up everything he touched. Finally, a bunch of us who worked for the guy went to his boss, showed him emails, falsified work orders, just tons of stuff that was costing the company money and driving programmers away, not to mention we were sending out stuff that didn't work because he had a "deliver the project on time, 100% of the time" slogan he kept chanting like it was a prayer or a threat. We were respectful to the big boss, showed concern for our users and our company, we're just one big happy programming family, sis-boom-bah, rah team...

You know what the guy's boss said?

"He doesn't have to please YOU. He has to please ME, and he does." The guy met the deadlines -- the programs didn't work but hey, we were punctual!

I had the option and ability to leave, and I ran for the door.

All I'm saying is I learned a long time ago: Don't expect people to do the right thing. Do expect them to do the expedient thing, which for them, would be getting rid of you.

Wish I could think of something profound, but I can't...

[keithjones]

Sorry to the excellent teachers that do exist out there, but these people reinforce the old saying, "Those who can't do, teach"

[mandymae]

haha~that reminds me of one of our Nursing instructors. We loved her in clinical, but she bombed in the classroom. When she gave a lecture, she said the word "um" alot. One day we counted the "ums" and I think we counted around 76!! Some people know their stuff, but get flustered when put in front of a group.

[caliotter3]

All I'm saying is I learned a long time ago: Don't expect people to do the right thing. Do expect them to do the expedient thing, which for them, would be getting rid of you.

Wish I could think of something profound, but I can't...

I learned this lesson the hard way too.