Instructor caused me to breakdown crying at clinical

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

hello

today was my second day at clinical for my second semester and i must admit it was one of the emotional challenging clinicals i've had yet. to make a long story short: i started my day doing vs on my post-partum mom and i totally bomed that ! i've done bp using the machine and manually a thousand times but some how some way i had to screw that up. the nurse and i got like a 20 hgmm difference. okay so i get yelled out about that. next its time for my assessment, and i forgot to put gloves in my pocket for when i get to the lady parts. so i know i was unprepared and no that this is not exceptable, but since my instructor was closer to the gloves i kindly asked her if she could hand me a pair she says: no, get it yourself ! so i had to walk shamelesly (spelling) around to the other side of the room to grab those. so at that point i'm so stressed out and i basically have tears swelled up in my eyes, it took all i had to get through the assessment with out crying in front of the pt. or the instructor. so right when i thought i was off the hook because the instructor is leaving the room, she states to the pt: " and let me know if she's not taking good care of you" and she was has serious as a heart attack.

at that point i kindly excused myself from the room after the instructor left and went in the br to cry my eyes out. i was so discouraged that i comtemplated walking out of clinical. i had so much personal stuff going on that the stress from this instructor on top of that nearly broke me. so after crying and praying to god to pull me through i was able to return to the pt. and give her the best competent care a nursing student can give. later the instructor came to me and says : you are doing so well... you are a good learner, very prepared, knowlegdable, and ask good questions. i quickly glanced behind me because i could of sworn that she was talking to someone else. after i realized she was indeed talking to me i was able to walk away with self confidence and pride. after lunch i finished all my tasks and was glad clinical were coming to an end. i actually did my happy dance right before postconference.

so this is to say that although some instructors are drill sargeants and make you feel like the stupidest person on earth don't give up and continue to do your best.

when we become competent nurses its due to those drill sargeants that wouldn't expect less than the best, not the instructor that lets us get away with everything. yes my instructor hurt me today, however i also learned alot as well.

when i become a post-partum nurse i'll know never to walk in the room to complete an assessment with out having gloves close by.

thanks for reading and have a blessed day.

[mybrowneyedgirl, BSN, RN]

I'm sorry your day was rough. I totally agree with you though. My clinical instructor was very drill sergeant for my 1st clinical. She made me cry too, but I learned so so much. I would have her again in a heartbreat if I could.

This time I have a laid back teacher and she has not taught me a nearly as much. But I do still have the high standards that my 1st instructor instilled in me.

[anewday]

Wow... was that really necessary for her to tell the patient to tell her if you aren't taking good care of them? Some of these stories I read are really sickening. I think that was so unprofessional of her. Yes nursing is very difficult but we are also students and are not supposed to know everything. If we knew it all, there would be no need for us to be there. I don't think clinical instructors should be reducing anyone to tears. I can't even wrap my mind around this because I have had some very thorough, yet compassionate and professional clinical instructors. I can't even imagine them treating us in such a way.

[hTx87]

this past week has also been rough on me. my clinical teacher was rough on me the whole day one clinical..and i broke down after clinical and all night. and her voice was stuck in my head till the next day with the things she had told me. but im not going to let her phase me. i want this and i can do it. she made me feel really stupid, like i was going to fail. shes also one of the instructors that most people dont like..you can do it. we're going to make it. just keep your head up! i tell myself..."god does not put us through things we cant handle"

[MySimplePlan]

Your instructor is a sadist.

Humiliation has no place in nursing. Period.

[redraven_y2k]

I left school a couple of weeks ago for that reason and many more. That goes to show you that "Nurses do eat their young".

[RN-LOGIC]

My advice to you, keep going forward no matter how many obstacles are on your way. There is light at the end of the tunnel.......

[cindyloulou]

I feel for you. I am in my last clinical rotation before graduating, and I still get that heap of anxiety before each clinical morning. I have had various personalities for clinical and I have to say I have learned the most from the "tough" ones. It's hard when you feel like you're being hammered all day, but it does not last forever.