instructor problem

Bug Out, BSN · Nov 7, 2009

Good.

I always saw Nursing school as boot camp. You sweat today so you don't bleed tomorrow. Grades are on the line now, later it will be life and limb.

You will never have enough time, there is always one more thing you can do.

If you feel overwhelmed and incompetent now just think of what happens when you are on your own with pts begging for help, family yelling at you and Doctors breathing down your neck.

Your instructor is teaching you the most valuable tool a Nurse can have, how to remain calm and function under pressure.

If you have only been on the verge of crying I can promise you that you WILL cry before the end. Hell there are days I still puke after a shift when things go wrong. I just gather my thoughts, learn from my mistakes an improve my skills.

Be prepared, stay calm, get organized.

Connie1109 · Nov 7, 2009

you should do something that has nothing to do with nursing that you enjoy to take you mind off of it.

nothing you can do about the instructor, it gives you practice for how to deal with people like that because you will have to once you are done with school.

itsmejuli · Nov 7, 2009

I can totally relate to how you are feeling. I had an instructor like that too. She made me feel totally incompetent and made me feel like a nervous wreck every time I had to do something with her.

There's nothing you can do but attempt to make peace with her. Take deep breaths and think pleasant thoughts and try not to let her intimidate you.

I know, easier said than done with some people.

goodstudentnowRN · Nov 7, 2009

I have a classmate who continuously report the clinical instructor because she wants to have things going her way. This girl has a nerve to be reporting the instructor because she is always late for clinical. I am fed-up with her behavior she needs to chill...She is at the end of the program and still want to create a problem. She should be very happy to be going on preceptorship, she is a nightmare. I have to distance myself from her because she acts like a baby.

Blueberrz · Nov 7, 2009

Bug Out, Connie1109 and itsmejuli, thank you for your advice!!! :)

litenbug, I understand that you are very frustrated with your classmates, what they did was very selfish. However, insulting me just so that you can vent your anger is not necessary. Like I said before, I am confident in my theory and all my prior clinical experiences have gone well. This semester my instructors approach made me deviate from my normal behaviour and therefore I was seeking some advice on this site. If you have a problem with your classmates you should confront them yourself instead of beatching and moaning here. Same goes to goodnursingstudent.

shannahan · Nov 7, 2009

Great post Bug Out!

goodstudentnowRN · Nov 7, 2009

Zele, I am sorry if I have offended you. I did not mean it that way...

Blueberrz · Nov 7, 2009

Goodnursingstudent, thats okay :) I was a bit overly defensive in that post...

thanks though!

nurseiam08 · Nov 8, 2009

I am sorry you are having hard time in clinicals. I too had a professor who was a bully. He was very experienced, extremely knowledgeable, etc, but just wasn't a very good teacher. He intimidated most of the students and there wasn't that much learning happening during his rotations, because students were so nervous that he is going to "kick them out of the program" as he threatened, for a misstep. I was a good student, but constantly doubted myself and fumbled in front of him. Thankfully, those days are over, but I can still remember them very clearly.

It might help you if you try to explore what makes you afraid of this person, why is she threatening and unapproachable to you? Ultimately, this experience will eventually be over and you will move on and come out of it stronger and more ready to be a nurse. You will meet many difficult people in your nsg. career. Maybe this interaction will make the future experiences easier? Good luck!

litenbug · Nov 8, 2009

Bug Out, Connie1109 and itsmejuli, thank you for your advice!!! :)
litenbug, I understand that you are very frustrated with your classmates, what they did was very selfish. However, insulting me just so that you can vent your anger is not necessary. Like I said before, I am confident in my theory and all my prior clinical experiences have gone well. This semester my instructors approach made me deviate from my normal behaviour and therefore I was seeking some advice on this site. If you have a problem with your classmates you should confront them yourself instead of beatching and moaning here. Same goes to goodnursingstudent.

Zele, I am not angry nor did I insult you. The point that I am attempting to get across to you is to learn to use a setback as a stepping stone for advancement. LEARN to take an unfortunate situation and turn it into a positive attribute for YOURSELF because that will prepare you for the real world. As someone has indicated in their previous post you sweat today so that you won't bleed tomorrow.

If you take the time and be confident in yourself, you will never let anyone allow you to deviate from your normal behavior, you will learn to be a calm professional in a trying situation.

I am not going to sugarcoat anything for you because you need to learn how to handle yourself in an adverse situation in the classroom before you go to any clincal site.

If you dont take this advice as a GIFT, the best thing I can tell you is that you will hate me now but you will thank me later.

I wish you all the BEST. :yeah:

litenbug · Nov 8, 2009

hmmm. In my experience typically when students complain about instructors it falls on deaf ears (or whatever that saying is) If your school disrupted clinicals and moved students something tells me that the "big baby" must have had a valid point.

I am one of those "A" students who have learned to put a "H" on my chest and Handle It. I have had terrible and cruel instructors but I know that in this profession you are going to encounter so many different people (GOOD AND bAD) and its imperative for you to learn how to handle yourself under trying conditions while maintaining calmness and professionalism. Most often it begans with the interaction with the Instructor.