Instructor Retaliation?

[RNmommy4MAAA]

Okay so I am a Senior. I am set to graduate in May 2020. I am an A student, even in my nursing program. Well, there was this clinical adjunct instructor that I had an issue with. Long story, but the short version is I went to the lead faculty for my semester in confidence. He basically dismissed me, told me I was wrong and then EMAILED the teacher that I complained about and included me on the email after I left his office. The email said that I had went in complaining about him and what not. I thought I could go in confidence to him, but I guess this was not so. The kicker is that I am not the first person to go to the lead faculty about this particular instructor. I found out after I left that early this semester another student had done the same thing! And he dismissed her just like he did me. In addition, i found numerous other students who had issues with the guy. So then i gathered evidence and filed a formal complaint to the dean. I included the way that my complaint was mishandled in the complaint, but that wasn't ever even looked at. However, my complaint of the adjunct was taken somewhat seriously. So, fast forward to weeks later and I could tell that the lead faculty didn't like me now. OH WELL! BUT THEN....

So I am doing a clinical performance exam the other day. The instructor that was watching me was all down my neck. The purpose is for her to just watch me and then give me feedback at the end. Not to be getting in the middle of things and getting in my way and changing things as we go. But that is what she did. So what happened was:

I was supposed to be giving Digoxin, an IV med. So there old fashioned med cart i had to type in "DIG" on the computer and find what drawer it was in. Well when i typed in DIG i saw two meds, one said PO and one said IV. So i located the IV one. Well when i got to the cubby it didn't look right. But there were people in line behind me and i was nervous so i grabbed that med and went about to grab my supplies and i was going to compare that med to my orders and double check it. It isn't like i was oblivious to the fact it didn't look right, just that i didnt see any other meds in that cubby. So i go to grab some more supplies knowing in my head i was going to double check this med. When the instructor grading me grabs the med out of my basket and says this isn't right and i said i know it looks weird, i go back over to med cart to show her what i found, when she opens the drawer and shows me where the right med was. Well, she wasn't supposed to do that. She was supposed to just watch me and if i drew up the wrong med, then count me off. I NEVER EVEN OPENED THAT MED NOR DREW IT UP. So the lead instructor was in the room grading another student so he heard some of what happened. But apparently he thinks he heard all of it. Ill get back to this in a minute. So i said, thank you and went about my business. I did fine on the rest, and at the end during our discussion the grader told me she realized she didn't give me the opportunity to fix it and so she wasnt going to count me off and make me remediate. Well that evening i get an email from the lead saying i had to remediate because i chose the wrong med and was prompted to get the right one. I found out the next day he went out of his way to the associate dean and told her some misinformation, or lies, about how i was asked if that was what was ordered and said yes. I SWEAR ON MY KIDS THAT NEVER HAPPENED. So either he was lying cause he wanted to retaliate, or that he just was grading someone else so didnt know exactly what was going on. Well our critical elements sheet says "draws up correct med" it doesnt say anything about pulling right med out of drawer.. because they arent supposed to be grading that, if i grab a med that i want to double check against my order is not an error. So i am in the DEans office the next day and she is telling me that she was concerned that I was not safe. I said ma'am with all due respect, I dont mind remediating, its whatever, but this is false information. I did not miss a single element on IV med adminstration check off because i was not given the opportunity to check my orders. She kept saying i was wrong and didn't understand. So i said, you know i think this is just because he doesnt like me from the complaint. She rolled her eyes. Well its true! I WELCOME feedback. I welcome someone who has knowledge to share. I LOVE learning and i know i dont know it all. But this was just not right... i knew the med was wrong, i wasn't oblivious to that, i was not given the chance to check it and this guy was not there and the fact that he presented false information to you leads me to believe he has ulterior motives. I guess my question for you guys is: Do i stand up for myself and take this above the dean of nursing? Do i just let it go since the semester is about over? Was I wrong to think that I should have been given the chance to double check the med on the order? Was this a med error? I will upload our IV med critical IV MED CE.pdf . Oh and he was in the office with me that morning with the dean.. and i said that I didn't miss anything on the critical elements sheet and he goes, yes you missed safety. I looked later and there is no damn safety on there. He is so full of crap! UGH!

[AbstracRN, BSN, CNA, RN]

Just let it go. I could tell you horror stories about the racism,prejudice and bullying that I dealt with in nursing school. But you know what says more, success. Up until the very end the teachers were awful. But none of their machinations stopped me from walking across the stage. As long as you aren't failed clinically, vent as much as you need to but keep it moving.

[RNmommy4MAAA]

31 minutes ago, AbstracRN said:

Just let it go. I could tell you horror stories about the racism,prejudice and bullying that I dealt with in nursing school. But you know what says more, success. Up until the very end the teachers were awful. But none of their machinations stopped me from walking across the stage. As long as you aren't failed clinically, vent as much as you need to but keep it moving.

You're right. I just have such a passion that I hate to let people get away with stuff. But if I let it ruin my chance of walking across the stage then theres no point I guess. I guess I'm also looking for validation that I'm right here too. I feel that I'm so right and if im wrong then I may need to look at things differently.

[AbstracRN, BSN, CNA, RN]

Just now, RNmommy4MAAA said:

You're right. I just have such a passion that I hate to let people get away with stuff. But if I let it ruin my chance of walking across the stage then theres no point I guess. I guess I'm also looking for validation that I'm right here too. I feel that I'm so right and if im wrong then I may need to look at things differently.

Yes self reflection is hard. But as long as you are honest with yourself and your limitations, you will be fine. Just focus on making it through. Then you can smile knowing that no matter what they did you still made it through.

[nursex23, BSN, RN]

I totally believe they were unfair to you. Even as an RN, I've accidentally picked out wrong medications and caught it before I prepared my meds. I do think you're in the right, however, nursing school politics can be a pain. I would let it go. There were several incidences when I was in nursing school and I just lowered my head and bit my tongue so that I could graduate. You know that you are always going to double check your meds when you're working as a nurse so once you have your degree and "RN" after your name, it won't matter what instructors gave you a hard time about what. Good luck with the rest of your program!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

If it isn't going to cause you to fail, definitely let it go. It sounds like it was very wrong but you don't want a target on your back. Put your head down, get your degree and never look back.

[Closed Account 12345]

It's best practice to check medications as you pull them from an automated dispensing system. That should be the first of at least 3 checks. Don't ever allow others to rush you when it comes to pulling or administering meds. Pulling a wrong med and taking it to the bedside certainly increases the likelihood of giving the wrong med.

That aside, you reportedly met all elements to pass the clinical skill per your observer. I don't think it is fair for your instructor, who was not observing you, to change the outcome of your competency validation.

However, I would still let it go due to nursing school politics. As faculty, I'd like to say I've never seen a student's grades impacted by being liked/disliked by their instructors, but that's sadly not true. And now you've been the squeaky wheel who has gone to your dean twice. I'm not saying you shouldn't have done that, but be aware of interactions you have and routinely going above your instructor due to possible retaliation. (<which would be COMPLETELY inappropriate, but also not surprising with the culture in many nursing schools)

My answer changes if this would affect your ability to pass this course. Then I'd say take it to the top since you *technically* passed the skill by all written requirements..

[SilverBells, BSN]

Your faculty are definitely being unreasonable, but this is a situation that, like other posters have stated, to just let it go. If you need to retake the exam, just do it and be done with it. It's not uncommon for instructors to make students redo skills check offs. Also, there was a potential safety issue with pulling the wrong medication. I think where they are finding fault is that it was the instructor, not you, that caught it. I realize that it seemed like she rushed you, but the wrong medication shouldn't have been in the basket to begin with. Your first clue should have been that it "didn't look right." It seems like the other people waiting rushed you. I know you didn't draw up the wrong medication, but just having it there increases the risk for safety issues. Not trying to criticize you (probably sounds like I am and that's not what I am trying to do at all!) , just stating where they are probably coming from. WITH THAT SAID...it was unfair for them to state that you had passed, and then later on, changed their mind. I'm not sure if your previous complaints had played a factor, but if a student needs to redo a skills check-off, they should know right away without any false hope that they had actually passed. But, as I stated earlier in my post, I believe in this situation, you probably should just let it go and retake the skills exam, if needed. Since you know what you're doing, you should be able to pass with no problem. Good luck ?

[carti, BSN, RN]

some nursing school professor think they are Gods lol like chill the hell out you are just an average joe. This is like those jocks in high school who became Cops so they can have more authority over people and be treated superior lol...

sorry to hear that OP. Just know from here on out, document every little thing you do. Don't take shortcuts. Be perfect. It sucks but they will watch you like a hawk now.

[JJBookman]

No, I don’t think you should remediate like He said and stay out of their radar.

[RNmommy4MAAA]

Thank you guys! So I did remediate. But it was so funny because it was with a peer only. And there was noone breathing down my neck when I pulled and drew up meds. I actually pulled a med with a different strength, but caught myself and then drew up the right med. Which noone even noticed. AND to make it even more of a waste of time and effort, the girl I was remediating with, my peer, I guess she had to remediate too, well she forgot to ask for allergies before giving meds and I whispered it to her quietly. Noone noticed that either. I think our remediation process at school is a joke... which makes it even more annoying because I know he knew it was just to get even... well I decided to let bygones be bygones and I emailed him after finals and said I'm sorry we have had issues, but for what it's worth I learned alot from you. He replied with, i learned alot from you too. I thought that was a strange reply. Idk why he didnt just say thank you for apologizing or anything... I just think the guys ego is bigger than Alaska.

[adamg]

Do you go to a public or private college? If you do have lots of valid information and go to a public college and depending on the state you are in there are steps you can start to help protect future students from going though this. If its a private for profit place just bite your tongue and graduate