do your instructors do this?

[Dre2416]

I am in my first semester fundamentals course for my RN. After being in class for 4 weeks the other students and I have come to the conclusion that our teachers don't "teach", they read right off the book provided powerpoints. then tell us to read the chapters to prepare for the tests. During our lab, our teachers describe ONCE how to do a procedure then expect us to read the book and figure the rest out. Last lab class was on positioning.. our class time is for 2 hours but they talked for 20 min, and all the did was put definitions up of positions and say "know these for wednesday" and dismissed the class!!! I would think since there is an hour and a half left they would go over these positions! Is this just my school or are your teachers making you self learn? I find this so frustrating as we are supposed to learn how to "think like nurses" and I feel I'm not going to get that just from reading a text.

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

Sounds like what I went through. The people who worked their tails off passed. The people who wanted everything spoon fed to them didn't. It cut the number of students in half, which is what they wanted, because they lost one of the clinical instructors and weren't sure how they were going to be able to take all of us on clinical. Therefore -- half went out the door.

[Crazed]

Our instructors show us the skill and then give us the day for guided practice. We have videos with the purchase of Potter/Perry which can be helpful, but I like to look at it this way:

Do I really need someone to hold my hand in bed making, range of motion, or turning a patient? If I do then I have bigger problems.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

adult learning is self learning. If you have to have someone hold your hand, you are not adult enough for the course. Also, you are not aware of what the instructor's requirements and restrictions are and may not understand that they are REQUIRED to present, not teach. Big difference. Not enough time for teaching, unfortunately.

[ADAngel]

For the most part, my school is a mix of both. Our instructors lecture but we are expected to know and learn techniques and skills in the lab. For instance, two weeks ago we had gone over transferring. We were expected to know certain transferring techniques but then they had some PT students come in and actually go over the techniques with us. I really like how everything is taught thus far (I am in my second semester - the first semester was strictly lecture (Pharm and Nutrition) and this semester is lectures, labs, and clinicals). I have no issue with self-learning as long as the instructors or lab techs are available to assist in my learning and so far they have been. With our head to toe checkoffs, which was this week, we were expected to learn the material at home, then they did a head to toe on a student in lab, then we were able to practice the head to toe in lab. I feel that my program makes sure that we know the information and skills but it is our responsibility to make sure that are able to do these.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

Sounds like nursing school to me. Yep. Thank God I'll never have to go to nursing school again.

[Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN]

Everything I have read is true and to a degree makes sense. One thing I think hasn't been touched on is the responsibility of a teacher or for that matter, any employee, to do their best! Instructors, professors, whatever, are employees, and indirectly employed by the people they are teaching. As a consumer I expect that person to make a good honest effort to do a good job. I know I am a big boy and advanced learner and such, but c'mon! I did some higher education teaching back when coal was alive and we didn't have powerpoints and the like, in fact, we didn't have computers. If a teacher came in and wrote a list on the board and told you to learn it on your own you would have been fired, and rightly so.

My point is, technology gives us wonderful tools. Tools that can make a bad teacher adequate, and a good teacher superior. I for one get ****** off with mediocrity. I'm done now.

[AlaMagenta]

It is the same thing at my school. They read power points as fast as they can and tell you to read the chapter. Then we practice questions so we will score well and be able to pass the NCLEX. I am perfectly capable of self reading, but if I could be a nurse by reading Potter and Perry I wouldn't need to go to class. I notice if you ask any questions that are not on the power point they get a blank look and have to look through the book. Our instructors also have masters in teaching and haven't been "nurses" in years. I also get told things that contradict the book, which is frustrating. I am a great self reader and got 100 on my first test. However, when it comes to skills, and I am not talking about ROM and beds, I am having a real hard time. A quick once through is not enough for caths and sterile procedure. They don't even bother to demonstrate heart and lung auscultation. They play a video and tell us to practice on each other to learn normals, hope my classmates are normal. The instructor spent 10 minutes in the book when asked it the PMI was the same as the apex, and then changed her answer at the next class. I am aware that I am an adult and should be able to put in the leg work, but I am going into debt to be taught. I do expect some teaching. My classes are generally run by two instructors and it takes both of them to keep each other straight. I just look at them and think I am glad you are a teacher, because I wouldn't want you to be my nurse. Then they tell us how great their program is and how well it is rated. Scary!