Just hired and I think I want out!

[zacsmimi]

New degree: MSN-Ed. Offered position in LPN school. Have been teaching clinical part time to get a feel for the waters... and not at all sure I like what I see...Ive been there now a month.

Its a new program, stuggling to get off the ground... not enough instructors (in fact, an alarming turn-around)... Seem to be very "corporate" driven by the "home office" on opposite coast...

Went to my first meeting with staff today and it was all I could do not to jump up and run out.

45 minute discussion on nursing care plans, and why they are or are not needed and how many they should do and for how long... round and round and round...

then another hoo-rah about the clinical evaluation "tool" which has to be one of the poorest I have ever seen... so they are looking into another but it will take another month minimum to process...

The students get 6 weeks of clinical - once a week - before they are changed to another site. Am I off my rocker to think that is nuts? It seems they are just getting their feet wet when they have to move on...

I really love teaching the students. I really hate the apparent mentality and focus of the school (more interested in absence rates and effective discipline than good teaching methods)... I know its still too early to tell for certain - but am I wasting time after knowing that 6 faculty members have quit in the past 3 months? (Leaving a total of 4 full time, 2 adjunct...and openings galore?)

[Tooshay]

HI, I can empathize with your situation. It is difficult to begin teaching students even when there are plenty of experienced educators around to help the newbies; in your situation, it sounds like everyone is pretty new to teaching. Try to find out why the others have left after such a short time. This may help open up dialog for everyone to discuss teambuilding and mentoring needs amongst the faculty. Maybe you will be able to come up with a recruitment and retention plan as well. I think the high turn over rate is the elephant standing in the corner, don't you?

On the plus side, with your MSN in Nursing Education, you are in a position to help other faculty members learn about new ways to teach and learn. If care plans is a bone of contention, maybe student input from last year's class could give some valuable insight.

Good luck...I hope it will work out for you, especially since you have felt really good about teaching clinicals.

This is my first post. I'm not sure if I am to sign my name or not. So, I'll just say Bye for now.

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

Oh, I remember "the begining"! I suggest that you do it awhile longer before you take any rash action. It is overwhelming, and I have to admit that I did not add anything valuable to faculty meetings that first semester at all! I was the sponge in the room. Only then did I start to conceptualize what the mission of the group was, and actually had to ask what the mission of the department and program was. This helped everyone to rise above the sometimes petty stuff that was discussed in meetings, and helped everyone to step back, slow down, and have to articulate some real thoughts about nursing education. This also helped me to figure out who thought and taught most like me, and therefore led me to my real mentors. This also spurred the curriculum revision that we completed, and this process (while aggrevating at times, was also invigorating to all of us) has breathed new life into our rather stagnant program.

Hang in there...and good luck to your program!