just venting, how to handle rage when you have to smile or else...

SeattleJess · Feb 20, 2016

This sounds really, really stressful! So sorry you are getting off to this rough beginning.

It does not sound like you don't want to be a nurse. It DOES sound like you don't want to be a nursing student and in that you are not alone!

Hope your daughter has a speedy and complete healing and that you can compartmentalize. Nursing school is rough but you can do it. Don't get mad, get even. Jump through all the hoops and claim your reward at the end.

BBboy · Feb 21, 2016

You have to realize, especially in this field and everywhere, people are always going t be dealing with horrific incidents. As nurses and nursing students we are expected to maintain the professionial image despite whatever we may be dealing. There are teachers who will be sympathetic as well as there are teachers who will tell you to buck up. I do feel badly for you as it seems undue negativity towards you, but hopefully you can lean on your cohort for positivity and affirmation.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2016

My daughter is hurt and I'm not allowed to feel it because it's unprofessional.

I saw nothing in your post that indicated your instructors are not allowing you to have feelings about your daughter's injury. They just want you to be on time.

Now whether or not that's reasonable given the circumstances is another thing altogether.

When your daughter recovers, and things get back to normal, that would be a better time to assess if you really don't want to be a nurse.

But you are always going to have stresses and life trying to get in the way of your academic responsibilities. Instructors are not going to give you a whole lot of leeway because as it is, it is impossible to teach nursing students everything they need to know in order for them to hit the ground running when they start working as nurses. There is pressure to make the most of every moment and to cram in as much information as possible. The more a student misses (even due to valid challenges), the less prepared that person will be for NCLEX and nursing beyond.

Best wishes for your daughter's recovery.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2016

Today I get called in and officially "warned" about tardiness and now have to write an essay about the importance of being on time! FIRST F****** WEEK!

That's just silly. What is this, elementary school?!

I have to agree with your feelings on that.

I'd mentally back off on the "I HATE my teachers" bit. That's not going to help you one bit.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Feb 21, 2016

Did you communicate with your instructors before class started that you were running late? That might have helped.

You need to understand something, this is how nursing school is. It just is. You are not allowed to miss. Especially clinical. There are certain requirements your state requires you to meet to be able to sit for NCLEX.

I had a miscarriage last semester. A miscarriage. During my OB clinical rotation. My clinical group was upstairs on the second floor helping with moms in labor and newborn babies and I was on the first floor in the ER losing my baby. It was awful. My instructor was understanding of my situation, but I was not allowed to make up my clinical hours. I had to go to class and be on time. You just have to push through it. It's not fun, it's sucks, it's stressful, but you have to get through.

I had to go for various dr appts afterwards and have bloodwork done, ultrasounds... My phone calls were made outside of class. I get you needed to keep your phone on you with your child in the hospital. But the insurance stuff?? Outside of class. It's distracting to the people around you to constantly have a phone going off even in vibrate mode.

You are stuck between a rock and a hard place here. I completely understand. My cohort has gone through a lot these past couple of semesters. One girl has a daughter on death's door right now. She is dying. She isn't late and hasn't missed a class. Another one has had a very sick baby. A newborn. She missed one class. Another just had a death of a parent. I lost my baby. We all though have one thing in common which is we communicate with all of our instructors and are making it through. I think it's probably your lack of communication. You don't communicate after you are late, you do it before.

springchick1, ADN, RN · Feb 21, 2016

I hunk you need to get a handle on your rage. If somethings as small as getting in trouble for being late sets you off, I'd hate to what would happen when there is something to actually be angry about. We had instructors that would lock the door and you were just out of luck.

It will be the same when you get out and start working. You are expected to be on time and ready to work. Like PP have said, maybe a phone call to your instructor letting her know you were going to be late may have made a difference.

direw0lf, BSN · Feb 22, 2016

I think the thing is if you were late once and they were understanding with that. But it's not ok to be late only because of insurance problems, as frustrating as it can get. If your daughter was still critical or something went wrong I hope they would treat you differently, however just for dealing with insurance in the following days, I'd expect someone to be on time but still understand if they had to leave the room for a phone call say. Getting this angry over your teachers is only going to make things worse for you not them, even if they were in the wrong though.