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Specializes in Pschiatry.

So, the whole class is failing one specific course! What to do? Please, let your school administrators know!!!! NOT the nursing director (they protect their own, after all they hired them).

We had a really bad instructor. REALLY BAD. MedSurg 1. Couldn't pronounce words, skimmed chapters (50 page chapter in 30 min.), told us things like "I don't know what that is. It's a really hard concept. You'll just have to figure out what that is for yourselves." (This is completely true, by the way. In case you find it as hard to believe as I did)! Every person in class failed the 1st test and the 2nd one. She was teaching facts and tested on application. When questioned about the advanced questions, she and the whole nursing staff said " Oh you'll get that in Critical Care." Really???? The test is in Med Surg 1.

We tried going through the channels. Got nowhere fast. Went to the Dean. Pointed out that the bottom line was money and people are leaving in droves.

Result? Instructor is gone. New person is teaching the class. However, tests are still the ones made by the previous teacher!

They also said they're not going to "spoon-feed" us. No one asked to be spoon fed. We only ask that you test us on material we have been taught. If you're going to test on application, then teach application! Or test on application that is on the same level we are. We're only 3 weeks into clinicals, you can't expect us to know what to do if a patient comes in with severe respiratory arrest, or how to monitor a cardiac patient with a new pacemaker. Especially since you said specifically to skip the ECG strips so we were not overwhelmed. And how would you expect us to know material that isn't even in our textbook? Especially if it's not taught.

I think every nursing instructor needs to have a teaching degree!!!!!!!! Just because you have an MSN in nursing, doesn't mean you're capable of teaching.

1 problem solved, 100 more to go! :nailbiting:

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

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I think every nursing instructor needs to have a teaching degree!!!!!!!! Just because you have an MSN in nursing, doesn't mean you're capable of teaching. .....

Truer words were never spoken!!!

But - the reality is that there is a severe shortage of MSN's who are willing to teach - due to a number of factors. The salaries in academia are laughable, compared to what an MSN-prepared educator can make in a non-academic setting. So highly-qualified folks are not likely to leave their current positions.

Traditional, stable nursing programs have sufficient orientation, mentoring and ongoing development for new faculty. Their faculty members are regarded as professionals and have a lot of input in the curriculum, so they attract people who are dedicated to a teaching career. These schools have very low faculty turnover. They monitor student outcomes and conduct meaningful performance improvement when needed.

This is certainly NOT the case in inferior programs. The average commercial (investor owned) for-profit program spends much more on marketing than on faculty salaries... they hire any warm body MSN who can hold a pen long enough to sign the onerous non-compete clause.

FYI, the average MSN-Education curriculum has very little "education" content. Many of them don't even require a teaching practicum.

This is certainly NOT the case in inferior programs. The average commercial (investor owned) for-profit program spends much more on marketing than on faculty salaries... they hire any warm body MSN who can hold a pen long enough to sign the onerous non-compete clause.

At that hits the nail on the head. I'm speaking as a former student from the school (that the OP is referring to) and withdrew because of the accreditation and instruction (or lack thereof).

futurepsych, do you know how they are going to proceed with the class? Do they have any intention of changing the tests from the previous instructor? How many weeks left are there in the module? How many people left? I do know of the one that recently left. I think I have about a hundred more questions... lol

I really hope they start sorting this out for you guys. I know from what you've said before that for some of you, this is the only option, so I hope things get sorted with the instruction!

Specializes in Pschiatry.
At that hits the nail on the head. I'm speaking as a former student from the school (that the OP is referring to) and withdrew because of the accreditation and instruction (or lack thereof).

futurepsych, do you know how they are going to proceed with the class? Do they have any intention of changing the tests from the previous instructor? How many weeks left are there in the module? How many people left? I do know of the one that recently left. I think I have about a hundred more questions... lol

I really hope they start sorting this out for you guys. I know from what you've said before that for some of you, this is the only option, so I hope things get sorted with the instruction!

We have 3 weeks left. There are 12 of us left. We have one who came in at MedSurg from last year. They are planning on using the tests they have. I know of at least 1 more who may be leaving just because he can't take any more and has had a couple of really good job offers. We have a new instructor, not one familiar to any of us. She is called the Ice Queen because of lack of emotion lol. Somewhat different style of teaching but no better at teaching application than the former one. Once again, grades have been curved, although they straight out informed us they do not curve grades, only take out "bad questions". Alrighty then! Call it what you will but its still curving grades.

The other one is on vacation or so we have been told. The LPN bridge class will be joining us in Oct. At this point, we're not sure how many of them there will be. They started out at 13 but they are dropping like flies.

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