Mean Nursing Instructor

Nursing Students General Students

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My instructor gave us the once-over before clinical started this morning, and she sent me home because I didn't have the correct socks on! She said they were too short, and that too much leg was showing (I had pants on). I was so embarrassed. She said the socks needed to be higher, say... just below the knee. I did, however, have my paperwork done and had my penlight and stethoscope ready to go. But, she didn't check for that. Oh well. Off to Wal-mart for some real socks.

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It's ok buddy, that's how nursing school was for most of us too.

Stay calm, stay humble and carry on...✌️

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Good thing is once you're done with nursing school, no one will care what socks u wear to clinical :)

Stay calm, stay humble and carry on...✌️

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Just curious - how the heck did she ascertain the height of your socks? Did she make you pull up your pants cuff? If not, there must have been some type of 'ankle gap' visible..... hmm. Are bare ankles a clinical hazard? Is there any evidence to support this?

Reminds me of the Great PomPom war.... *settles back in chair* Back in the day (1980's), nurse managers would go ballistic if they saw nurses wearing tennis socks with the little (1/2 inch) pompoms on the back - even though the nurse was wearing pants. I never actually saw any dress codes that outlawed this, but it was certainly a 'thing'. One night nurse sewed enormous pompoms on her socks just to make a point. She was a mythic folk hero... but still got written up for "attitude". LOL.

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Specializes in Critical/Acute Care, Burns, Wound Care.

Sounds ridiculous if you indeed had no skin showing. Does she have all of her students raise their pant legs so that she can check the height of the socks? Don't sit down anymore in her presence and have your short socks show when your paints rise while in the seated position. Nursing school is notorious for situations like that, and then you have to make up a clinical day, if you even can. A sloppy nurse is one of my pet peeves, but not short socks.

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Specializes in Hospice.

Wow. That is hardcore. :cautious:

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Specializes in CVICU CCRN.

My school had a weird thing about sock height and color also. No patterns allowed either. No one was sent home for a "violation" but yes we were asked to raise our pant legs, and would get a warning if not in compliance. No low profile socks. The reason given was....exposed skin and exposure to fluids, which I find funny since if someone is going to pee on you, for example, it will likely soak your socks and fill your shoe no matter what the height. It was only really a couple of instructors after first semester, though. Keep your chin up, OP.

HouTx, I remember the Pom Pom tennis socks. I was written up for being out of uniform at school (not nursing school) numerous times due to those things!! Lol ;)

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Specializes in ICU/ Surgery/ Nursing Education.

Short socks are I guess against the rules, but could you wear Pom Poms?

The only thing I would add here is "was it in the student handbook?" Our program had such things stated and we were expected to follow. Think of it this way, now you know.

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Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.
Reminds me of the Great PomPom war.... *settles back in chair* Back in the day (1980's), nurse managers would go ballistic if they saw nurses wearing tennis socks with the little (1/2 inch) pompoms on the back - even though the nurse was wearing pants. I never actually saw any dress codes that outlawed this, but it was certainly a 'thing'. One night nurse sewed enormous pompoms on her socks just to make a point. She was a mythic folk hero... but still got written up for "attitude". LOL.

Please tell me there are more stories like this.

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Specializes in Women’s Health.

We're only allowed to wear white socks and they must cover the ankle, it's stated in our nursing student handbook. Our first day of clinical we had to line up like we were in the army and our instructor walked up and down the line inspecting everyone's uniform, and yes we had to lift up our pant legs to show her our socks. It was pretty funny. No one got sent home, but someone did get called out for their uniform being slightly wrinkled. But that's nothing, my friend told me her boyfriend has to be completely clean shaven before clinical in his program; no beard, mustache or anything.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Were your informed ahead of time about the dress code as it related to socks? Or was it some rule that the instructor made up herself at the last minute?

If it was a formal dress code of the school and you were informed of it ahead of time, I see no reason for you to blame your instructor and call her "mean" because you decided not to follow the dress code policy. Man up and take responsibility for your decision to ignore the dress code.

Personally, it sounds like the sock rule is a bit extreme and silly. But that's not the point. If you knew about it and chose not to abide by it, you have no one blame but yourself. Don't blame the instructor who was just doing her job -- having to waste her time and energy on policing and enforcing silly rules because the students can't be trusted to follow the dress codes without the threat of punishment hanging over their heads.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

I had a classmate get a critical (written up) for wearing a baseball cap to lecture. NOT clinical, lecture. Instructor said it was unprofessional. Um, there is no dresscode for lecture, student protested but the critical stayed. A certain bone of contention where I went to school---criticals were/are SO subjective, what one CI thought was write up worthy, another would just give a warning for.

Please tell me there are more stories like this.
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