Mocked by teacher in post conference.

Published

I recently had my teacher mock me in front of the whole class like a bully in a park, "literally" making funny faces and noises like you are watching a movie about bullying. I will report this the the School president and file a complaint about this teacher.....am I being pitiful or is this really unprofessional behavior that should not be accepted? I torn if I should just accept it or stand up. Well, actually I will complaint regardless, but I do wonder. Humm? Please give your opinion.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

You've gotten some very wise advice from Emergent, LadyFree, and Commuter. Some blunter advice from a couple others, which I think you need to consider also.

If an instructor mocked you, yes that is incredibly unprofessional, and no it is not okay.

That said, this profession is incredibly difficult. We run into more senior nurses that seem impatient with you. We get yelled at, hit, spit on by patients--not always by ones with dementia either. I once dodged a kick in the stomach from a 20 y/o when I was 9 months pregnant...I've read a couple stories on AN from nurses who have been CHOKED by pts and families. We may get yelled at by a doctor, and we have to be strong enough to say "You may not speak to me that way," and to get your patient what he needs whether the MD likes being called at 0300 or not. We face incredibly difficult ethical dilemmas. We sometimes have to question and refuse inappropriate MD orders--especially if you work with residents. Sometimes thugs will bring a gun into the hospital.

Most days we have to be more tough-as-nails than angels of mercy.

That is not to say we become jaded and lose our compassion. However, we face incredible pressures that we absolutely cannot crack under. Our patients depend on us.

What's done is done as far as dropping out of the program. If you still want to be a nurse, my advice is to keep yourself in therapy and get some skills for coping with tough situations, and for learning how to stand up for yourself.

All the best, friend!

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

Your instructor was in the wrong for what she did. If you think it needed to be reported, so be it...I was not there. However, to withdraw from school? You say nursing school is dysfunctional? Life is dysfunctional! I have seen experienced physicians make sarcastic faces as interns or medical students are presenting a patient to them. No matter where someone works, there are going to be coworkers who are disrespectful. Does someone deserve to be disrespected? No. But, I think nurses need to realize they don't hold exclusive rights to dysfunction, and it is something that a person needs to get used to in any profession.

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Pick your battles. Someone like that could be very spiteful. If the school is hard-up for instructors she will be right there next semester. What do you want? To see her gone or to graduate? Lets just say when I was in a similar situation I picked graduate. You will have co-workers just like her and worse.

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I can go back next year, but this teacher was on me she had been on me the whole week and was about to put me on probation and move me to another class. My instincts said run, cause they fry you anyway.

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I did I sued and I won, it was based on ethnic background, it went on for months, I though to let it roll over me, but it got worse and worse until it got physical.

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If your instructor was going to move you to another class, then you should have allowed that to happen, at least you would have been away from her.

You will probably have a better chance at success if you find a new program to start over at, but that is not going to go well if you don't get a handle on your issues in the meantime.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

What is up with the terrible culture at some of these schools? On this post, quite a few have jumped on the "nursing school is full of bullies and mean instructors who eat their young" train. I have yet to experience a drop of this type of behavior. I have also heard from various others, that their programs have been anything like this either. So for some of you to say that ALL nursing schools are like this and act so terribly to students is just not true. None of the students get mocked. The instructors arent out to get us. No one has been singled out by any instructors (theory or clinical) and failed willy nilly because they werent liked. I totally believe that some schools are like this and that sucks, but its not true to say that all of them are. Sure some of our instructors are not very good, but they dont out right pick on people or belittle anyone.

Basically, OP. Find another school. One that has a reputation of respecting their students. But before you do, figure out and control your own personal issues. It sounds like you have some inner demons that you need worked out and need to learn to develop a tougher skin or you wont make it as a nurse. GL

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
What is up with the terrible culture at some of these schools? On this post, quite a few have jumped on the "nursing school is full of bullies and mean instructors who eat their young" train. I have yet to experience a drop of this type of behavior. I have also heard from various others, that their programs have been anything like this either. So for some of you to say that ALL nursing schools are like this and act so terribly to students is just not true. None of the students get mocked. The instructors arent out to get us. No one has been singled out by any instructors (theory or clinical) and failed willy nilly because they werent liked. I totally believe that some schools are like this and that sucks, but its not true to say that all of them are. Sure some of our instructors are not very good, but they dont out right pick on people or belittle anyone.

Basically, OP. Find another school. One that has a reputation of respecting their students. But before you do, figure out and control your own personal issues. It sounds like you have some inner demons that you need worked out and need to learn to develop a tougher skin or you wont make it as a nurse. GL

Thank you for this post -- I was beginning to wonder, too.

Two contributing factors that I think are often in play:

1. People without healthy boundaries, without a firmly established inner locus of control, or lacking in understanding that the world does not revolve around them ... are quick to perceive insult.

2. The internet is a great place to tell a story.

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Specializes in IMCU, Oncology.

I am frustrated that so many people seem to say just take it, keep quiet so you can graduate and be a nurse. That is part of what perpetuates the dysfunctional culture of nursing and even society!

I feel if we are going to be good advocates for our patients then we need to learn to speak up and stop keeping mum to get the grade. Seriously, how can we learn to be assertive advocates and collaborate for our patients if we can't speak up to inappropriate professors and/or take it up the chain of command! I have yet to encounter a bully teacher or student in my program, and for that I am grateful. However, I already decided that if I do, I am not going to put up with it. I will speak to the teacher being rude or take it to the nursing director or further if needed!

If I was in a no a no win situation, then yes, I would drop out and find a better school and make a big stink all over the place about the horrible school!!

This is coming from a somewhat quiet and reserved person, but I am not going to put up with abuse from school teachers or other students!

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Psych.
I am frustrated that so many people seem to say just take it, keep quiet so you can graduate and be a nurse. That is part of what perpetuates the dysfunctional culture of nursing and even society!

I feel if we are going to be good advocates for our patients then we need to learn to speak up and stop keeping mum to get the grade. Seriously, how can we learn to be assertive advocates and collaborate for our patients if we can't speak up to inappropriate professors and/or take it up the chain of command! I have yet to encounter a bully teacher or student in my program, and for that I am grateful. However, I already decided that if I do, I am not going to put up with it. I will speak to the teacher being rude or take it to the nursing director or further if needed!

If I was in a no a no win situation, then yes, I would drop out and find a better school and make a big stink all over the place about the horrible school!!

This is coming from a somewhat quiet and reserved person, but I am not going to put up with abuse from school teachers or other students!

YES. I 100% agree.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
I am frustrated that so many people seem to say just take it, keep quiet so you can graduate and be a nurse. That is part of what perpetuates the dysfunctional culture of nursing and even society!

I feel if we are going to be good advocates for our patients then we need to learn to speak up and stop keeping mum to get the grade. Seriously, how can we learn to be assertive advocates and collaborate for our patients if we can't speak up to inappropriate professors and/or take it up the chain of command! I have yet to encounter a bully teacher or student in my program, and for that I am grateful. However, I already decided that if I do, I am not going to put up with it. I will speak to the teacher being rude or take it to the nursing director or further if needed!

If I was in a no a no win situation, then yes, I would drop out and find a better school and make a big stink all over the place about the horrible school!!

This is coming from a somewhat quiet and reserved person, but I am not going to put up with abuse from school teachers or other students!

That's one way to handle it. But I kept my mouth shut, graduated on time, and am now a working nurse and that instructor is nothing but a distant memory.

Had I left, I wouldn't have any patients to advocate for.

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I think what some of the previous posters are saying isn't to be a doormat when a professor or co-worker is mean and disrespectful, but to choose your battles wisely. Retaliation does exist and can be hard to prove. It's not right, but having a target on your back in nursing school (or at work) isn't ideal either.

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