I'm an A student, and I used to love clinical. I really like patient care, and the girls I work with are great. These days I dread going to clinic. My clinical instructor is inconsistent, unprofessional, grabby, and emotionally labile. My cohorts are getting sick, and one girl developed an ulcer. All of us are having sleep disturbance because of our instructor. I wish I could say that our instructor is difficult because her standards are high, but there is very little consistency or rationale for a lot of the things she has us do.
For instance, she reprimanded me for toileting a patient that was not mine. Also, for putting a wrapped piece of candy on a med cart because a patient (not in a precaution room) gave it to me, and I didn't want to eat it or throw it away in front of him. She also told me not to put normal saline flushes in my pocket. The following day, she grabbed some flushes, and put them in her pocket. She made me get a clean basin for the commode because the basin in the room was resting on the floor. She made me throw away an entire roll of new tape because I laid it on a counter in the patient bathroom. It was not wet or dirty. When anyone asks questions, she reprimands them for not already knowing the answer. Hours later, she'll remove you from the patient room and ask again why you asked the question. I am the only student who asks her questions. When people need to know something, they ask me to ask her. We have the night shift, and we are supposed to leave by 10. She's had me stay until 11 to clean vomit off the floor. I am not the only girl that doesn't leave on time.
Her worst trait is that she goes around the unit telling the other nurses that they aren't doing things correctly. She regularly gets into conflicts with them, and she will take me out of a patient's room to discuss the conflict she created. She swears me to secrecy, and I feel sorry for her because she is obviously very lonely and insecure. I never tell anyone the long meandering stories about her childhood, or the constant consults we have over the conflicts that I am forever smoothing out. She is the perfect combination of needy and insensitive. She can't seem to get along with floor nurses, school faculty, or students. She puts colleagues on high alert by hovering and criticizing, then becomes paranoid that they will try to get her fired. No one can figure out her priorities. What's good one day is bad the next.
The other girls resent her for being hypercritical, taking things out of their hands, barking orders, punishing people for asking questions, not allowing patients to refuse care, and embarrassing them in front of people. Sometimes, my instructor will irritate me because she has neither the social savvy to get things done, nor does she have the emotional fortitude to stand by her judgments. I've tried to use my personal relationship with her to discuss (very delicately) how she treats people, but I think she needs professional help. I just want to be a student, and I'm exhausted from dealing with her.
Are there any nursing instructors with advice on how to handle this? I'm not afraid of failing. I'm doing very well. I'm just concerned about my patients, my friends, and the relationship that our school has with our facility.
My advice re: the calls at home- from now on let them leave a message before picking up. I can't think of any reason that a call from the school would be so urgent that you couldn't listen to a voice mail first, and then call her back. Is this clinical instructor also your theory instructor? Just wondering why she even saw your test if she is just your clinical instructor. It's nice that she has taken an interest, but she is trying to have an inappropriate relationship with you. You sound compassionate, but I think you must treat her like you would a patient on a behavioral health unit where you are working. Keep your interactions professional. Don't allow her to become any more dependent on you. If you are comfortable, ask her not to call you at home, or tell her you would be more comfortable discussing test results at school, in the classroom or in her office (preferably with another student present.) Document all interactions with her in case it gets any weirder. Please protect yourself![/quote']
^THIS...
I usually had a good rapport with my nursing instructors (except for one), yet need had a clinical instructor over step their boundaries like this. Seems pretty creepy, IMHO....time for an "exit strategy" from her, one that would include the dean so there is no retaliation issues...
My clinical instructor is inconsistent, unprofessional, grabby, and emotionally labile.
This is not at all conducive to learning, and should be reported at once to your dean, as GrnTea has mentioned. I would consider a group report.
When anyone asks questions, she reprimands them for not already knowing the answer.
Again, this is not at all appropriate. You are there to learn.
When people need to know something, they ask me to ask her.
Please don't place yourself in this position anymore. This is a potentially volatile situation.
Her worst trait is that she goes around the unit telling the other nurses that they aren't doing things correctly. She regularly gets into conflicts with them, and she will take me out of a patient's room to discuss the conflict she created. She swears me to secrecy, and I feel sorry for her because she is obviously very lonely and insecure. I never tell anyone the long meandering stories about her childhood, or the constant consults we have over the conflicts that I am forever smoothing out. She is the perfect combination of needy and insensitive. She can't seem to get along with floor nurses, school faculty, or students. She puts colleagues on high alert by hovering and criticizing, then becomes paranoid that they will try to get her fired.
Also, as GrnTea mentioned, this is risking your clinical placement. I am also concerned for the mental well-being of both the instructor, who sounds unstable, and the students who are currently under duress. She should not be telling you anything personal other than just the basic facts that we all share (ex- partner, married, children, etc), and is placing you in an inappropriate role by confiding her conflicts with others. Perhaps a discussion with her chair would be just the thing to help her see the issues and seek help. I would never share any of this type of personal information with any of my students. This is a boundary violation, just as it would be if I were to share marital problems or co-worker conflicts with a patient.
I've tried to use my personal relationship with her to discuss (very delicately) how she treats people, but I think she needs professional help. I just want to be a student, and I'm exhausted from dealing with her.
You should not be handling this. This is placing you in a place of danger. You are not her confidant or friend. She is not your peer. What she is doing is inappropriate. I would never call a student at home unless I was imminently worried about his or her safety. For example, if a student did not show for clinical, I would call the student to ensure that they were safe. Calling students selectively about their recent grades is not appropriate, and if she is not the instructor for the course, this is a FERPA violation.
I would discuss this situation asap with your dean and bring documentation. I would couch the discussion in your concern for the well-being of this instructor, and give only factual information (ex- calling you at home, confiding personal issues, inconsistencies). I would also place this information on your evaluation of the instructor. I would also document all of what occurs and your response.
The instructor's behavior is a gross violation of professional decorum and boundaries. I would want to know immediately if one of the instructors I supervise were behaving similarly. I would want to offer the instructor resources for employee assistance and to ensure that the students were receiving the education that they are paying for.
I just had a flash ... could it be that this instructor is, well, hitting on you? Got a crush on you? That could account for the boundaries problem. Run, honey, see the dean, take all your friends, we've all been telling you. This is waaaaay beyond your pay grade.
I agree with others that I am also worried about the well-being of the instructor, and that when talking to the dean (or the head of your nursing program) you should definitely come from an angle of being concerned. This is compassionate, and also prevents the possibility of you just sounding catty.
Let us know what transpires... we are concerned for you and hoping for a good outcome!
Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.
I just wanted to add, I did and several other students did, at my nursing school take similar concerns to our nursing program director and they all covered for each other and treated us "whistle blowers" badly after.
It became a game of covering our own backs. Be smart and persevere and document.
I survived and graduated and want you to so the same!!
LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN
8,429 Posts