Anyway, I was told today after Microbiology lab " That I'm sorry you don't have what it takes to become a nurse. It's just not your thing.". I had trouble with the microscope today and a few other days, so based off of that, she assessed that I couldn't pass clinical. Being in her position and her being a doctor, I felt so bad, and I had to refrain from crying on the spot. Keep in my mind I'm a guy. I told her that I would worker harder and hopefully by the end of the semster she would change her opinion of me.
Has anybody ever had someone tell you that you can't do something? If so, how did you handle it?
I tried to turn it into a positive, but having a real hard time doing so. My school has a low passage rate for the nursing program like 30 percent or something low like that. I don't want to tell my wife or my family what was said to me today, so I rather ask you for some advice.
I mean she could of worded it so differently like "if you keep on this path, you won't be a nurse.", but she actually said "You don't have what it takes.". I mean when she see's me she see's a failure.
If the prof is part of the Nursing program, and she will be your clinical instructor in future classes, then you have a problem. Write up a brief statement with the names of anyone nearby that heard it and give to your DEAN of nursing, expressing your concern. Clinical classes are 100% OPINION grade!! I made it thru the program by a small margin. I have all As and Bs except for 2 profs that discriminated against guys. My personality and stratedgy got me through, I surrounded myself with credible students, when similar scenario(s) happened to me. I put the profs on notice with the Dean. I know for sure the old Female profs hate men being nurses. I feel your pain. This is not going away. Always be professional, never flirt even if you are flirted with. If you don't use the discrimination card, you will fail. I had a similar scenario happen early in the program, I brought it to the Deans attention, then 1.5 years later, the last class, last semester, a simple clinical of various exposures to different floors of the hospital, I was failing and mocked by the prof. She finally mocked me in public. My friends and the previous practice of discrimination got the prof an informal talking to which eased the pressure enough to get me a C for a final grade in the clinical. If you make it, you will have professional documentation and charting on your PTs which is alot of CYA, may as well start it now!
Long ago and far away (thank goodness) student nurses were too often kicked out of their diploma (hospital connected/owned) nursing schools for being "not fitted for nursing". Since no one ever defined what made one fit or unfit for nursing, my guess is that it usually meant the faculty either didn't like the student or they were feeling intellectually threatened by the student. That being said, there are still people in all branches of society who think that it takes a specific personality or gender to be a good nurse. It doesn't. What it takes is people who want to be nurses and all that is implied in that role. They have to have adequate intelligence, empathy, and ability to physically and mentally do the multitude of things that nurses need to be able to do. I don't think I've ever told a student that he/she was never going to be able to be a nurse. I have told students that this doesn't seem to be the time for them to attend a nursing school -- these were students who just "couldn't get it together", or who had very stressful lives at the time. There have also been those students who, for whatever reason, weren't putting the necessary effort into learning to think like a nurse or getting their hands to do what the task at hand required. That was never meant to tell the student that he or she should never try again -- only that now was not the time.
I want to echo what several others have said -- don't EVER let someone else confine you to an intellectual, emotional, or occupational box. And, as always, "Illegitimi non carborundum". (Google that if you're not familiar with the saying.)
Good luck for a wonderful and rewarding career in nursing. And I've only been teaching nursing students off-and-on for about 40 years.
OP, to your original question; as a student, no no-one ever told me I wouldn't pass, or were too stupid to complete the course. However, when I was a recently-appointed PACU RN, the UM called me into her office one day and proceeded to rake me down, telling me that I was a terrible recovery sister, that I was going to lose a patient one day and that I would be sued and end up paying for the rest of my life. This because I was standing in front of a post-tonsillectomy patient and carefully checking her throat for any signs of excessive bleeding. I should have been "behind" the patient, you see; ready to elevate the chin to prevent airway obstruction. The patient was wide awake and I was assessing her readiness to return to the ward.... I later found out that one of the Enrolled Nurses, who had a history of carrying nasty tales to the UM to elevate her own standing, had reported me. It took me some time to erase the UM's opinion of me, but I eventually did.
That was a little over twenty years ago. Since then I saw this UM's departure from the hospital, as well as two others who followed her. The hospital has also changed hands twice, until it was finally closed down just under two years ago, whereupon we moved with bag and baggage to a new hospital which the current owners built, a few blocks away.
I still work in the PACU. No-one's sued me, and I have not lost any patients -touch wood! I still take home my whole pay check. And I'm not too shabby a PACU RN
The moral of the story is, only you can decide what you can and can't do. The most important lesson for you to take home from this person's class is that some teachers aren't worth the title; a good teacher would encourage you, because successful students are such a person's legacy. Remember that, and never again let any teacher use you to cover up their own incompetence.
I bet that micro teacher was not a nurse herself. Maybe her husband beat her the night before. Just learn to take it in the stride. You should know yourself best.
I had a Human Anatomy teacher tell me I would NEVER be anything medical-he was wrong. I also had my Microbiology teacher tell me ( while he told the class) that the article I passed in for extra credit on "Mad Cow Disease" had 2 be fake ( this should tell u how long ago we r talking). I myself just found the article in an old "Awake" mag. He gave me the credit and laughed at me. I was like 19. 6 months later BAM. All of the US talking about "scary" Mad Cow Dx. Just a thought (it might have been stated)-they are not nurses either, mabey it was 2 hard for them also :)
I bet that micro teacher was not a nurse herself. Maybe her husband beat her the night before. Just learn to take it in the stride. You should know yourself best.
With a microbiology background, such treatment would warrant a little food poisoning in response; Clostridium, for example....
I have taught nursing students for over 25 years and have never needed a student to look into or manipulate a microscope. My guess is the teacher was frustrated with something and you were the one she took it out on. If her comment was based on the difficulty you had managing some equipment, be aware that equipment management is a small part of being a nurse. If nursing is your dream, don't let anyone get in your way. You might need to find a way to do things differently, but, as long as the basic principles are maintained (such as keeping things sterile when doing a dressing change) you can be an excellent nurse. Also, once you have gotten through nursing school, there are many paths a nurse can take. I don't do well in high stress areas where I have to think fast all the time, so ER and ICU are not my bag, but I've done pediatrics, geriatrics, general med-surg, and community health and functioned well in all areas. My favorite areas were peds and long-term-care.
Use her words to motivate you. I had a clinical professor who spoke unkind words to me and failed me in clinical. I did not give up and passed my next clinical with flying colors! I now have my MSN. I recently was told I did not have the "will power" to complete my first half marathon. I just completed it on Sunday!!!!! Anyway, don't give up!!! God bless!
Specializes in Pediatrics, OB/GYN, ER, Geriatrics.
Do not beat yourself up over what an instructor said to you...I was told the same thing and it has just made me more determined to continue on in my nursing program (I have a 3.9 GPA BTW) and prove them wrong. Just because you can not use a microscope does not validate a reason why you can not be a nurse...last time I checked the ones who use the microscope are the NP'S, doctors and the lab techs!
Hope you feel better after all of us have responded to this posting and go get em tiger! Prove that instructor wrong and fufill your dreams!
I can't see how your micro instructor could draw that conclusion because you had trouble with the microscope. That is totally ilogical. That conclusion reflects your instructors frustration, not your potential in becoming a nurse. You just needed to practice a little more with that scope to master it, as with any manual skill. Also, keep in mind that you probably will never use a microscope in your nursing career.
You'll be practicing many manual skills in nursing school. Some of them will take a little time to master. But because you aren't very good at some particular skill at this time does not reflect on your potential to be a nurse. Many nurses have trouble with certain skills. One example is starting IVs. Some nurses just never get very good at that, so they may practice in an area that has few IV starts. With practice some of those nurses will eventually become good IV starters.
What makes a nurse is intelligence, the ability to critically think and make sound decisions, a desire to learn and aquire new knowledge, a sound sense of ethics and compassion for people. If you have those qualities then skills needed to do your job as a nurse can be learned.
I think that your micro instructor needs to learn to be a better teacher. She seems to get some satisfaction by saying rude things to students. Hang in there for now. Disregard the rudeness and just learn what you need from this class. Do your best in micro class to get a good grade. Soon you won't have to deal with this instructor any more.
Your Microbiology teacher is an a**. Don't believe her. What makes her an authority of nursing? I had a clinical instructor in my first year that was like that. Those people just like to make others feel bad because they have self-esteem problems. DON'T listen to them. You will probably never use a microscope as a nurse.
This really strikes a cord with me because I had a similar thing happen to me; an instructor in the first week of my second semester of nursing school told me I would not make a good nurse because I was too high strung. I had just finished asking her a series of questions after her poor explaination of ABG's. She had known me all of 2 minutes and that day I had PMS, did not have enough sleep or enough to eat (was hypoglycemic).
Initially, her comment crushed me and it took several weeks AND the support of my family to shake it off but I did. I agree with the other posters that we need to remind ourselves that administators and/or people in any position of power are just as human as we are. Perhaps she herself had PMS, not enough sleep/nutrition that day. As I progressed in nursing school, I discovered that many of the teachers were going through menopause; a condition that causes hormonal imbalances...the sufferer often lashes out uncontrollably at whoever happens to be around at the moment. As nurse, I must remind myself daily that human conditions such as this (along with pain, fear, etc) cause patients to react or say things they don't mean and I must not take it personally.
So...this is just your first experience of many more to come...I guess this is why nurses develop such tough skin. Just don't let your skin become hard!
The patient was wide awake and I was assessing her readiness to return to the ward.... I later found out that one of the Enrolled Nurses, who had a history of carrying nasty tales to the UM to elevate her own standing, had reported me. It took me some time to erase the UM's opinion of me, but I eventually did. 
Anyway, don't give up!!! God bless!
StillSliding
43 Posts
If the prof is part of the Nursing program, and she will be your clinical instructor in future classes, then you have a problem. Write up a brief statement with the names of anyone nearby that heard it and give to your DEAN of nursing, expressing your concern. Clinical classes are 100% OPINION grade!! I made it thru the program by a small margin. I have all As and Bs except for 2 profs that discriminated against guys. My personality and stratedgy got me through, I surrounded myself with credible students, when similar scenario(s) happened to me. I put the profs on notice with the Dean. I know for sure the old Female profs hate men being nurses. I feel your pain. This is not going away. Always be professional, never flirt even if you are flirted with. If you don't use the discrimination card, you will fail. I had a similar scenario happen early in the program, I brought it to the Deans attention, then 1.5 years later, the last class, last semester, a simple clinical of various exposures to different floors of the hospital, I was failing and mocked by the prof. She finally mocked me in public. My friends and the previous practice of discrimination got the prof an informal talking to which eased the pressure enough to get me a C for a final grade in the clinical. If you make it, you will have professional documentation and charting on your PTs which is alot of CYA, may as well start it now!