My Microbiology Teacher told me I can't become a Nurse

[louis345]

Hello,

Last time I visited the site, I got so much support from registered users of this forums, that I decided to enter the nursing program. Here is the link https://allnurses.com/pre-nursing-student/late-me-become-497456-page12.html#post4569262 in case any wanted to see it.

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.

[walk6miles]

Sounds like great advice on the part of members...i will reiterate: don't let someone else (especially someone who has no business whatsoever) dictate your dreams. Do your very best even if it means getting a tutor today; show the professor you are professional and serious about laying out your career path.

Your instructors are not supposed to be about eliminating nurses; they are supposed to teach you in a positive manner what skills you will need in nursing.

By the way, never in 22 years of critical care nursing have I used a slide or even stepped into the world of microbiology in a capacity referencing my nursing care. I have an understanding of micro; that has been enough.

[45whenimdone]

with that low of a passing rate, I would NOT want to go their program anyway! I could see why it's so low with instructors like that. DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR DREAM!!!! so what if you had trouble with the microscope! who doesn't at times? it gets better with time, like everything else!!!!! OMG! I cannot believe she said that. Maybe she just has it in for men?????

I would report her to your dean. really. that is just not acceptable. period.

CHANGE SCHOOLS!

[MollyLPN]

Your Micro teacher is an abuser. The nursing professional field in teaching seems to be loaded with them (even though, as noted by previous posts, she's hardly a nurse). I read somewhere that theorized it comes from nursing starting in a military war like setting. I guess the military is famous for tearing you down, and then building you up. Some seem to forgo the building up part.

I had one teacher who was, in my humble opinion, a sociopath.* She told me constantly I would never graduate, I would never be a nurse, much less a good one, etc., ad nauseum, etc. She did everything she could to get me to quit (my grades were far too high to fail me). She singled me out in clinical almost every single day for abuse so horrific even the staff and patients noticed it. She was the worse to me, bad to a few others, and another student in my class confided she was considering suicide because of how awful she felt about herself (she is now working in a hospital where they love her, and today we joke about how what that teacher tried to terrorize us with mean nothing in the real nursing world). I met another former student of hers that had to go to therapy while she was in her class. The stories go on about her in particular and some other teacher in general. (This was not about trying to build the best nurses ever, this was nothing noble at all, just pure abuse.)

I bet there are plenty of other students (former and perhaps present) that have stories about your micro teacher. Just because she is a teacher doesn't mean she's a good one! Hopefully you will meet some other students and validate your reality. It's her, not you, believe me. How can I say that? Because let's say, even if you were just awful with the microscope, she would 1. express her concerns in a profession manner, which she did not, and 2. try to help you. Oh yeah, 3. she knows a microscope will mean nothing in real life nursing. But she knows you don't know that, and she uses your lack of knowledge against you.

Your school has a 30% graduation rate. So did mine. So it's likely this teacher is not the only abusive one you will experience (I had two). Build your support system, keep your grades so high that failing you over something as trivial as handling a microscope (or maybe a wrinkle in your uniform, which is my story) will seem absolutely ridiculous to justify. Believe in yourself, rely on your supports, and if you believe in a higher power, pray. Don't give up, you can do this! Don't let the bully win (and remember bullies often target the sensitive, intelligent person who will make a great nurse)!

This will also heighten your gratitude for the great teachers you will have, and the wonderful staff at the clinical settings. At least that was my experience.

*When I finished school, I ran a background check on this teacher. (Hey they do that to us, right?) She had a rather messy recent (within 5 year) history, including domestic violence charges against her elderly mother. So this woman has some serious mental issues, and I can't believe she is a nurse and teacher. And the sad thing is, is that she is firmly entrenched in that school, and is probably terrorizing some poor student, who is turning to her for help and guidance even as I type this.

[plumiegirl]

I did not read all the responses but you have to ask yourself why your doctorate teacher is not in research saving the world...oh thats right she took the easy way out. First you learn how to use the microscope, you are in school to learn so you are not an expert. Learn how to do what you need to do, don't let a "wall" stop you from reaching your goals. Remember you are the teacher's employer, you are paying for the class. Hang in there and believe in you...be a nurse but you will earn it.

[Cuezee2]

I've heard that a few times! I have a pretty severe chronic illness and a few of my professors couldn't understand how or why I'd want to go for nursing and told me that I'd never make it with as sick as I am. Well, with a LOT of hard work, I've proved them all wrong. Despite having spent nearly 15 weeks in the hospital, two surgeries, and many, many sick days, I've earned a 3.5 GPA, I'm a Sigma Theta Tau member, and I'm graduating next year with a BS, RN from a good university. I may not be able to work full time, but I'm ok with that, I accept my limitations. Don't ever let anyone tell you what you can and can't do. If you're willing to work hard, you can accomplish it. Good luck!!! It's worth it!

[dawnpaul]

Hang in there! When I was in nursing school I had a microbiology teacher who felt it was his God given duty to eliminate as many students as possible. Microbiology is a difficult class. On my first test in the class I failed. My first F ever! I was so upset. I told myself that I was not going to let this guy get to me. My friend quit the class but I hung in there. The teacher managed to get many students to drop out. As the class went on he became much easier to deal with. I passed the course and went on to become a nurse. My friend is very sad to this day that she was not as stubborn as I. She never went on to finish school. Don't let this happen to you. If you want to be a nurse dig your heels in and stay with it!

[squirtcatt]

You can not be a nurse because you have trouble with a microscope? Really I never used a microscope in Nursing school, clinicals and in the job I have had for the past 10 years. I am a nurse not a lab person!! Oh and to make you feel better I had an instructor tell me I would never pass boards, because I struggled with her tests, which she insisted were just like boards. Well I did pass on the first try and they were nothing like here tests which were so messed up!! So stick to your guns and prove them wrong!!

[nurse2b013]

My high school guidance counselor told me I didn't have what it takes to go to college.

I got a Bachelor's Degree. And graduated with honors.

Now I'm back in school for nursing. I have a 4.0. And I just got accepted into my school's very competitive RN program.

Sometimes people who are supposed to "know it all" really don't know anything at all! Don't let her stomp on your dreams!

[nneokill175]

First off I'm a guy too!! And I am less than two months from graduating from my nursing school!!

Second- YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE (beside the whole nature thing being super weird lately), so DO NOT LET OTHER PEOPLE TELL YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHING!

I was able to prove many people wrong, and I will continue to do so because I know I can do anything I put my mind on!

BE STRONG! AND DO NOT GIVE UP!

[hkendrick1987]

Please don't let the snide comments from one bitter person influence your entire way of thinking. Though she may be a doctor, I can assure you, just like every other human being on the face of this earth, that she has made her fair share of mistakes. If nursing is truly your passion, and what you want to do for the rest of your life, buckle down, work hard, and show that you are more than capable of being a wonderful nurse!

GOOD LUCK!

[tntrn, ASN, RN]

I've been an RN for 34 years now. The only times I ever used a microscope was to look at slides for ferning: to verify the presence of amniotic fluid. They don't let us do that any more, and I am not sure the microscope is even still on our unit. The number of times I used microbiology or chemistry is probably zero, and good thing, too, because I hated chemistry and barely got through.

Ignore what the instructor told you...all you have to do is get out of that class and get on with your goals. And they won't be asking that instructor about your suitability for nursing school anyway.

[benr98]

I have not had the time to read through all the posts, but I ask this, being a CNA, our labs (microbiology work) is sent to the lab in the hospital. So not knowing how to use a microscope should not be that big a deal. I do understand that you need to understand this stuff and how it works but as far as I have seen not one RN in the hospital I work at touches a microscope. Also your Professor might have a PhD but I highly doubt she is an MD, so once again how would she know if you would make a good nurse. In order to know that she would have had to work with actual nurses not nursing students, and if she is going by the fact that she has taught student nurses how does she know how most of them ended up? I'm sure not by working with them and I personally would not trust word of mouth from a student that they are doing so well. I hate to say this but I feel it is more important to understand the theory behind microbiology than how to use a microscope. I could be way off base here but that, at this point, is my opinion and we are all entittled to one even if his/hers might be wrong.