Hey guys. I'm currently in my second semester of nursing school (trad BSN program).
Yesterday was my first day of my maternal-health nursing clinicals as I was in the NICU. The clinicals started at 6:30 and because of a family situation (had to drop off my sister bc there was no one to give her a ride to school), I knew I was going to be late, so I emailed my instructor at 6:09 AM. However, her rule is she only takes calls before 6:15, which I completely forgot. So I arrived 6:55.. Bc of my anxiety, I called my mom then called the professor. We met at 7:10.
Told her my situation...she said that it wasn't an emergency, how I was unprofessional, how I had only had to call, how I would lose my license if I was really working, how I should feel sorry for myself bc I need to make myself a priority, how I didn't communicate accordingly. I apologized several times & told her that I was never late last term, she told me she didn't want to hear it.
So she gave me an Unmet. And if I get two, I have a risk of failing the course. I don't know what to do bc it's not like I didn't communicate & there was no way I could just leave my sis at home. One of my friends had a similar situation & was late 40 mins, however her professor just gave her a talk because it was the first day & warned her to not let it happen again.
Any advice? I've been thinking about it since as maternal nursing is one of my highest nursing interests. I'm worried.
Were they REALLY avoidable, though? I see this come up all the time. Someone has left at the same time every day, and never had a problem. They were always on time, always got there about 10 minutes early. But today, there was a 30 minute backup. So was getting there 10 minutes early all that time wrong, should they have been aiming for 45 minutes early? But then what if there was a major accident and they were stuck for over an hour? So really they should try to get to work by an hour early? But they're in northern California and a mudslide just completely blocked the road for hours, and they're stuck on a mountain with no other way off... Guess they should have just slept at work then.
How much do students have to plan ahead for problems on the road? Do they have to anticipate major accidents every day and just be there hours early? Because that's going to happen. Or do they have to somehow know that their car is going to break down, so really they need to leave the night before so that they can get it towed?
When there is no exceptions, it shows a refusal to accept the real world. That student can only control themselves, they have no control over the weather, the integrity of the parts in their car, or other drivers on the road. Sometimes, things are just going to happen that are going to make them late.
Most things are definitely avoidable. If you saw the reasons for the 20 "exceptions" request per term, you would agree.
Is the primary guardian of your sister is unavailable due to work, seriously ill, or cripple? If not, you need or have to grow backbone. Don't allow your family to treat you that way unless they'll shoulder your needs, wants, and want to have in life then dance in their music. Don't gamble your future. I know that they are your family but will cost you your career and good quality of life. Be mindful of your family's feelings before you say anything hurtful. Elaborate how vulnerable you're right now. If everything you attempted doesn't work, move out if that's possible. If they make your life more uncomfortable than comfortable, ask yourself why.
I've been there and done that. Happiest life ever with my sibling that we don't deal with ********* anymore. I don't play nice with dirty players or uncooperative family who thought that he or she can have babies and have me do their responsibility. My sibling is with me. They can come after me, but my sister is in a good school and is doing well. They weren't able to raise my sis and me, so it is better to eliminate culprits than keeping them. I'm glad I did it.
But you have to be honest about it. Just "This is school policy, and this is why." A teacher intentionally wrongfully telling a student that she'd lose her license for being late for work is not a teacher that should have that job. How much more misinformation has to be out there?
I remember once someone was on here about a teacher telling them that being late for work could get them in legal trouble for abandonment.
As students, when are we FINALLY going to draw the line and make the statement that this is NOT OK?
Remember we're PAYING to be in school. The way these things work: We pay, they provide a service. If you do bad in school, you fail your NCLEX and don't become a nurse, problem solved. But, we let CCNE and ACEN create a monster, where unless you're up to their standards, you don't get to be taken seriously. And part of their standards is a very high pass rate. But oh, it's nursing there's so much risk involved... The guy who engineered all those planes flying around every day literally putting lives in his hands. If he screwed up, that plane might not stay in the air... His education was nowhere near the same standard as someone who wants to make a career of dressing wounds. All because we let these two private companies convince us that only the people who are up to their standards are good enough.
Seriously my blood ran cold when I read "someone who wants to make a career out of dressing wounds"
Is that what you think nurses do? You are not a nurse, right? Please tell me you are not. And if you are, please tell me you will never be near me or mine.
faithandfood
39 Posts
That's what I'm going to do. I don't know if I should email her to see again this morning as that's what she mentioned.