Nursing Instructor Issues

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2012

Don't quit because of her, Love. You only have one more day. At this point, it just seems like she has an attitude problem and I don't think you can really do anything to change her tone. Just do the best you can to learn as much as you can in your last clinical.

Do you get to write your own comments on the evaluation? If you do, I would make sure that you write in everything that you feel you are doing right. And don't sign an evaluation that you don't agree with unless you can add your remarks. Your clinical evaluation is really going to have zero effect on your job application and your overall grades (I'm assuming your clinicals are pass/fail), so once this clinical is over, just put it behind you and move forward.

Hang in there. There will always be people in life you don't mesh with well. You just have to be confident in who you are and not let them define you. :hug:

allnurses Guide · Mar 29, 2012

If you want to quit because of one person's mean words; disregarding all the others who have supported you and told you you are doing well: then you had better quit now. There is never going to be a time when there isn't at least one person who says mean things. One bad review is not the end of the world.

Let's see, your teacher said you were fine, your fellow students accept your help, and the floor nurses said excellent. Choose who you listen to!

What to do for your last days? Ask the floor nurses your questions instead of the instructor if she doesn't want to answer you. Cross all the T's and dot all the I's in your paperwork, make sure you address every requirement in the syllabus and be able to defend yourself as needed. You already showed maturity in apologising for a situation instead of "demanding your rights" (and really, what harm was done by getting it cleared up?).

trutuyu · Mar 29, 2012

I am motivated like you. I also ask tons of questions like you. When I meet a new teacher or clinical instructor I flat out tell them I like to ask lot's of questions, but then I also tell them that I realize they are busy and if ever I ask a question at a bad time just to let me know and I'll understand. I also learned a long time ago that a lot of teachers/instructors don't like students to ask questions because they don't know the answer and they don't want to look stupid. Don't worry about the teacher though. Just keep your head down make it through this rotation and the next teacher will probably love you because you ask questions:)

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2012

Just move on and hopefully your next experience should be much better. I suppose I have been lucky in that I have not come across a clinical instructor thats this way, that would be horrible. Clinical is already stressful enough.

brillohead, ADN, RN · Mar 29, 2012

Have you asked WHAT you're not doing well/properly? What should you be doing instead? What should you not do at all, or do differently?

I would submit these questions in writing (email?) if at all possible, and CC: in your classroom instructor. If you've asked for recommendations but not received any, then I don't see how they can fail you. But you have to take control of your own destiny and ASK those questions, or you'll be blindsided on the last day, with no option to improve your performance.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

My first year nursing instructor told me I would NEVER be a good nurse because I was to much of a loner and I didn't delegate well, preferring to do too much myself. That was 35 years ago. Grant it I gravitated towards critical care areas and trauma flight (the best job int he world) where independent thinking is imperative for the job. But I have been a licensed nurse for 33 soon to be 34 years.

I was also once told at a review for a job at my 90 day evaluation, and I quote, that I "needed to stop having such intellectual conversations with the physicians as it was intimidating the other nurses". I responded that I have "never worked at a facility that promoted stupidity, I don't think this is going to work for me" and I moved on (ok it was better economic times).

Keep you nose to the grind stone and avoid this unhappy person like the plague. People who don't like bright, intelligent young nurses questions is because they don't have the answers themselves......and that makes them angry.

Chin up :hug:....it will get better.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Mar 30, 2012

you might be intimidating her because of your eagerness, but that is her problem. Smile a lot. Keep your mouth shut. Do not vent to classmates. Your new mantra is "this too shall pass".........

AOx1 · Mar 30, 2012

This was completely inappropriate on the part of your instructor. I would never say that to one of my students. Do I like them all personally? No, but my role is to determine if a student can practice competently and safely, not to audition for a new best friend. As part of my role, I offer critique on a student's performance, but it should be constructive. For example, if you were asking questions while I was very busy, I might ask you to hold off a minute until a better time arose. It is never acceptable to be rude or insult a student.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

old instructor here: i have to tell you that sometimes you have done your damnedest and are at the end of your rope with a student who is anal retentive, who does jabber questions constantly with no apparent effort to discover answers herself (sort of like the posters on an who want you to do their homework and haven't yet cracked their med/surg books), is cheerful with the staff but when the chips are down is a total lightweight, and one day she asks you the same thing one more time (having conveniently forgotten everything you have tried valiantly to explain to her in the past) and you crack and say, "you are annoying and when you get out in the real world you'll get eaten alive."

and the fact is, she is annoying and she will be eaten alive. and the only side of the story you hear here is hers. i am here to tell you that there are some of these around, and somebody, somewhere is telling them that they will be wonderful nurses without a shred of evidence to support that opinion, so they cease listening to constructive criticism and blame the instructor for delivering the bad news when it inevitably comes.

just sayin'.

Merlyn · Mar 30, 2012

Last day with her. Lets see. Do you have a .45? Seriously, you will meet a lot of people like her. For that one day whatever she says is fine with you. After you finish nursing school you can always write her and tell her what a waste of air she is. Or you could spread some rumors that she likes barn yard animals a little too much. The point is put up with her for that day and after that she will just will be just a memory. Don't quit.

okaihaudowns · Mar 31, 2012

I relate to your post and have a similar and current issue where I feel that I have been wrongly judged. I still don't know what to do about it as I have just started 3 days in my placement when it happened and I am still in shock. So I want to sit tight and see what else she is going to do. Meanwhile I am going to talk about it to as many people as possible to understand my own response to it. I want to sort out my response to the issue because I had a large emotional response and I know that I will come into contact with others like this but need to sort out myself before I can calmly and rationally and reasonably approach the person and the issue. I know I have the communication skills to deal with this but I just need to talk it over more with others before I talk to the person so they can see me for who I am and not just a miasma of their own poor judgements and projections. I can't offer any advice but only what I'm doing for myself when I have encountered a similar issue.