Nursing Instructors Would Rather see You Fail than Succeed

Karou · Aug 31, 2015

I rarely saw this in either of my two rounds through nursing school (LVN then LVN-ADN). Most instructors DO want students to pass. I never personally felt targeted, but during my LVN-ADN the director did (I feel) unfairly target at least three students and directly caused them to fail or drop out of school. During all of my schooling, this is the only instructor that I would classify as a "bully".

If you feel that EVERY instructor is targeting you, then it might be time to do some soul searching and determine if it's really every single instructor that's the problem, or if it's you. Usually when someone is pointing the finger at every person but themselves, the problem lies with the common denominator (yourself).

mzrRN · Aug 31, 2015

I had very tough clinical instructors. One in particular was often discussed as being a jerk and not helpful at all. He/she made you critically think out any question you were asking and not just automatically give you an answer to save time. Sometimes this was somewhat painful to watch develop however I am thankful everyday when I am at work because I can rely on my critical thinking skills that this instructor helped develop. So if i had to do it again I would want this instructor even if i had to go through what I did during clinicals. I truly learned a lot that helps me everyday.

It is just looking at it from a different perspective.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2015

High expectations and expecting you to meet or exceed the minimum standards does not mean they want you to fail. Quit feeling like a victim and pass the class and move on.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2015

Speaking as a former college instructor I can tell you that every year there's at least one student that everybody DOES want to fail...because she's dangerous, stupid, oppositional, won't take responsibility, clueless, and argumentative. If that's you, you're correct. Yep, we all do want you the heck out of our program, we sure do. And you know what? So do your classmates.

If not, consider that we teach not for the money (which is about half -- HALF -- what we can get elsewhere) but for the joy of seeing the light shine in our students' eyes when they get it, when they make a measurable step towards thinking like nurses, when it appears they will be good, and when we know that our beloved profession will be in good hands when we are in the beds ourselves. We rejoice in your success. We are hard because we know what you need to be that nurse we want taking care of us or our loved ones, and it's a lot more than you think. Think about it.

Purple_roses · Aug 31, 2015

No. I have loved all of my instructors so far. They're tough, expect 110%, and push every student in the classroom. An instructor who wants you to fail is one who will give tons of extra credit points, let students slide by, and graduate students who will not pass NCLEX. Take the tough route now so it's easier later.

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Aug 31, 2015

Nope. NEVER have I seen this. Your success is a reflection on how well they teach. WHY would they want students to fail? It might serve to make themselves look like buffoons. It tends to be poor students that say such things. Just putting that out there...

nlitened · Aug 31, 2015

All my instructors have been great!

Maybe nursing school just isn't for you...

augurey · Aug 31, 2015

My original thoughts were:

1. If the OP is right in that EVERY instructor wants them to fail, then he/she's at a bad school and would be better off moving onto a different school.

2. If that's not the case, then it may be a case of the student blaming the instructor for the student's failures instead of the student taking responsibility.

3. Maybe the OP isn't understanding why an instructor is being hard on them (to make them SAFE as new practicing RN).

I attended a for profit school last fall and early spring this year. Out of the instructors I had, only one really raised some eyebrows. From what I've heard, she was fired a few months after I left and that things changed for the better there afterwards. You do get an instructor here or there, I'm sure, but not EVERY instructor.

So far in my few weeks in my new program, I've seen nothing but compassion with the instructors. That's not to say that they won't "bring down the iron fist" in a situation that needs it, but you can tell they have a passion and they want to to teach others. One of them said that they are there because they want to be there, not because of the pay. That tells me that if they are harsh or angry for whatever reason, there's a very good chance that they have reason to be.

ixchel · Aug 31, 2015

I have experienced this with almost EVERY nursing instructor I had.
I can honestly say they would rather see you fail than succeed.
Has anyone else experienced this ?

No, I have not. I was supported through school, and encouraged to keep going even when my personal life threw some wrenches my way. If they wanted students to fail, they'd lose their accreditation and income.

Editorial Team / Admin · Aug 31, 2015

I have experienced this with almost EVERY nursing instructor I had.
I can honestly say they would rather see you fail than succeed.
Has anyone else experienced this ?

As a general rule, if it's everyone else, look at the common denominator in the situationâ€¦

OP, it may be time to do some soul searching.

No one wants anyone to fail, unless they are truly unsafe, in which case they deserve to fail. Having students fail is, whether we want it to be or not, a reflection on the teacher. It's also a lot of paperwork- if it's not documented, where's the proof that shows a student should be failed?

kidsmom002 · Aug 31, 2015

No, that has not been my experience at all. I have completed my ADN, BSN, and MSN and I can tell you that the instructors have generally been very invested in helping me do well. There was one terrible clinical instructor I had in my ADN program I did feel targeted people, myself included. She was mean and generally pretty rude to the point that even the floor nurses at our clinical sites took notice. There were times she would try to humiliate one of us on the floor and it got to the point where the nurses on the floor basically got in her face and set her straight. However, she was the exception to the rule. While many of my other instructors have been very strict and held us to high standards it is clear they were merely trying to create safe and effective nurses. Nursing is often a life or death profession. Mediocrity can cause serious repercussions for patients, possibly even death. Keep that in mind when you are trying to place blame on EVERY instructor.

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Sep 1, 2015

I never experienced this in nursing school. I had a not-so-good clinical instructor my first semester who seemed to have it in for another student. However, that student was not very competent and couldn't understand the basics. She was lost, like a deer in headlights, every week in clinicals. I can see why she didn't want that student advancing to the next level. That student was given a chance to re-take that semester and she is doing well.

Our program was very accommodating and supportive. The only people who complained were those who deserved critique. Even when they were given a second chance. So, I take those complaints with a grain of salt. I had a wonderful experience and I still keep in touch with a few of my favorite instructors :)