I am currently in RN school for an associate degree and may graduate May 2011. Last semester alot of the students complained about a particular instructor and her inability to run a smooth class. It was brought to the attention of our Department head and still nothing was done to replace her or reprimand her. She is on tenure. Here are some specific examples of her teaching deficients:
1. Her tests are not based off of book knowledge but rather on HER opinion of what is correct. If you want to pass then you best guess what she would answer.
2. She made us do concept maps but never gave us an example or taught us how to do them.
3. She never showed us how to do a physical assessment of a patient on our clinical days, much less anything else for clinicals.
4. She has been curving our grades significantly so we will pass.
As an another example, one of my male classmates had called me asking if I passed. I told him yes and then he asked about a few friends who had also passed. He told me he hadn't made it...but then the next day told me he had. He said he talked to the instructor and to quote him, "they really just want to get people through and will find ways."
These are not ALL the examples of what she has been doing. There are worse and many, my brain is just rather clouded from sleep.
Many of my classmates and myself included are very worried. She is "educating" us every semester but we feel that we are not learning anything or retaining knowledge. When we do graduate we are not sure we will pass the NCLEX because of the poor limits set on this program. I am scared. Is there something I could do to bring it to the attention of the Board of Nursing or at least the school?
This program is falling through and shouldn't be continued. Yes, we need to educate as many people to become nurses in a short time frame because the world needs nurses BUT we are guaranteed to make mistakes if we do not have the knowledge or the smarts to do the tasks that nursing asks of us. Any input?
My program is the same way. Everyone just keeps saying "It's the nature of the beast!" We didn't have grades curved, but 2 different instructors offered major extra credit. My Complex Med-Surg class the entire class failed the first 2 exams. The instructor is our program chair. Anytime we tried to talk to her about her teaching methods (or lack thereof) she either said "You'll get through it, don't worry" or got immediately defensive and shut us completely out. We had her for another class and complained to the Region chair and were totally blown off. It's a situation where it seems your hands are tied. All I can say, and I hate saying it, is that you just have to get through it and do as others have said and take charge of your education. Our Complex Med-Surg ended up being pretty much an independent study. You get out what you put in. Good Luck!
i think you should do the right thing and report this to the governing agency that accredits the school; with full documentation; its my theory if you're not part of the solution then you're part of the problem. i experiencing something similar with a vocational school that i'm having an issue with currently. i must tell you that i was dismissed, even though i had a b average for their program, with bogus 'accusations' not supported nor verified. but i am exposing the school, fighting my dismissal (because it affects me enrolling else where).
its your decision but we, as healthcare professional, must take a stand, have integrity and morals, that's reflective in every aspect of our character.
miss_pitty_pat
27 Posts
My program is the same way. Everyone just keeps saying "It's the nature of the beast!" We didn't have grades curved, but 2 different instructors offered major extra credit. My Complex Med-Surg class the entire class failed the first 2 exams. The instructor is our program chair. Anytime we tried to talk to her about her teaching methods (or lack thereof) she either said "You'll get through it, don't worry" or got immediately defensive and shut us completely out. We had her for another class and complained to the Region chair and were totally blown off. It's a situation where it seems your hands are tied. All I can say, and I hate saying it, is that you just have to get through it and do as others have said and take charge of your education. Our Complex Med-Surg ended up being pretty much an independent study. You get out what you put in. Good Luck!