Nursing student getting abuse from instructor

Amethya · Dec 1, 2016

My MA teacher was horrible. She picked favorites, if you were her favorite, she would not bother you and praise you. If you were not her favorite, she would be very rude and harsh. Because I wasn't her favorite, she would be rude, belittling and mean. But I didn't want to leave the program because this was something I really wanted to do, so I worked hard and got good grades and did my best, but she would belittle me horribly during class and clinical. I understand she wanted me to do well out in the real world, so that's why she would get angry if we made errors, but I think she liked to pick on the ones who were not her favorites. But even so, I am a bit thankful because I learned how to get a thick skin and able to deal with it in the real world.

She really got worse one day when my child got Meningitis and I had to spend the whole night at the hospital with him. I had a test that next day, so I was studying and such while there. Once I had to go to class, I went in the same scrubs I wore yesterday. I thought of asking her that after the test if I can go home real quick, take a shower and get changed and come back. We have these rules is we have 3 days to miss class, if you take all 3 days, you can't miss another day or you'l be out of the program. I already took my 3 days for other reasons, she told me that if I walk out of that door right now, I'm out of the program. That I can't leave. I was so mad, I bet if it was one of her favorites, she would give them the benefit of the doubt. So I was extremely angry, but did not show it. I went in, did my exam, got a 100 and fell asleep for the whole class, while my friend offered to take down notes for me.

In all honesty, I would report her, but because she's one of my references, I can't.

You are barely in the 2nd day of school, hopefully you have a better time thatn I did. But this is how it's going to be, even out in the real world. People will belittle you and such, but you need to learn how to deal with that. So learn to deal with it, like I did and do your best. (My teacher told me I was too dumb for this class, but I showed her. That was my revenge to her.)

kadeedid · Dec 1, 2016

While this particular story lends the idea that the OP is probably in for a rude awakening and needs to tolerate constructive criticism, sometimes complaints like this are warranted. I currently have an instructor who was previously removed from her (current) position due to TWO lawsuits filed by students regarding abuse. I'm at a small community college where they cannot afford to deal with any type of lawsuits, so they moved her to a different position until the storm blew over, then gave her the job back when she herself threatened to sue. She has physically assaulted students, smacking hands away from patients and cutting their hair off from behind during clinical if it touched the collar. She has assaulted patients during clinical and was also previously barred from the premises by the hospital itself because of her number of torts. She teaches at least one core nursing class every semester of my program, and we have all learned that in order to get through, we must subject ourselves to her abuse. I'm not here to complain: I do what I need to need to do and let it roll off of my back. However, some of my cohort are frequently reduced to tears, depression, or quitting the program altogether because of this prof. We've lost 5 this semester alone. It DOES happen; some of these stories are legitimate.

If you're aware this instructor has assaulted patients during clinical, don't you have a duty to report her to the board of nursing at least?

Ryan59479 · Dec 1, 2016

Lots of really bad advice here, which is pretty sad. "Get ready to take abuse in the real world, kid" is a rather fatalistic attitude to have. While you're always going to have personality conflicts in the workplace, that doesn't mean you just have to let people steamroll you, or that you shouldn't learn how to advocate for yourself.

Even if the instructor isn't technically "abusing" you, you're still paying the school a lot of money to learn there. You're their customer, and you have every right to ask that your needs be met. If this instructor isn't teaching you anything other than being afraid to do anything lest you be berated, that's a problem. Constructive criticism is one thing, but it sounds like this goes beyond that.

Administration might be interested to know how this instructor is conducting themselves on the floor. Yelling at students isn't professional behavior, especially if it's in front of clients.

target98765 · Dec 2, 2016

Is the OP a millenial?

Skippingtowork · Dec 3, 2016

Lots of really bad advice here, which is pretty sad. "Get ready to take abuse in the real world, kid" is a rather fatalistic attitude to have. While you're always going to have personality conflicts in the workplace, that doesn't mean you just have to let people steamroll you, or that you shouldn't learn how to advocate for yourself.
Even if the instructor isn't technically "abusing" you, you're still paying the school a lot of money to learn there. You're their customer, and you have every right to ask that your needs be met. If this instructor isn't teaching you anything other than being afraid to do anything lest you be berated, that's a problem. Constructive criticism is one thing, but it sounds like this goes beyond that.
Administration might be interested to know how this instructor is conducting themselves on the floor. Yelling at students isn't professional behavior, especially if it's in front of clients.

I was reading many of the posts and thought "this is how this bad behavior continues." Nursing instructors are not preceptors. They receive a salary to teach nursing, both the technical and professional aspect. We can not expect to be respected by other professiions if we do not respect ourselves or our colleagues.

tcvnurse, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2016

This is not what clinical instructors are supposed to be! I just completed my first term as a clinical instructor (as well as working full time, and grad school) and one of the first things I told my students is that I don't want them to go through clinical being terrified--because that is not a good environment in which to learn!

Maybe I was just super lucky but the few times I had to take a student aside and give feedback on how they could improve, say for example, they were sort of clueless about why they were giving certain meds, it was always matter of fact explanations with the underlying principle being patient safety and good nursing care.

I always feel so badly for students when I see these posts. I was lucky enough to have one really fantastic clinical instructor when I went through school who was kind and funny, and who never ever got angry with us. That's something I water to pass on.

I definitely think you should talk to someone in administration. At the university were I taught there was an office for student affairs in the school of nursing, and their primary jb was to support the students.

lrobinson5 · Dec 6, 2016

I'm assuming the reason the doorknob thing was a big deal is because this was a room shared by multiple patients? If so, do keep in mind that whatever body fluid you were protecting yourself from is now on the doorknob and can reach the other patients in the room.

Irish_Mist, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2016

Man, can we not do that generational silliness around here? That bit wasn't even relevant to your post.

Thank you. I'm so sick and tired of the generational stereotyping.

AliNajaCat · Dec 6, 2016

Even if the instructor isn't technically "abusing" you, you're still paying the school a lot of money to learn there. You're their customer, and you have every right to ask that your needs be met.

I'll respond to this in the way I responded to students I had who said the same thing to me, after about 1/4 of the class couldn't score 74 on a semester exam with test bank questions rated 10% hard, 60% medium, and 30% easy.

"Oh, okay, I get it. I should pass you on material that you will be held accountable for when you graduate in 12 weeks that you can't demonstrate you know now, and let you be a nurse and take care of my mother, my child, and the trusting members of the public BECAUSE YOU PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO BE HERE. Is that it?"

Then we discussed how 3/4 of the class did pass, how my free and optional review classes both before and after every exam and quiz were attended by people WHO PASSED THEIR EXAMS, and how if they spend half of the time studying that they put into calculating their GPAs to the fourth decimal point so they knew exactly how many questions in the exam they had to get me to throw out they'd probably have a much better handle on potassium, sodium, and digoxin.

I was never so glad to leave a job as when I left that one. The dear goddess save us from such entitlement.

RNrhythm, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2016

Let's assume your instructor is just as terrible as you describe. This will be the first of many and you need to learn to roll with it. You are going to run into problematic supervisors, fellow nurses, other staff, plus a snippy RT or three. Let's not even talk about patients and families yet! You need to take the high road. Be professional and courteous at all times. You can still stand up for yourself, but politely and professional and with a calm tone. Sometimes it is best not to respond in the heat of the moment when your blood is starting to boil, and certainly not in front of patients. I have been in your position and it is tough, but keep an eye on the long road. You will be out of school soon enough and this person will be nothing but a memory.

RNrhythm, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2016

"I feel like dropping out of school but don't want to give them that satisfaction" is juvenile thinking. The instructor doesn't care about you one way or the other. They won't lose any sleep if you drop out because your feelings got hurt.

Julius Seizure · Dec 10, 2016

"I feel like dropping out of school but don't want to give them that satisfaction" is juvenile thinking. The instructor doesn't care about you one way or the other. They won't lose any sleep if you drop out because your feelings got hurt.

And if they DO care about you one way or the other, I would guess that they actually do want you do succeed. Nurses don't tend to become educators for the fantastic salary involved. They do it because they like to teach.