Unprofessional School Orientation

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

Published

I was accepted to a local Community College RN program, and today was the orientation. Only 10 students were there, apparently we were the early acceptance group as no other students had been notified as of yet. We were all called on Friday, informed to pick up an information packet (which was incomplete), and finally told orientation would be today (wednesday) at noon. There were three instructors at the orientation, also these are the three instructors for the actual program as well. One of them was nice and professional, the other two not so much. Long story short they huffed and puffed like 6 year olds during the orientation whenever they encountered a question from any of us. They were not clear with their instructions or explanations and at one point another student asked for clarification and was told "I just said that, didn't you hear me?!". His was a simple question about folders, the teacher said to get "three big notebooks", he asked "do you mean spiral or 3-ring" and she got visibly upset and kind of snapped at him. It was a weird moment, very weird. This scenerio continued to happen through each phase of the orientation, whenever something wasn't perfect to their liking they would roll their eyes and huff-and-puff about it. Now, I'm not one to complain but I don't take kindly to their unprofessionalism. I'm 31, I have a B.A., I'm a professional airline pilot making a career change, and the other students were of equal age and education. The instructors treated the whole orientation as if we were somehow below them. You're training future professional nurses so treat us that way, we are not children. It was so upseting that still tonight I'm shaking my head at the way these "professional instructors" handled themselves. After the orientation we just looked at each other with the *** just happened face, it was funny but sad at the same time.

Totally OT but I have to ask why "professional airline pilot" is in RN school. I'm a FNP working full time. My husband is a pilot and he makes 3x what I make! Going from being a pilot to a RN makes no financial sense to me at all............

I am also an airline pilot making a career change. After 10 years in the airline business, I decided to throw in the towel and do something better for myself and family. I am tired of commuting across the country and only seeing my family two to three days a week. You would be surprised at the number of airline pilots bailing out of the industry, by choice and otherwise.

Your husband must be one of the fortunate persons who has not been affected by furloughs, Company bankruptcies and the downward spiral of what was once a very good profession. I live in CA, and my spouse, who is an RN, makes well over 6 figures, more money than I did as an 8 year captain at a regional airline.

Really? I had no idea things were that bad. My husband works for a one of the large freight carriers and although they have had a cut in their hours, things are still fairly static for us. He's a captain with 15+ years seniority. I always say that in my next life I'm coming back as a pilot...Maybe I'll have to rethink that!

To answer your post, sorry to say but youre going to have to get used to it. The previous students in our program advised us to "keep our heads down and mouth shut" They can fail you for any reason. My advise? Dont be a know it all, be humble, keep to yourself, stay professional and keep up all the good studying. You seem mature and will do fine

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

what kind of notebook to buy sounds more like a fourth grader's question rather than a college student's question. that type of question tells your faculty a lot more about the question asker than i think the asker intended. the type of notebook you use is the kind you want to use unless a certain type is specified for some reason -- i.e. handing in a project or your patient notes, careplans etc.

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

The instructor told us we HAD to have these "notebooks" but the way she said it made no sense, so the guy asked for clarification. The instructor was a bit snippy to that. Its not a 4th grade question, a 4th grade question is not asking a question at all.

As for the airline thing, your hubby has a flying gig that most pilots consider akin to winning the lottery. The rest of us don't have such luck. The pay isn't what people think it is, and the time away is rough. I saw what the life did to a lot of the people I flew with and didn't want my life to turn out like that. Also the volitility of the Aviation industry just plain freaked me out when it came to planning for the future. Flying is great, don't get me wrong, I love it and miss it every day, but I love my home life so much more. I love my wife, and I love my 2 week old baby boy and couldn't imagine being away from them. The basic moral is I never got into flying for the money, and I'm not getting into nursing for that reason either. It's all about QOL (quality of life).

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Well, one of the things that separates the mature student from the immature is knowing how to pick ones battles, but I am sure you know that. It's difficult to know what was going on for these people. Had they just come from a department meeting where there was miscommunication or infighting? Who knows.

Anyhow, as I was reading your post I was reflecting on the fact that I also have a hard time upholding confidence in any administrative system that doesn't seem to know what its doing or which doesn't treat people, much less its "customers" and partners with respect. So, your puzzlement resonated with me. I have the good fortune of attending a school whose primary focus was business so a pretty high standard is placed on communication and professionalism.

I'm not sure I have any advice for you beyond giving it a whirl and sticking with it. From what I have been led to believe your preceptor may be even more impatient with you for not knowing anything, asking questions, and being male.

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.
the instructor told us we had to have these "notebooks" but the way she said it made no sense, so the guy asked for clarification. the instructor was a bit snippy to that. its not a 4th grade question, a 4th grade question is not asking a question at all.

as for the airline thing, your hubby has a flying gig that most pilots consider akin to winning the lottery. the rest of us don't have such luck. the pay isn't what people think it is, and the time away is rough. i saw what the life did to a lot of the people i flew with and didn't want my life to turn out like that. also the volitility of the aviation industry just plain freaked me out when it came to planning for the future. flying is great, don't get me wrong, i love it and miss it every day, but i love my home life so much more. i love my wife, and i love my 2 week old baby boy and couldn't imagine being away from them. the basic moral is i never got into flying for the money, and i'm not getting into nursing for that reason either. it's all about qol (quality of life).

you crossed up your posts, i think. i never mentioned my husband in my post. he's a college professor and not a pilot.

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

you crossed up your posts, i think. i never mentioned my husband in my post. he's a college professor and not a pilot.

kathy

shar pei mom:paw::paw:

not you, someone else above.

Well, one of the things that separates the mature student from the immature is knowing how to pick ones battles, but I am sure you know that. It's difficult to know what was going on for these people. Had they just come from a department meeting where there was miscommunication or infighting? Who knows.

Anyhow, as I was reading your post I was reflecting on the fact that I also have a hard time upholding confidence in any administrative system that doesn't seem to know what its doing or which doesn't treat people, much less its "customers" and partners with respect. So, your puzzlement resonated with me. I have the good fortune of attending a school whose primary focus was business so a pretty high standard is placed on communication and professionalism.

I'm not sure I have any advice for you beyond giving it a whirl and sticking with it. From what I have been led to believe your preceptor may be even more impatient with you for not knowing anything, asking questions, and being male.

you're completely right, it was just one day and who knows what kind of day they were having. Honestly I think I just don't tolerate the valley girl huff-puff eye rolling childish stuff that well, lol. I did have a good laugh about it with my wife later on because I'm not use to people of authority acting like that. Ah well.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Somebody over on your other post mentioned "hazing". I don't think it rises to that level, but it is true that there are elements of nursing school that are more like boot camp than college, especially when you start to do your clinicals at the area hospitals.

I'm just going to be straight up about this, even though I am sure some will disagree. The nursing establishment does not do too well with people coming in as a second, third, or whatever careers. They want to see everyone there as equal in status and prestige, regardless of their background. It's almost like you have to prove you aren't a know-it-all.

Also, the culture is still heavily female dominated, though (thank God!) this is changing. . .all those stereotypes about women's typical behavior I see voiced here as complaints by the guys, and they aren't always based on them being just blankety-blank chauvinists. There is a "can't see the forest for the trees" aspect of this that is no one's fault really. It's just growing pains as more men enter the field.

I would suggest that the Male Nurse/ Male Student Nurse sections of allnurses can give you an idea of what you might expect as time goes on!!

I say, I love it when non-traditional students join in It makes life ever so much more interesting!! Good luck to you! :up:

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