BigBadInstructor

My students also complained about the white pants they had to wear and the same pink top that dietary aids wore. Once there was a change in program directors, the faculty and students met, and went over different uniform styles and colors until there was a consensus. Then we had a fashion show. We had 4 different colors and styles, all plain colors, tops and bottoms the same. The students then voted and we are still using the winner. We have a program patch on one arm, and a name tag also. Students have to be identifiable and different from staff. This has cut down to no complaints.

Absolutely, fail the clinical. In our program, fail a clinical and you are dismissed from the program. Our community healthcare facilities, encourage us to adher to employee standards, which are no call, no show, no job. There are ways that students can call in for sickness, late, and such, and these are described within clinical orientation, student handbooks, and program orientation. This should not be a new concept for students when they enter a clinical rotation. Within our program, if you are more than 15 minutes late to clinical or miss report, you do a make-up day, and there is only on make-up day per semester. There are always the extraordinary circumstances that are accommodated, but the bottom line is the student is responsible for their attendance and their learning.

Is there a rubric for the written papers that is given to students besides what the stated requirements are? A lot of times you can write the rubric and include APA format and give various grades to represent what it is that you will and will not accept for the paper. I know that I have rubrics for all of my courses that requires any type of written work, including online courses. Good luck

OMG! This is my life also. The incivility of students is astounding. Their remarks, demands (never requests), and then astonishment when you call them on it. Rules are given, in student handbooks, syllabi, and then these students think it doesn't apply to them. They are mad when reported, written up, and disciplined. Then the instructor " is out to get me." By the end of the semester I am tired, all of the faculty, including adjuncts are sick and tired of them all. Then everything starts all over again the next semester. With the rules in place, students are dismissed when applicable, but how many slip by without means to not get into nursing. I am tired of other students saying " I didn't want to say anything, but assumed you would know." Like I have 20 eyes and ears. Trying to impress on students the value and need for professionalism inside the classroom, and in the profession of nursing gets harder and harder. The most irritating is the student's assumption that getting into the program is enough, now they will get through without working, they are entitled. I am glad it's just not me. If it wasn't for those few students that are really good, I wouldn't come in at all!

What does your clinical evaluation say? Has this behavior been documented, particularly since this is a recurring behavior that has been remediated and not improved upon? I believe the student feels there is no reason to do better because what she has done has passed her along. At this point if she has not successfully completed the objectives of the clinical, and not successfully passed the medication portion of the clinical evaluation, she should be failed. I would make sure you have your documentation done well, and proceed. Good luck.

I had a student exactly like you, a few years back, who was having a particularly bad experience with a very surly nurse. After talking with her, we agreed on a plan of action. When the nurse had her verbally pinned against the wall, she took out a wrapped piece of candy and gave it to the nurse saying "Eat this instead of me." Worked very well. So I suggest you get a piece of candy and when this nurse sighs, interrupts you, or is rude, give her the candy and tell her to "eat this instead of me." While she is looking at you, complete your report and leave. Good luck.

Our students have been using computerized documention for several years in acute care, and now several of our long term care facilities are going online. At each facility our students are given logons and passwords which are strictly theirs, which means the facility can track which charts they are accessing. Most of the patients charts are also paper, so students can look at both. The facility education department will give classes for students concerning how to access documentation, which screens they are responsible for, MARs, careplans, etc. I also have a faculty who will give these classes also. It really is necessary that your faculty knows the computerized charting, because they will need to help students. Students also can go back to the education department for remediation as required. It is amazing how fast students pick up this documentation system. Our faculty also get their own logons and passwords, so they can go in and look at the students charting. If they are working at the same facility, you must make sure they use their faculty logon and not their working logon. Remember everything is trackable now. Our students can go into the facility, access a computer, and do their prep prior to coming to clinical. A problem has always been the number of computers available on the unit. And the time of day students come up. You will find this is your biggest problem, getting students access to unit computers. Some facilities will designate one or two computers for your students, which is no problem if you only have one or two students, but try having 5 - 6 and things back up. The best advice would be for faculty to learn the system, see what students will need, and go from there. We are finding that some computer documentation systems have "canned text", which greatly diminished student narrative charting. We always negotiate that students will not do "canned text", but see what works for you. Good luck. It truly is a learning experience, especially with upgrades!

Totally agree with all of the suggestions to help this students, and wholly agree that flunking the student maybe the only viable solution. But a word of warning. Do document every conversation, every outcome, and everything that was attempted. This student may or may not grieve the outcome, and you need to be ready to show why this student was not successful in this clinical. Been there and done that, and don't wish to have to do it again. But would not hesitate if the situation arises again. Good luck.

Sorry about the late reply, but holidays have interferred. I found Back from Madness from the Films for the humanities and sciences. I get a catalog from these folks, but it is still an HBO film. I can't remember where I got the multiple personalities film, I believe that a faculty or student might have given it to me. All I remember is that they said it was from a PBS show. Good luck

I like to use videos to illustrate mental illness disorders, because frankly just reading about the disorders do not always tell the entire story. I start out my course showing "Back from Madness" a struggle for sanity. Its from HBO and its around 50 minutes. It tells the story of 4 individuals with different disorders, manic-depressive, Schizophrenia, Obsessive Compulsive, and suicidal Depression, and show these people manage their diseases over 1 - 2 years. I also show a video about multiple personalities, from PBS which shows 3 people who continue to struggle daily with the outcomes of abuse as children, one hour in length. There are so many, I am really interested in what other instructors are using. Good luck in your course.

There is no doubt that this is an ethical problem. The student cheated, was observed cheating, and should be reported. This is a very hard thing to do, but ethically must be done. You know that this is the right thing to do ethically, because it is the hard thing to do. The easy way out is to do nothing, but nursing then gets an ethical nurse. If nursing does not police itself, someone else will, and we don't need another person looking over our shoulders telling us what we can, and cannot do. Let the instructor know, and let her decide what to do. As an instructor I depend upon the ethics of the students to help me. I cannot see or hear everything that goes on in the classroom. Self-grading exams is not logical, because you almost set up the students for cheating. If you do not report this, what will you report as a nurse? If not now, then when? Good luck.

My state does not have a graduate nursing program that has a nurse educator option, therefore I had no choice but to go out of state, which means distance education. I think llg had excellent advice on what to look for, especially the reputation of the institution. I looked a long time, about a year, before I found an accredited, well respected school of nursing, that was also bricks and mortar. Nebraska Methodist College was the right fit for me, and I got an excellent education. Be sure that your MSN is of a good quality that you can transfer jobs without a problem. I have another colleague in another department that got a "caribbean PhD" and now cannot get another job anywhere, because of that degree. Gonzaga University is called the "Ivy League of the West." It has a great reputation, great under-graduate and graduate nursing department. But they require your presence on their campus every other month. They may have changed that policy, so ask. As other writers have stated, distance education means dedicated, every day, learning on your own. A lot of my classmates transferred to a face to face education, because they could not do it. One hint, do the program with another colleague, or friend. Its easier to be more motivated if you have someone else to push and help you. Good luck

The best book on classroom management techniques, and really a guide for faculty is Billings and Halstead "Teaching in Nursing, A guide for faculty." Its from Saunders ISBN 978-1-4160-4084-2. Good luck

I have never heard of having a set number of test questions per credit. But since it is a "sacred cow" looks like you have no choice. I use a lot of matching questions, with each part numbered separately. I also use the NCLEX books for test questions. This helps to get the students used to NCLEX questions, and helps me with good test questions. I have used care plans, documentation, and case studies as questions with a lot of points. Drug calculations questions are always good, as are IV mixtures, solutions, and drip rates. I have sometimes asked students to write their own question, and then answer it. Their questions are usually quite interesting, and a lot harder. Good luck

Been there, done that. I totally agree with you. Why, when you need a master's, at least, to teach, is it so tough, and expensive to get? My state has no nursing education master's degrees programs, so I was forced to go out of state. And of course my college will only pay for courses taken in state. I went to Nebraska Methodist College, great institution, and found that they have a program that will pay for 85% of your tuition if you are planning on teaching after your degree. I believe that this applies to full-time and part-time students. I don't think this is just in Nebraska, but that other states have it also. Good luck.