mlb69

Thanks for all of the replies; I completely enjoyed reading them although the topic was taken "way" off course... Perseverance and tenacity is sometimes needed but also I believe that standing up and fighting for what is right is truly a testament to a person's beliefs, personality, and frankly the "core" of what the person is about. Yeah some things did not go my way but hey, that is life. Life doesn't just keep on throwing you fastballs or everyone would be successful. It is how you overcome life's obstacles is what makes you, you. I would not have changed a thing that happened because it has made me a better person and honestly a better nurse. In my experience, instructors will walk all over you if you allow them too. Sometimes people just need a reality check (instructors) on why they are there teaching at their respective institution. I mean, we as students, pay these instructors a good penny to teach us about the profession; not to continually harass, dog, or bully us. I believe once the teachers come to the conclusion that BEDSIDE nursing is a different ballgame than classroom nursing, nursing schools will be much more enjoyable. Granite, you definitely use the classroom teaching however I believe in a different manner. The only really thing I would like "everyone" to get out of this topic is the HUMAN ELEMENT. This element, quite frankly, is key to success or failure.

Hey guys... An update... I am scheduled to graduate, YAY!!! Everything went smoothly the last semester and am stoked everything worked its way out!!! Just wanted to update everyone!

Yes.. 2nd full week back and everything seems fine... Kinda upset that I have to make up 5 tests this week before spring break, but, whatever... Pretty sure I passed all of them but I was confused with the cardiac test w/ volume increase/decrease with pulmon stenosis, too much resistance.. I knew the information but the words they described them were different and I choked a little. Anyhow, I honestly do not care. Yes I want to finish, but, hey I have been driven threw the ringer and just need sometime to sit back and relax :) Oh, thats right, I have 2 semester care plans due after spring break

2ndwind you are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!!! My final decision is to go back and honestly put this behind me. I will work hard to get through and finish. More details need to be ironed out but I feel we can come to an agreement to where they will allow this. I just hate missing lecture time as our lectures are 4-5 hours and you miss one class you are WAY WAY behind!! Yes I am a week behind schedule, 3 tests behind, but I can catch up relatively quickly. I think I have made enough of a "stink" about this whole process that I am beating a dead horse now. So THANK YOU EVERYONE for being objective and explaining some of the "dots" that I seem not to get. I took everything objectively and it really pointed out to me a few things I do need to work on. Wish me LUCK!! MLB69

My argument is right vs. wrong; these instructors had an "agenda" of their own (in my opinion) and I HONESTLY believe that if I do not make a STAND then this same practice will continue to many other fellow nursing students. Times have changed so why can't the cruelty of what nursing students are put through change also? I mean nursing is supposed to be a compassionate, caring profession but day in and day out I personally receive nothing but the 5th degree. If these instructors REALLY cared about the profession they would leave this "bias" alone that both of them have. OH by the way, did I mention that one of MY instructors said I was unsafe without even having a SINGLE clinical with me? How unprofessional is that especially coming from an instructor? In the hospital setting you say that about someone and that is considered slander and is a fired offense on the spot at any local hospitals and possible civil litigation on top of that. I am absolutely not going to finish out my degree at that college and I have thought this over and I do honestly believe that if a civil suit does not come from this these teachers are not going to get reprimanded. In all honesty, I would not be too "sad" to see them fired but I am better than that. I do not want them to loose their jobs but I do want a course of action taken against them so they understand "their" agenda is absolutely no place in any school of nursing. The agenda should be frankly us the students and preparing us to be the best possible that they could not be; maybe teach them from some of the mistakes they have made etc... I just found out that one of my instructors almost killed a patient by giving them 25k units of heparin and tried to blame it on someone else... Go figure; talk about being unsafe..... At this point there are many many more options that I have and I am just waiting for these options to get cleared next week. As of right now this program has not earned my trust back from the actions they are doing and frankly I just do not know if this trust can ever be regained. What do all of you think? Is this a "fair" course of action?

Well I do not understand how I did not follow the "ABC's". If the circulation was compromised, which it was as a direct result of his blood pressure falling turning white as a ghost and sweating perfusly, my nursing diagnoses of fluid volume deficit fits. IT does not matter in my book what type of "psych" issues he has or has had but at the current time if you do not fix this specific deficit he is not going to see another day.... Is this the right train of thought here?

I just wish that this had gone down a more politically correct way b/c frankly, I am scared. If they can just about throw a student out for a "bias" that is totally undocumented then they can just about do anything in my book...

GREAT response Dudette... My perspective (honestly): I would really love to go show them what I am made of and to demonstrate that their "bias" of unsafe practice was very very unprofessional. I want them to eat their words and apologize following graduation. This will never happen but one can wish :) I want to show them that the education I have received far exceeds what they ever expected into the nursing as a profession. However, in reality/practicality this just seems to me as there way of "attempting" to do right and that next time they will come at me with machine guns loaded...

What is the difference between finishing up with excelsior and finishing with the institution? Which would you all recommend? Is there any other "recommendations" or thoughts/suggestions anyone else might add?

Well the main point is why does there have to be games? We are ALL adults paying these instructors to teach us. I have learned a lot from my teachers, while I have learned a lot of nursing as a profession. If nursing is suppose to be this "compassionate, caring" profession why do they have instructors like this? To me it makes absolutely no sense.

I am torn b/c I want to finish but I "feel" that if I go back I am setting myself up. I have looked into finishing with Excelsior and they said I would only have 4-5 classes to take if the classes I have now transfer.. Do you think it would be better to finish with excelsior or with the original institution in which this whole mess started?

Well getting back is GREAT news, however, is ALSO bad news.... The way our program works is that we have "checkoffs" again and a final in physical assessment. Unfortunately these 2 things are very subjective on some aspects and basically I am giving them an opportunity to dot their i's and crossing their t's this go around. To me, this currently is not a "learning" environment. A learning environment is one that everyone is calm, cool, and collective in which the teachers obviously were not in this situation. What do you all think?

Just got off the phone with the department head and, well they do want me to come back as "protocols" were not followed. As far as "I'm a second semester student, and personally, those values made me raise my eyebrows. I miss alot of stuff too, and that was just one example. But, I don't know what he's truly like as a student, but that one example did perplex me.; what exactly made you raise your eyebrows? or perplexed you?

The twin had a less than 10% chance of survival; so this information is solid versus the "stable" H&H levels....

The problem is how can they NOT be priority? The FVD made the patient almost crash, and, anticipatory grieving mother is "huge" in my eyes and should be in nursing. To me the compassion of concentrating on that outweighs concentrating on a "RISK FOR" nursing diagnoses....

correct

Any other opinions, concerns, thoughts???? I am very open to suggestions.... I do not blame anyone for anything and I can accept constructive criticism.....

Consulting an attorney has already been done but he is like a rabid dog.... In all honesty, I just think it is going to be a huge mess that in the end I might get some money but I still have NO NURSING degree, which, is ironically what I am paying them to do anyways... Like a dog chasing their tail... That is how I feel right now... I keep on going over it in my head and every time it just doesn't make sense. They make me feel like I am just not cut out to be a nurse but I should be failing if that were the case.... God only knows what is going to happen next I suppose...

The whole point is what happens next? Obviously there is a "bias" currently and even if I go back they will continue thinking this.. So when I get a F on clinical will this whole process start back over?

Nope, just me....

Well to me I connect "enough" dots to be safe and effective. Just because I do not see what they "see" doesn't mean I am unsafe, I just think on a different level then they do. I just don't understand how that can be predicted as being "unsafe" when one of the instructors has NEVER had a clinical with me... Nursing school is stressful anyways and to add on to this; it is just mind BOGGLING. What they want students to pick up on is stuff that was present in the 80's and I hate to say that but this is 2010 and things do change. For instance the H&H they now recommend a 9.5/27 through MEDICAL studies. I just have no clue......

But that is not the point... I have worked way to ******* hard and have had so many bumps for 2 instructors to "conclude" this subjectivity; especially to a student. Isn't their professional criteria they have to follow.. The whole way this thing has played out just has me bummed and I just do not want to have another fellow student go through this same crap... But at the same time I want my degree which I feel I am earning.... I am very lucky that my wife is a practicing CRNA, but, just because my wife has a great job doesn't mean that I cannot do anything. I have been a intensive care tech for 5 years and I ABSOLUTELY love nursing; it is my passion..........................................................................................................................

I just do not know how to go about this whole thing.... I have followed the chain of command like they told us to. They are trying to "resolve" the matter before it hits the vice presidents desk, but, in all actuality if this happened now what is to say it will not happen when clinical evaluations come up? I am stuck in my opinion....

Correct. I am a male...

So any "opinions" as to why I have been chosen to be a "target" for something so stupid (at least to me this whole process has been very ignorant on their behalf)?