Fl13student

My frustration lies within the fact, that ultimately - I do not believe in any event of this outcome, that I should be made to complete another 16 weeks of Peds class - pay another stellar amount of tuition, and be prevented from my next semester completely. I ordinarily would not compromise with such a debate over right or wrong. However, if I must yield to an "opinion" and not a fact or series of facts, I would be at the ready to "complete an additional two days" prior to my next semester in order to provide this instructor with a better viewing of my skills. I have also toyed with the idea of having previous instructors, and other faculty present their professional opinion. So far, I have learned that many are in shock and disbelief. Particularly the faculty that have been there for longer than I have. (6 years or more). This instructor is a recent graduate and new teacher. I have not spoken to my dean about the situation yet.... I would like to see first hand what in writing I am being presented with. Until then, I can only wonder. I cannot imagine that such an incredible decision would be made without any warning, anything??? As far as policy per the university, we are entitled to a mid point evaluation for our clinical experience, and albeit it may have only been between a short period, but some indication that this instructor felt I was lacking AT ALL would have been appropriate.

I intend to take a completely calm, articulate poised approach with a very firm request for clarification. This is supposed to be a 3 week clinical rotation. The first week we had 48 minutes on the Peds floor with a tour / orientation. We had on that following day an observational only day. The second week we had 6 hours on the unit. I had no clinical the following day. (the institution we were to do a second observation at only allowed 2 people to visit) therefor those of us who did not go, were given an Auto tutorial day (study on your own and hand in a brief essay ) The week after this we had one day only. This was the last day of my clinical experience for a SUM TOTAL OF 2 days (or half days, however you want to interpret the hours.)

We use the Abbott pump, which even has a back prime, it was in a moment of fluster, that I stumbled on my words and said Back Flush in lieu of Back Prime... it was indeed a PB, and I was surprised that she did not know, or indicate she understood what I meant. With respect to the glove issue, I absolute agree, I should never have pondered for even a moment.... however,,, as I did not enter without them, I violated no policy. I am just dumb founded.

For the record, I would like to point out a few demographics and info about myself. I am an adult over 35 years in age, with children. This is not my first degree completed at this University. I am a honor student and honor graduate with an excellent history of participation, skills, academic proficiency, and overall well rounded community based involvement and reputation. Just in case there was some wonder.. I thank you all in advance for your posts and replies!

With clear sailing ahead, and seemingly countless hours of studying, and clinical work. I am now in my third semester of the A.S.N. R.N. program. After having one day of OBSERVATION only, and two subsequent days in a Peds unit for Pediatric clinical, I have just found out, that a decision has been made to not only pull my prior Delegacy for convention been made, I was shockingly informed that I will also fail clinical. According to the policy outlined in our handbook and syllabus, we are to receive an ongoing assessment, midpoint valuation, and final clinical evaluation. I have received neither. I still have not received anything in writing other than a last minute sit down discussion informing me of the action. Evidently this culminates from an instructor who worked with me for two days only in a hands on clinical setting,who also teaches the lecture for peds in our school. According to her on my first day, upon discharging a client with RSV who was on contact precautions, I indicated I was not going to wear gloves when handing the parent the discharge papers for signing. Now, I did wear the gloves after a moment's consideration. The error of my initial erroneous thought process was, since I will not be in contact with the patient or anything else in the room it mightbe okay. Again, let me repeat, I should not even have batted an eye at the possibilityof not using gloves, or questioned there use considering technically the client was still in a room clearly labeled CONTACT precautions. I did however wear them, and despite my initial thought, did don gloves and gown prior to entry. Since that day, there was an entire week until my second day. On this day, I had been brought by my instructor a piggy back IV bolus of Fluids to infuse to a sick infant. I began to assemble, and connect the tubing to the pump, when she stopped me. I was a little flustered. As far as I knew, I had done everything correctly, verified patient, med, time, date, etc..., now I was going to hook up the PB to the pump and back prime the line to remove the air. Evidently this is not common practice for her. She asked me what was in the line.Curiously I looked for something I could not see, momentarily thought had I missed something, and then realized she was referring to the air in the line itself. A little stupidly I replied "oh, air" Now I became a littleanxious, only my second day, eager to please and show my skill, sweating in theheat of the room with gown and gloves, and caught off guard. I hung the lineup, retrieved the waste can, and hastily opened the clamp and rapidly let out a short burst of fluid. Of course since I did not empty the air slowly it left bubbles... I attempted to flick them out, and her kind intervention was instruction to just slowly let out some more fluid until they were all gone. I felt rather stupid, and hated that I looked even dumber. I clumsily stated that I was going to back flush the line, there is a way to do that with the pump. She had a questioning look on her face, and replied with, "Not that I amaware of." Toward the end of our clinical day, we reviewed electronic charting, I added a few parameters to the notes to make sure to include what I felt was a decline in status. I mentioned some possible cultural influences we needed to address that may lead to further testing, and was so very pleasedthat within minutes, the physician ordered them. After she had carefully reviewed our documentation, charting, and complimentary remarks on what a great job done,we were given the all clear to go home. On the following day, I had my midpoint valuation for the class portion of Peds early in the morning. We had no clinical today as it was our POTLUCK lunch day and midpoint evaluation for all clinical and classes. As I sat outside studying to take an early exam, the Nursing program director came out and asked me if she could have a moment with me. I was so excited. I had just talked excitedly with her about the upcoming event sat convention, received praises form her, and was delighted the she would take the contact information for the individual we needed to contact so I could begin scheduling training and certification for our students in a community outreach program. To my horror, shock, and disbelief, I was not there for her to let me know she got in touch with the trainer, she was there, along with my instructor, to inform me, I would not be passing clinical....With as much respect, and dignity as I could I requested in writing the reasoning. I declared the unfairness, I beseeched them both for clarification. Which I was told would come later. I asked my instructor repeatedly why no indication whatsoever came my way that I should have been aware of. I forced the issue, asking her, why, if there were some enormous wrong doing was I not spoken to in regards to it. I received nothing but a promise that it would be forthcoming. The only reason I was given was that she felt I was not ready, and lack of safety and performance skills was the reason. My question to you my fellow nursing students, peers,teachers, collegiate advisors, and general reading public is; what do you think? I am requesting a review, and right to grievance process. I have a hard time believing a mere 2 days on a pediatric floor of only 10 hours total is enough time to learn new skills, or full competency, let alone fail them for what you almost did or did not do!!! Let me add this one critical detail I was never infomred of. I was made aware by another source, that later this day, the infant I cared for, alongside my nurse, and instructor was later that day transported to a higher level regional facility. When scheduling the meeting with my instructor to go over her concerns and mine, I inquired about this fact. She mentioned this was another issue, that something in my initial charting was missed. Hhhhhhmmm.... could I have missed something in my charting? I don't know. I strongly doubt it considering it was reviewed several times that day. I have no way of going back to see it. If I did miss something, where was my instructor's denotation to it? How could she sign off on my charting after deeming it was fine, later make this small inference to me, and decide this is a factor????? I am not buying any of it. I don't feel my dismissal from clinical, (which doesn't matter as it ended that second day anyway) is warranted with what she has told me so far. This means that I will not graduate with my current class, I will have to attend and pay tuition (will this affect my scholarships??) for another four months to pay for failing two days. Tell me what you think! Are you an administrator? What are your feelings? Give me something!