Psycho Nursing Instructor.

[MA to BSRN]

Hello everyone.

I will make this very long story short...because I really need some advice. Ok. I am in a BSRN program in my 7th month. I had been warned over and over about this terrible OB teacher and what a beast she is. Well, I decided I was going to win her over and not have the problems other students have.lol!!! So the first week is three days of theory preparing for the next week which starts clinical. On the third evening of clinical as we go to dinner break, the instructor comes up to me and tells me that she cannot permit me to go to clinical next week ( it was 7 days away!!) because I have herpes!??!. She was refering to a very old coldsore on my nose. Anyway I proceeded to tell her that I do not have herpes, it was a allergy related sore on my nostril and was about 7 days since it appeared. I had no makeup on it and my allergies were bad so it looked red. Anyway, she was very rude and abrasive and said that "she knows shat herpes looks like and that until I get a blood test confirming it is not herpes I cannot attend clinical"

So, I am mad, but I am in survivor mode, so I go to the doctors and get a blood test and a culture of the "herpes" on my nose. Well, the culture came back in two days negative for everything. The blood on the other hand took too long-needless to say-on the first day of clinical my nose was clear as a babies butt, but psycho would not accept that. She wanted blood!! So, I had to drop the class, and now I have to wait three months until I can pick it up again. I am outraged. In the meantime blood work all came back negative!

She cost me three months, a great study group, and a carpool that is saving me alot of gas and frustration. Plus she has prolonged my education by three months.

I have contacted the dean and the director of the dept. and they are being very tight lipped. I know my rights were violated! She cannnot just walk up to someone and diagnose something, demand blood, and stop them from going to clinical. The school thinks that they made up for it by making sure I was placed in the next class ( it is a very impacted program). I have read all the fine print in my handbook and she clearly violated all policies and procedures. We all know what power trips these instructors have and they all play by their own set of rules!!

I am considering seeking an attorney. Anyone have a similar experience?

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

i have no advice. i have heard of no similar experience. it sounds like you followed the procedures available to you. sounds like you just needed to vent. you might want to hire an attorney and file a lawsuit against her to collect damages (the tuition you lost). good luck.

[NightOwl0624]

I'm sorry this happened to you.

When I had a problem with a bizarre clinical instructor, the dean was willing to listen and take action. This seems very unfair to you, but the school does not seem willing help out very much. I know nothing about the law, but maybe a consultation with an attorney is in order?

[Ladypie]

I haven't had this experience, but I understand your anger. All I can say is that I am sorry you have to deal with this. I would certainly not expect to repay for the class. You can't go back in time, so you are stuck being 3 months behind. I guess just try to accept it and tell yourself things could be worse. I have read so many horror stories on this site, so at least you are able to continue.

Isn't herpes spreadable even when a person is asymptomatic? I am sure there are other students with herpes that aren't showing symptoms, and they are not being called out like that. What do the rules for clinical state regarding something like herpes or outbreaks? I am not in nursing school yet, so I don't know this stuff. Couldn't you wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose?

[KIMMY03]

Ladypie, her post clearly indicates that she doesn't have herpes and it would be insulting to ask that she wear a face mask protecting patients from an allergy related cold sore, it's not a contagious disease.

MA to BSRN, I would definitely suggest you seek legal assistance. I am not yet in any program but I can't imagine that she did not violate your rights. If you couldn't win her over, no one can and it is your duty to put an end to this madness so that this doesn't happen to anyone else. She needs to lose her job or learn how to do it properly!

Good Luck

[llg, PhD, RN]

I would definitely follow up with the attorney. Remain calm and professional, but ask for compensation for your losses. You can't change the past ... but maybe you can be compensated for your losses. You may also get some emotional satisfaction if it causes the school to improve the situation for future students.

Good luck to you.

[imafostermom]

I also have no real advice but I am concerned that you might get her for your upcoming rotation. Are there other instructors for OB? I sure hope you have other instructors. Also, did she approach you in front of others and say this???

[MA to BSRN]

Thank you. I appreciate all the support!!

[goodstudentnowRN]

These instructors are truly inquisitive. I have known instructors to dislike me because I do not discuss my home life with them. She is a psycho. Do not let this woman take away your dream. Fight it to the end!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

When I had a problem with a bizarre clinical instructor, the dean was willing to listen and take action. This seems very unfair to you, but the school does not seem willing help out very much. I know nothing about the law, but maybe a consultation with an attorney is in order?

School administrators not seeming willing to help out is not quite a correct assessment.

1. They placed her in the next class.
   
2. The OP, when she did contact the dean and director of the department said they were "being very tight lipped".
   • I was in management. The first rule of any filing or report of a grievance by a subordinate is for managers to remain in a mode of noncommittal and objectivity and begin an investigation.
     
   • You are taught to do the same with a patient, for instance, who says they think they have cancer--you don't agree with them--you become objective, rational and empathetic.

Now, could the dean and director of the department have been more empathetic and compassionate about the student's situation? We don't know because the OP didn't tell us anything about their response. She only told us about what this instructor did. I read the post over several times. I'm thinking that there was a policy or rule in place that this "Psycho Nurse Instructor" either followed, or didn't quite follow to the letter. The OP, it seems, may have filed a grievance (?) after reading the policy and discovering this too late and is now upset about the fallout. I don't know, but I hope that is what happened. As I mentioned from my days as a manager, if "Psycho Nurse Instructor" was wrong and it is now being investigated internally, the OP and all of us have to wait for the outcome because these things take time and have to be done by rules of fairness. That includes maintaining the confidentiality of the instructor. The dean and the director of the department unlike a bunch of gossipy students aren't going to go around blabbing what is going on!

The OP course of legal action would be to file to recover for the money damages she suffered (tuition, other expenses she has to now pay because of this 3-month delay). I hope she saved receipts to prove it all.

[Natingale, EdD, RN]

wow what a butthole. LOL you are a far better person than I. Good luck to you in all your endeavors.

[LMRN10]

Wow...that is not right at all...I think some sort of action needs to be taken against this instructor because that was absolutely uncalled for! Whether it be following up with the Dean or Legal, I would be so mad I'd have to do something!

I was very lucky with my instructor last semester...she was very down to earth and that is how most seem!

Good luck and I'm sorry she cost you 3 more months...I understand how precious that time is!