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?
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!
I once had a (temporary) supervisor like this. Psycho and unprofessional.
She cannnot just walk up to someone and diagnose something, demand blood, and stop them from going to clinical.
You are right. And let that be a lesson to the rest of us. If someone does something similar to one of us in the future, insist that a school or hospital physician make the diagnosis. Right away.
There is no way anyone can "know" that something is herpes is just by looking at it.
School administrators not seeming willing to help out is not quite a correct assessment.
They placed her in the next class.
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.
Fair enough, I just don't think "letting her continue" seems very helpful.
But you are right, I shouldn't have assumed anything more than was said.
I applaud your original intention of winning over your instructor. Remember to breathe and help the instructor and program staff with coming up with a win-win scenario.
My nursing school is impacted. We only have 40 seats and my school is committed to trying to have as many of us graduate as possible. (Unless we're incompetent and pose a risk to patients, in which case, they'll fail us.) There was obviously a misunderstanding (it's a nicer way of describing what happened). You recognize the importance of patient the responsibilities of your instructor. (Although I'm curious what qualifies your nursing instructor to make a medical diagnosis, but that isn't important at this point.) The important thing is that you see everyone's perspective and only wish to be made whole.
So... How can the instructors help you? Could the clinical requirement be fulfilled with instructor on a different schedule so that you can remain with your class? Ultimately, it sounds like this is your desire.
It's been my experience that focusing or implying legal action typically exaggeratedly upset people puts them on guard. Even with litigation, you'll be asked how you tried to resolve the problem. Document well, but don't set off alarms. Exaggeratedly upset students set off alarms. "Violated" is an ugly word that should be used sparingly. Talk to them again and see what can be worked out.
Remember to try to achieve a win-win scenario. They won't let you win by screwing over their own because that's a win-lose scenario.
Specializes in hospice, pediatrics, substance abuse.
I am certain that nurses are not allowed to diagnose anything, wven if they are positive that they are right. Having been a massage therapist for six years I know a lot of things when I see them; for instance sciatica or bursitis; however, it is still outside my scope of practice to diagnose. I don't know what your school regulations are as she is supposed to be "teaching" various illnesses etc, but I still believe she can't diagnose or demand blood! Good luck to you.
supafly
51 Posts
I once had a (temporary) supervisor like this. Psycho and unprofessional.