"Issue" with professor

[EDRN-2010]

Lets say you are about to begin the last term of your nursing program. You and and another student want to swap class sections. In all the previous terms, if the section you wanted was full, the only way to get into it was to find someone to swap with you and put it in writing, they would not overfill a section. This is my situation. I personally have never swapped with anyone before but some of my friends have and it was an easy process. I assumed it would be for me too. No. I have no idea what went wrong. I was told no, which was fine. I had no idea why, but I did not question it. Well I get a note to see the professor after class Monday to sign a counseling record regarding the "issue". I do not feel comfortable having a write up in my student file. Our policy handbook states that these records are for violations of school policies or procedures, I have no idea what policy I violated (I do not think any). It states right in our manual the protocol for switching and I followed it. When she pulled me aside and said the answer was no, she was a bit condesending and said something about how I signed a form when I started the program saying I had to be flexible and it seems like I am asking the school to cater to my schedule. I was not asking the school to cater to anything, it was an equal swap. I am not one to ruffle feathers but am I crazy for fighting this write up? I asked, she said no, I said ok!! I am pretty sure if I refuse to sign it that it still goes in my file. It seems like such a minor thing to make a big deal about I have no idea how it got to this level. I heard a couple of students went to the dean over the summer and complained loudly and got him to switch their schedules without having someone to switch with, so maybe I am just getting the back-lash from that?? I told the situation to a friend of mine that graduated last year and she warned me to be careful and said I don't want to cross this person. She is right, I don't!

In nursing school they always tell us to question orders we dont understand etc, and to stand up for ourselves, why should this be any different? I am actually nervous to go to school tomorrow because I know this person is going to want to talk to me. I feel like I am going to stumble with my words and break down crying. I have a perfect academic record, and have never had ANY issues before. I attend a smaller private school and I dont want this situation be what people remember me for or prevent me from getting letters of recommendation.

I dont want to make things harder on myself this coming term. It's too late to take back my request for an explaination. Sorry this is so long....I ramble when I am nervous.

Any words of encouragement or advice on how to word/handle this will be much appreciated. :heartbeat

[EDRN-2010]

I am not going to argue the point with the DON, I just want to move on and focus on my studies and my family.

I have a meeting with the Dean of Students on Thursday to discuss plans for the upcoming year in the honor society. I am going to have to tell him that the time that they want to have meetings is not going to work for me and why. I don't think it will fly being the chapter president and not being at the meetings. It doesn't seem fair of me to ask everyone else to change their schedule for me, so I might see if someone can take my place. I really want to be president but I have had a chance to do alot already. I was Vice president last year and treasurer the year before, so maybe I should feel lucky I have been able to be so involved while in such an intense program.

I do not have any idea why the department of nursing would want to do this. Maybe it is a lesson of some sort about sacrafices...

Oh well, I am hopeful that everything will work out one way or another.

[JBudd, MSN]

You should not have a write up in your file when you followed the syllabus. Especially since you accepted the decision that did not allow your switch. What was hammered home in my nursing ed courses (graduate), is that the syllabus is the contract between you and the course instructor. For the head prof to deny that it is ever allowed is nonsense.

I would mention this situation to the Dean when you are there, not to pursue the issue but to let him know you attempted to solve the problem according to the written guidelines, but ended up with a disciplinary action because of it. Make it just that simple, no whining, just statement of fact. The Dean needs to know that this garbage is being pulled. The prof is obviously interpreting the syllabus to support herself when it is not clear at all that there was a time limit.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I would not have signed it. If in the syllabus it is not stated that you have to do the request in a certain amount of time, then you did nothing wrong. Like ^^ said the syllabus is there so you both are aware of the rules and what you need to do to prevent things like this. Sounds like the teacher was wrong and didnt want to admit it.

[AOx1]

I also have to agree with JBudd, a syllabus is not only a promise between student and instructor, but a legal document. I can't help but wonder if this is a newer instructor who is unsure of his/her authority and wants to establish standards but has gone overboard. Either way, this is not your fault.

Some other possibilities if you don't feel comfortable taking this to the Dean: the committee that handles student issues should be aware of this to clarify to policy so others aren't unfairly written up, and you should mention this in your end of course survey and your exit interview. When I teach, I don't see the evaluations until the next semester. This is the case at many schools. This is not professional behavior on the part of the faculty.

[amandapmct]

I completely agree with Ranka. I think you should meet with the dean and also write a response to the write-up, including a copy of the syllabus. Why didn't the head instructor intervene? This is clearly not something you did wrong or should be written up for.

[goodstudentnowRN]

Oh boy, these schools are something else. I am just too tired of the nursing schools politics. For this reason, I do not make petty talks to anyone. I just do my work and head home. 6 weeks to go and I am out!

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

well...I may have a different take on this...I do Agree that in a perfect world you should not have signed the write up and taken this higher...etc.

but this is NS. Better not to make such a huge stink and have a big target on your back. Just put it behind you and move on....good luck!