how to report a teacher to the BRN?

[scibruin]

On a clinical day my instructor patted me down and searched me looking for my cell phone, which she found, yelled at me for a while then sent me home. I feel violated and humiliated. I want to know my rights as a student and her rights as an instructor (whether or not she can touch or search me). I would like to bring this to the attention of the BRN but don't know how. Any ideas how to handle this?? i've been so distraught over this here i am at 1 am thinking about it when i should be sleeping!!

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

2 questions,

Does you school/clinical have a no cellphone policy?

Were you caught using your phone or caught doing something to suspect you were?

Regardless of that, no one has the right to put their hands on you and force you to be searched outside of police/ or some types of security. I say some because I know airport security can, although not positive if you can refuse in which they detain you and wait for police.

When I worked retail security could not use ANY physical force or search people suspected of stealing. They could report to police and try to make the person think they have to stay, like by not giving choices, but if the person said too bad and went to leave, they could not physically stop them.

I wouldn't have allowed myself to be searched. That said, if I got busted with my cell phone I wouldn't lie about it or play games to cause it to come to a search, I would have showed my phone.

If this is the case, you were caught/busted somehow and it's against policy and you refused to tell the truth. I find that absurd. We are grown folks and it shouldn't have come to that.

But I still in no way find it ok for someone else to put their hands on you without permission like that.

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

So you were not suppose to have a cell phone. She patted you down and found one. Did she simply ask you if you had one and then you lied about it, which she discovered with the pat down? Or did she just walk right up to you and pat you down without saying anything? If she asked you, all you would have to do is be honest and say you had one and she would not have had to pat you down; why would she need to? If you were in fact asked if you had a cell phone and then she patted you down I am guessing you lied, I have a hard time believing she just walked right up to you and patted you down without saying anything. I am more concerned if you lied about having the cell phone than the teacher patting you down. There is something missing from this story...

[scibruin]

well the day before someone asked for the time and i had my phone and i said the time using my phone. we are not supposed to have phones. the next day someone asked for the time again and when i was looking at my watch i guess the situation reminded her and she began to pat me down while i was looking at my watch. i was so shocked at her doing that i was just standing there looking at her. no i wasn't using it, it wasn't even on. when she felt something under my top and labcoat she picked up my uniform top and saw it tucked into my hip holster. she didn't demand to see anything she didn't ask, nothing she began to put her hands on me almost joking but not. i didn't want to be too specific and get into anything particular because the situation is still being resolved. also the same instructor answered her phone in a patients room at bedside earlier that day in front of all of the class. i know just a side note nothing to do with the story but more in regards to professionalism and holding herself to the same standards.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Hmmmm something doesn't seem right about this situation. I would love to hear the other side.

[LovebugLPN]

Your instructor doesn't have to follow the same rules as you do. She can have a phone and answer it. You knew you were not supposed to have a phone. Get over it.

[scibruin]

i will post something in a few days or weeks that has the resolution to the problem of how the situation was handled that may give you more insight to the story. thank you all for the support or not. lol happy easter!

[Lucky0220]

So you are saying that you KNEW from the day before, having gotten busted for having your phone, but she didn't do anything punitive at that time...and yet you STILL brought your phone with you the next day??? Amazing:rolleyes:

[Intern67]

i will post something in a few days or weeks that has the resolution to the problem of how the situation was handled that may give you more insight to the story. thank you all for the support or not. lol happy easter!

I would say you have caused yourself enough harm already and you should most definitely let the problem drop instead of trying to "resolve" it.

You many not like it, but this is about the best support you can get.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

well the day before someone asked for the time and i had my phone and i said the time using my phone. we are not supposed to have phones. the next day someone asked for the time again and when i was looking at my watch i guess the situation reminded her and she began to pat me down while i was looking at my watch. i was so shocked at her doing that i was just standing there looking at her. no i wasn't using it, it wasn't even on. when she felt something under my top and labcoat she picked up my uniform top and saw it tucked into my hip holster. she didn't demand to see anything she didn't ask, nothing she began to put her hands on me almost joking but not. i didn't want to be too specific and get into anything particular because the situation is still being resolved. also the same instructor answered her phone in a patients room at bedside earlier that day in front of all of the class. i know just a side note nothing to do with the story but more in regards to professionalism and holding herself to the same standards.

if that part is accurate, and she had done that to me, she would have been met with a back hand or perhaps an elbow...

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

http://www.rn.ca.gov/

Here's the mission statement of the BRN, as quoted on their website:

The California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) regulates the practice of registered nursing and certified advanced practice nurses in order to protect the public. The Board exists to protect the health and safety of consumers and promote quality registered nursing care in California.

State boards of nursing are put in place to protect the public. The BRN generally does not discipline clinical instructors for causing students to feel humiliated during the process of enforcing school rules.

[SimonJester]

tread carefully, the school will back the instructor and you will be the villain.

my wife experienced this first hand and it almost cost her degree. she was assaulted (had a book thrown at her) by one instructor while being screamed at, then later was entrapped in a bathroom with the doorway blocked and experienced round two of the beratement.

in the end my wife had to apologize to the instructor in order to stay in the program. this all happened 1 month before graduation, we learned that the school will protect their own.

unless you have witnesses (that are not students) and perhaps a police report you are going to be the bad guy.

[greenfiremajick]

So you are saying that you KNEW from the day before, having gotten busted for having your phone, but she didn't do anything punitive at that time...and yet you STILL brought your phone with you the next day??? Amazing:rolleyes:

Yeah, but she could probably even sue! I mean Americans aren't responsible for having to follow rules nowadays....Didn't you know??

If you break the rules and something bad happens you can simply find a way to place the blame on someone else, or find a way in which you were violated and find a way out of it......Not judging the OP, just sayin'.......