Resigning from nurse educator position and not allowed to tell my students

Nurses Professionalism

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I am resigning from a nurse educator position (where I am the student's didactic, lab, AND clinical instructor). I gave my Dean of Nursing plenty of notice (4 weeks) and she has told me that I am not allowed to tell my students I am leaving. I leaving week 8 of their 12 week course by the way. She thinks it will "stir the pot" and wants to just show up on the Monday after I leave and tell the students when she takes over teaching the last four weeks of their class. I personally feel like this is a horrible idea and a what terrible human would do. I feel that I owe it to my students to tell them I am leaving before they just show up one day and I am gone.

I have a feeling that the reason my Dean wants it done this way is so she can make me look bad when I leave and tell them I just up and quit. Right now, I have 2 weeks left and I am wondering which of these options would be the best.

1. Do as my dean requests. Say nothing to the students. Tell them to have a good weekend and just never see them again.

2. Do as my dean requests, but text the students after their next class to explain that I was not allowed to tell them myself. I have all of their numbers and they text me on a regular basis, so I don't think this would be weird. I do think it will create drama if my Dean lies to them about how I left, but I think it's fair that I explain myself if she is going to be untruthful.

3. Tell them at the end of my last class. What is the Dean going to do? Fire me??

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How about a final appeal to her sense of ethics/professionalism. I wouldn't think it would be easy/comfortable to try to refute an argument along the lines that the two of you are involved in educating future professionals and that just not showing up for class is not setting a good example of professional behavior. Remind her that you have a good rapport with the students and that they know to expect better of you. Discuss how people typically understand that this is life and sometimes things change and that treating them with respect when things do have to change is important. Tell her that the students and the school (and she, as the new instructor) would be best served by allowing you and the students to have a brief moment of closure.

Propose a positive and reasonable alternative: Invite her to be present so that you could take the opportunity to say good-bye and to respectfully turn the class over to her, a very capable instructor, to finish out the course. Kind of like a patient care hand-off.

Keep it 100% positive!!! Resist the temptation to tell her they're all going to text you anyway, or something like that.

Just try the positive appeal.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Gerontology, Education.

I agree with JKL33 that "just not showing up for class is not setting a good example of professional behavior." You are a professional and should not be prohibited from modeling professional behavior for your students. I also agree with JKL that a final appeal is a good idea. Your option #1 is not fair to you or the students.

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I also agree.... And boy howdy if I were one of the students and found that the DON were to pull a stunt (and that is nothing more than a stunt) like she's suggesting, I, as an aspiring medical professional, would be extremely insulted.

That is babyish behavior on the DONs part.

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Specializes in Adult Primary Care.

Contact the University Provost.

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Specializes in SCRN.

Option number 3.

I would not even try to appeal to the DON no more.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

JKL proposed a very professional alternative approach that is worth proposing to your Dean.

Your students would be trying to call you anyway after that NEW class. Be VAGUE enough to be gracious and civil with any discussions with them.

And re your last comment - You still may need to use your DEAN for future references/recommendations. You don't want to pee her off!

And be careful about the Web!

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Specializes in Medsurg.

Just tell them. What she gonna do? Kill you?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I think its important not to "tell yourself stories" about what might or might not happen after you leave. Don't believe everything your mind tells you. You may be right. You may be wrong. But going through life trying to guess what nefarious thing another individual may or may not do is no way to live and usually winds up being incorrect and damaging to yourself. Ask yourself what you know 100% to be TRUE. I am positive "tell everyone bad things about me" isn't going to be on that list.

Then follow JKL's advice above and recognize that your future reference from this institution is probably important. Stay positive and professional.

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