Struggling in Clinical

commonsense · Apr 19, 2012

Hi Everyone, this is my first time here and Im looking to get advice from anybody. I recently started my first semester of nursing school and being in clinical has been difficult for me. My CI is very intimidating, very rude and condescending. She yells at you for minor things and today was my day to get reamed over many little mistakes. I try not to take it personally and learn from the criticism but sometimes she seems to be abusive. For anybody that went through this, do you have any coping tips? Ive developed bad anxiety and im worried about my performance when Im clinicals, especially when she is nearby. Any advice is welcome, thanks.

Sorry to hear about the difficult instructor exoticstar14. An instructor can make all the difference in a clinical rotation, whether it be positive or negative. The best advice I have when it comes to clinical rotations is to be prepared. Know the disease process of the patient, treatment goals, lab values, medications, etc. After preparing correctly be sure to stay organized during the clinical day. Keep a brain on your patients, your instructor shouldn't mind if you need to glance at it to verify certain labs, medications, fluids, etc. My last piece of advice is to be honest. If you don't know something tell your instructor that you don't know, but you will find out. Try to utilize your instructors knowledge base as well. If you are interested in something, ask your instructor to explain it and help you understand. Keep a positive and upbeat attitude during clinicals, this is always a positive, best of luck.

guest042302019, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2012

Do you have any prior clinical experience or is this your first time ever in the hospital? If this is your first time, after this semester, try to get a job in the hospital or volunteer. You may find your comfortability increase somewhat. I have never had a clinical instructor quite like this. I'd like to think that they care and it's like "tough love" because it's a very critical environment and they are trying to mentally prepare you for the rigors of the job. However, if this is your first semester, I'm not so sure if that's the best approach. I'm only a student though. Also, ask other student's experiences both in your group or past students if you can. Maybe past students can give you some advice. I go agree with the above post. Preparation. Know you patient inside and out. I know that the first semester is daunting and it's hard to find somewhere to start. There is so much to consider. I always found having writing a to-do list prior to the day helped with organization. Check mark objectives as you do them or as they are finished. If all else fails, you can talk with your instructor or head of the nursing department if you continuously feel like the instructor is being inappropriate. Good luck!

Band · Apr 19, 2012

A lot of us experience mean clinical instructors. It may be stress, my prof looked pretty stressed/burnt out every time. Just stay a step ahead, bring pocket books, and your supplies with you every clinical day. If she's just trying to belittle you, it helps to talk to your clinical classmates, this is also the time to get to know them anyway. Sometimes instructors expect you to know almost everything a nurse does already, that's what they're trying to make of you.

FORTHELOVEOF!!!! · Apr 19, 2012

I had a pretty bad instructor myself but I learned from a friend that sometimes you just have use it to your advantage. Nursing is not a job where people are going to hold your hand and say everything in the nicest ways, you are going to have doctors that yell at you, co-workers with bad attitudes, and patient's families that will rip you apart. When she is scolding you, this is your chance to put on your game face, don't let her know that you feel intimidated, throw your shoulders back and after the scolding ask direct questions about how and where you can improve and how she would recommend you go about it. If she asks you a question and you don't know the answer, don't stand there and shrug your shoulders and say "I don't know" just look at her and say, I will go find out and get back to you. Take responsibility for your education and don't expect her to tell you everything you need to know (and I'm not saying you do, just don't.). Even if you feel scared to death on the inside don't let it show, work on your game face and your body language, it did wonders for me and this instructor and it has also helped me in my later semesters, you are going to have to develop thick skin for nursing so start now!

fmxkrazyone · Apr 19, 2012

My first semester in clinical was my very first time with patient interaction and I was terrified. I remember trying to do everything perfectly by the book and I remember that I ended up making more mistakes trying to do things that way. My best suggestion is to find your own methods. A bath is a bath, if your patient is safe and the job is done to the standard you were presented with, then you're justified. Patient safety is #1 always and that can't be compromised. As for a CI getting on you about little mistakes, it depends on what the mistakes are. My CI used to jump on us for a dirty patient room or if a tray was left behind. I would just say, ok, it won't happen again and fix it and try harder next time. Never tell a CI that you don't know the answer, always have something to say about a question presented to you. Like a PP said, find the answer and be proactive.

First semester is tough either way you look at it, but it does get easier as you go along you start to pick up ways to do things that work for you and you get through it. Clinical instructors are there to show you the way and redirect you and sometimes it may feel as if they are "jumping all over you" for minor things, which is what I always thought myself when my CI confronted me, but in reality when you look back, it really wasn't a big deal and you are more aware of what you are doing because someone showed you the right way. A CI should be constructive, but it may seem like they are really letting you have it, but this is just the beginning because like someone else said, you do need to develop a thick skin. Patient's families and patient's themselves will right out tell you how it is and sometimes it's hard to hear, but this is your chance to develop your listening skills and take that criticism and adapt.

It's tough, but we all go through it and it will make you a better nurse. Just hang in there and keep on studying and do the best you can and the time will fly by. Good luck and stay strong.

mindlor · Apr 19, 2012

The drill sarge has no right to treat you in that way.

Take her aside and let her know that you will not tolerate i and that you expect her criticisms to be delivered in a professional manner.

If she continues, go to the person in charge of your program and let them know what is going on.

Twinmom06, ASN, APN · Apr 19, 2012

I had a CI like this for fundamentals - she'd been a bedside nurse for many many years and didn't realize that us newbs were really inexperienced - one of us was her ***** every week...at any rate at the end of each semester we have to rate the CI's, and our clinical group gave her a very poor rating - and this semester she seems to have gotten better (I specifically didn't take her for med/surg this semester) but the ones that did said she's done a 180

allnurses Guide · Apr 19, 2012

I had a pretty bad instructor myself but I learned from a friend that sometimes you just have use it to your advantage. Nursing is not a job where people are going to hold your hand and say everything in the nicest ways, you are going to have doctors that yell at you, co-workers with bad attitudes, and patient's families that will rip you apart. When she is scolding you, this is your chance to put on your game face, don't let her know that you feel intimidated, throw your shoulders back and after the scolding ask direct questions about how and where you can improve and how she would recommend you go about it. If she asks you a question and you don't know the answer, don't stand there and shrug your shoulders and say "I don't know" just look at her and say, I will go find out and get back to you. Take responsibility for your education and don't expect her to tell you everything you need to know (and I'm not saying you do, just don't.). Even if you feel scared to death on the inside don't let it show, work on your game face and your body language, it did wonders for me and this instructor and it has also helped me in my later semesters, you are going to have to develop thick skin for nursing so start now!

Beautiful answer!

I only had one truly nasty instructor and that was exactly what I did.

However, one day that was not enough. She was really ripping me a new one. I looked at her and in the most sincere manner told her, "I'm just not as clever as you are."

That fed the monster in her and she left me alone.

Your ego has no place with these instructors.

Suck it up, be humble, feign confidence and never let them see you sweat.

Forget about avenging yourself or showing how you really feel.

It is for a very short while and if you want the prize, you play the game.

This instructor wasn't just strict. She was... well... bat-crap nuts.

Every day I had nausea and diarrhea (sorry, TMI) dealing with this woman.

It was a soul-sucking experience, but I knew it wasn't forever.

Hang on!

mssjez · Apr 19, 2012

I agree with everyone else's advice. Don't let it get to you, vent to classmates (outside of class of course), and put on your game face. It's a great skill to build for your nursing career. While I have just been accepted to nursing school and haven't experience the feared 'bad clinical instructor' yet, I did experience this while working on my Master's Thesis. My thesis advisor had nothing good to say about what I worked on, and I had to stay in the program an extra semester because everytime I corrected errors she found more things to harp on. In the end, I needed her to sign off on my thesis so I wouldn't have to stay yet another semester, and she told me she didn't think it was "Master's level work". I then sent her an email and thanked her for all the time and advice she has dedicated to me and how much I appreciated her help. After that she agreed to sign off on my thesis and offered me a letter of recommendation if I needed it in the future. Some people have been doing their job so long that they've developed a God complex and need their egos stroked to do any good. It's important to understand this, because I'm sure we will experience Doctors, Staff Nurses, and families of patients who feel as though they have the upper hand and you are beneath them. It's important to do what we need to do to get through the day without burning bridges through confrontation. It sucks, but it works and the patient will get the care they need in the end.

littlebear23 · Apr 19, 2012

Hi Everyone, this is my first time here and Im looking to get advice from anybody. I recently started my first semester of nursing school and being in clinical has been difficult for me. My CI is very intimidating, very rude and condescending. She yells at you for minor things and today was my day to get reamed over many little mistakes. I try not to take it personally and learn from the criticism but sometimes she seems to be abusive. For anybody that went through this, do you have any coping tips? Ive developed bad anxiety and im worried about my performance when Im clinicals, especially when she is nearby. Any advice is welcome, thanks.

I may not have gone to my clinical rotations yet, but in 3 weeks I do and I'm scared ****less. I can relate with you about your instructor. It seems that most nurses I have talked to have all had similar stories about their nursing school instructors. At least one instructor is the mean and ugly ogre who likes to eat all the new "nurslings" and make them feel intimidated. Unfortunately at my school, we have 3 ogres and I'm stuck with them for the whole duration of the program. One thing that I've come to realize, is that you can not show fear. Even if you walk into a room and you don't know anything about your patient, or you're learning a new skill, be confident! Be prepared and study! (Not saying that you don't study already). When your ogre tries to eat you, pull your shoulders back and put your chin up, and show her that you do know your stuff, and what you do not know, tell her and ask her to get back with her. Remember, you attract more bees with honey!

elle21 · Apr 19, 2012

I had a clinical instructor like that my first year. She tried to harass me one time and I set her straight. We never had an issue after that. Sometimes you have to stand up to people so they will respect you. Just make sure you are professional, but give her the look and the tone that says you are not going to take any BS.