I have a group of clinical students. A few are amazing, a few are average (performing at expected level) and there are three who are not doing well and don't seem to have the self-reflection skills to realize that my feedback might be valuable or helpful to them or how they need to focus their attention. I meet with each individually during the clinical day and review the clinical log he or she submitted the week prior, going over it in detail. Two of them get mad at me and seem like they feel attacked, and will argue silly points with me (for instance, they have to include two different nursing diagnoses, and one submitted the same one twice with two different "R/T" and tried to argue that that made them two distinct nursing diagnoses...and the list goes on). The third just says "ok,ok,ok" throughout all my verbal feedback and then nothing changes. All the rest ask pertinent questions, show insight, make their nursing thinking clear on the logs, get better every week. A student telling me "You said that last week" in a scornful tone is just not leading me to think that she would be a safe nurse...but attitude is subjective, right?
I can't figure out why these particular three have such a difficult time with feedback. This is not even a graded assignment we are talking about. It's just a log, a way to guide their thinking toward the nursing process, which I can facilitate if they will let me.
Any ideas or feedback for me would be appreciated.
I always try to relate their shortcomings to the skills they will need as a nurse. When they don't follow my rubric, for example, I tell them that attention to detail is a key nursing skill. That approach tends to help cut off the complaining, I've found.
My favorite clinical instructor was the one who was the hardest on me and made me cry. Twice. She taught me more in that rotation than all my other rotations combined. She was very good with the constructive criticism (and occasionally just criticism) but she ALWAYS made me think and pushed me to be my best!
Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. These are all great points. I appreciate the variety also (current students, former students, instructors).
I am trying to consider both my tone and content. My tone may have not been what I thought it was. I am also working on the "compliment sandwich" approach. Most importantly though, we are an ADN program that has career ready outcomes as a high priority, so the job skills are really stressed (much as I was ready to be a NANDA cheerleader and talk about our nursing theorist heroes LOL)-- job skills such as giving and receiving feedback, communication, and being a team player that are just crucial are stressed much more than the theoretical aspects.
I started with my new clinical group and I said to them, "I give a lot of feedback, it's my job, and it's not to tell you you are doing poorly but to guide you in your practice." I think that will make a difference- knowing that up front. I tried to lay my expectations out transparently!
nurse2033, MSN, RN
3 Articles; 2,133 Posts
I always try to relate their shortcomings to the skills they will need as a nurse. When they don't follow my rubric, for example, I tell them that attention to detail is a key nursing skill. That approach tends to help cut off the complaining, I've found.