Students- I need your input please

[JDougRN]

Hello everyone. I'd like to ask for your collective help. I am just starting out as an adjunct professor for a nursing college- I will be acting as a clinical instructor. I have been a hospital floor nurse for 20 years- I know my stuff- and I am also going to school to obtain my credentials to teach classroom nursing theory. It's been a long time since I've been in a nursing clinical instructions situation. I want to be the type of instructor who inspires students-One who nurses look back on and say "I want to be a nurse like she is.." Could I have some feedback from current or prospective students on what they think is a great nursing instructor? I don't want to be mediocre- I want to help the next generation grow into their passion....SO all of you are in a position to influence future clinical instruction- How would you suggest we make it better?

[metal_m0nk, BSN, RN]

The biggest thing for me is R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

I think a lot of instructors hold tight the idea that their students are subordinates and should be treated as such. Yes, we depend on you and look to you for guidance, but we are not children. A good number of nursing students are adults, with families, jobs, and significant life experiences. It is possible to successfully command a room full of students without talking down to them and there are ways to extract the best of them without stripping them of their dignity. Figure out how to do those things and you will find that your students will respect you, work hard and honestly for you, and think fondly of you for years after they leave you.

[swansonplace]

I am just starting my nursing school. From my other classes, I suggest:

1. I appear a bit slow in class, so knowing where and what I can study before class to get me ready helps me to get prepared ahead of time.

2. If I miss something, a way to practice the info by myself after class would be great. If you had a reference of where I could go for the additional help I needed would be great.

3. If I appear slow in class, a suggestion of a tutor in person or email would be a great help. My school requires a professor suggestion to get email help.

4. I often practice something a hundred times to make sure I have it down packed. So if I am behind, a recommended place to practice would be great. If one is not available, the okay to come to an additional class would help.

5. Correction on what is being done incorrectly is greatly needed.

6. The greatest gift an professor ever game me was love for what I was doing, as with that persistence will come.

7. I loved my professor that showed his passion for his work, respect and care for his students, and worked us and with us until we were great. He also understood what is appropriate for us to learn, and kept me in check (stopped me from learning what was not appropriate yet)

8. Answering questions where I understand the whys of question, makes the subject much easier.

9. I am a visual, tactile learning so showing a picture or procedure is much easier than explaining something usual audio only. Audio only takes me longer to understand.

10. Tell me what you want from us on tests. What materials we need to study. For example, only class info, only info from books. This makes it easier for us to study if we know what to concentrate on.

11. Be fair, be strict, be caring, helpful, show us how to love and respect what we will be doing. Teach us what we need so we can be great at what we want to do.

12. If you have references where we can practice online before coming to class it would be great.

13. Create a video of processes you want us to master, and make them available to use prior to class so we can learn them prior to class. Or have a place where we can see ones already made.