Teacher falsley accused me

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I am in my second semester of nursing school and am over 40 white female. I have 2 instructors this semester, one for maternity and one for basic med surg. All of my instructors up to this point have praised me and gave me good grades for clinicals. My maternity instructor said I am going to be a great nurse and I currently have an A in her class. My basic med surg instructor is another story. She is a black female and we are about the same age. Up until recently, she has treated me fairly well in class although she makes it obvious that she has favorites. There are 2 black females in the class who can do no wrong in her eyes even when they blatantly ignore policy. There is also a hispanic male who gets a way with murder, so to speak. Tuesday I was 7 min. late to clinicals at the hospital so she told me I had to go to the campus for the day. I have never been later for clinicals before. I had no idea what I was supposed to do at school so I went to the library and caught up on all my work. Yesterday at clinicals she was almost spitting venom at me and I could do nothing right. The hispanic male was absent from clinicals on Tuesday also and didn't even call in. The policy is no show no call are grounds for dismissal from the program. At clinicals yesterday she told him everything was fine with his absence and not to worry. She almost doted on him during the day.

Sorry this is so long but I am so distraught. We had maternity class today and my med surg teacher came in and said she needed to see me after class. I went to her office and she said follow me and took me to the nursing director's office. They had paperwork in their hands so I knew this wasn't going to be good. She started out by stating that I had missed clinicals and was told to go to the school and didn't show up. I explained that I most certainly had been at the school and I had been in the library. They said no one saw me so I rattled off a list of names. Then the director asked me why I had gone to the library and I told her I just assumed that was where I was supposed to go. She then said didn't you think to come and ask one of us. Well no because they weren't my teachers. Then my teacher went on to say I am defiant in the clinical setting and don't listen to her. That couldn't be farther from the truth. I try very hard and always say yes maam to her. She stated that she told me I couldn't do anything with out her but that I tried to do things without her anyway. This was all lies and I don't understand why I have been singled out. I was made to write a paragraph in front of them explaining in my own words my understanding of what they were saying and that I would respect her authority and do what I was told from now on. When I got to my car, I broke down and cried. I have never been accused of anything like this before and just don't know what to do.

What I don't understand is why did you have to explain that you are white and the teacher is black? I thought she was accusing you of racism but it had nothing to do with you're post. Her problem is that you were late and that you didn't tell anyone that you were at the school. It sounds like you are just trying to blame other's for what you have done wrong. It had nothing to do with race so lets keep it that way!

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You wrote that "up until recently" she treated you fairly well. No offense at all, but it just seems like she's not a fan of people being late to clinicals to me.

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Suck it up...I have been there before.Some of these clinical teachers will do anything to be validated. She is a control freak and so everything is going to be a problem for her...Do the best you can and do not entertain the petty chat with her. Always be professional with her.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Don't obsess on scoring one back on her. Don't obsess over other students' problems either. Focus on YOURSELF and YOUR long-term goal: graduation. If that means you have to give up this battle and swallow some humble pie, get your fork and some salt and chow down. Follow all of the rules to the letter and CYA. This class and instructor too shall pass.

And don't be late to clinical because she's 100% right on that point. How do you know the other student didn't call in, either to her or to the school? Unless you are him, you don't know that for certain. Let it go and focus on YOU.

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What does your handbook or the instructor's syllabus say about being tardy? In my micro class, the teacher said be in your seat with your lab notebook open for me to check at 9 a.m. If it is after 9 don't bother coming in you are not allowed and don't get points for that lab session etc. We thought it was harsh and then one day the teacher came waltzing in ten minutes late apologized her battery was dead and she needed a jumpstart. Guess what? Doesn't matter as she paid her dues and is the teacher and can do as she pleases. I also don't get why you are describing everyones race, but in addition to that, when the teacher says to go back to school......you don't ask anything like where? or what do i do there? You just leave and go to the library. That seems a little off to me. There must have been something mentioned at beginning of class that if anyone is late, or doing something you are not allowed to do (like talk on a cell phone during clinicals) you get sent back to school. Why wouldn't you go to the nursing department? In my opinion going to the library is no different then just driving home. You weren't in nursing class or clinical just off on your own doing your own thing. Sorry, but i don't think you have any reason to be so upset. Lastly, having good grades has nothing to do with being late. I want my nurse to show up on time to give me my meds and not come late and say well, I have good grades.

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When I first started reading your post I thought this was about racism, but the fact is that YOU were late for clinicals....I saw nothing that supported the fact that you are white and the instructor is black so let's not turn it into a racial issue. If you want to be a nurse, then do not be late to clinicals. Suck it up, and move on. No one said it was gonna be easy. I am sure you will go through worse than this.

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Oh jeez LOL, you guys are just jumping on her. Live and learn is the most neutral thing I can say. Good luck keep your head up.

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This is so sad. I literally have tears in my eyes. It's just not fair at all. And the instructors get away with it.... and more all the time. So unfair. But you are still in the program so fly under her radar is all you can do. So sorry for your situation. :crying2:

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What I don't understand is why did you have to explain that you are white and the teacher is black? I thought she was accusing you of racism but it had nothing to do with you're post. Her problem is that you were late and that you didn't tell anyone that you were at the school. It sounds like you are just trying to blame other's for what you have done wrong. It had nothing to do with race so lets keep it that way!

There might be more than the OP wrote regarding why race was put in the equation. Believe it or not even in 2010 there is racism. Unless you have experienced racism first hand you have no idea. She could be an ignorant person with nothing better to do than get off on her power trip at the expense of someone else. To the OP just keep a low profile, don't be late and do everything you have to do and some. Once you gradute and get your license you will never have to see that witch again. Karma is a bit**.

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you come across, in your post, as having a very defensive attitude. try not to be concerned about the other students because they are the faculty and director's problems. if they turn out to be "getting away with something," i promise you they will be found out and dealt with.

you can count on it.

not completely true. i think i can sympathize with the op, as i have been in the same situation. my nursing program was nasty and corrupt. the ones that were getting away with something were "found out", but turned a blind eye to. perhaps this isn't common, but i swore that by reading the op's post...she may have been in my program!:o

note to op: feel free to message me. i can completely relate to the unfairness that you dealt with.

fyi people, racism is alive and well...you're in lala land if you think it has gone anywhere.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Whether racism is a factor, alive and well or not isn't really the point. This would not have happened if you had not been late, so take what you can from that. Whatever the instructors motivations may or may not be, you did that one to yourself.

I agree with the advice to put your head down, be darn near flawless for the rest of the semester and breathe a sigh of relief when it is over. It is only for 15 weeks from beginning to end as a means of gaining the right to a career for the rest of your life. It could be she is out to get you, it could be she has some valid points. Definitely exam yourself, figure out what is making her feel or think this about you and fix whatever you can. Kiss her azz.

In this situation, in the rest of your schooling and throughout life after that, quit looking at what others are or aren't doing and are or aren't getting away with. Focusing on that will do nothing but cause you misery, sap energy that could be put to better use and in the end won't change a darn thing. Develop an inner sense of accountability and standards and then stick to them. That way, when you are done at the end of the day, you don't need validation from someone else and you won't worry so much about the performance of others. You will be secure within yourself and your commitment to excellence will show for itself. Whether someone else gets away with breaking the rules, you being held to the rules as they are written is not unfair, though it will feel so. Don't let yourself fret over someone else not having to live up to a high standard. Require it of yourself first and foremost and then someone else requiring it of you won't feel so harsh.

I wish you luck. Sounds like a horribly stressful situation, but I do believe you are equipped to handle it.

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Specializes in MED SURG.

I think what she is trying to say, is that she is giving favoritism to the other races. If it was the other way around, the situation would be a big uproar.

My advise is to be supper early all the time and try to do things before she asks and stay out of the lime light. Now if there are other problems document it. Just in case she tries to fail you for some reason.

In my clinical we had issues with this one group of people that the teacher played favorites, but it had nothing to do with race. They were all just brown nosers and could do not wrong. I know for a fact that a couple of them failed but were aloud to pass (They would brag about it). But in nursing school, you have to kiss butt because they hold your future in their hands and they always hold it over your head.

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