If you could have an open, honest conversation with your instructors - classroom or clinical - what would you tell them?
Here are some of my thoughts:
(1) Please make sure that everyone follows the rules & meets the requirements. Don't let some students make their own rules while others work hard to follow every rule! While there are always times exceptions must be made, the same students are often getting away with everything.
(2) When I'm in clinical, please just step back and allow me to do the task I have to do. Don't stand over me asking questions! Your running commentary makes me a nervous wreck. As long as I'm doing my task correctly, observe & keep quiet! If I do something wrong, please explain it to me and give my another opportunity to prove I can do it.
(3) Please ensure your expectations are clear and consistant. If you want our weekly patient write-ups a certain way, tell us. Don't change your expectations without letting us know!! The bottom line: most of us are working so hard to do our best! Tell us what you want from us and we'll always do what we can to get a good grade!
To my profs: I love you all! Thank you for filling your lectures with clinical stories to provide examples and keep us awake at the same time! Esp you, Dr. J, for your incredibly "inappropriate" jokes. Those always made my day.
To my clinical instructor: Thank you for listening to us (even though we were whiny about it) and backing off so we could actually experience something without seven people looking over our shoulder.
To the nurses and PCAs on our floor (except for that one grouch): Thank you for not killing me when I tracked you down to ask you where the trash bags were or for the code to the clean room or something equally silly; you kept me from getting "the look" from my clinical instructor. Thank you, thank you!
To my fundamentals professor: Are you really new? Is this really your first time teaching? wow! You are absolutely freaking awesome. I love coming to your class. I love your teaching style and how you keep the class alive by getting us involved in discussions, and not just standing in front of the class reading PPs.
To my med admin professor: I honestly think that if I had anyone else but you, I just may not pass this class. I love your teaching styles and the way you attempt to cater to everyone's learning style. You are great.
To another professor: Instead of complaining to the front row about how the other students are talking so loud you can't hear yourself speak, how about just calling them out on their rude behavior? And why do you allow the class to whine and complain as much as they do? And why do you allow them to bumbard (sp?) you with questions about what's going to be on the next POP quiz?
I had to same teacher for my 2nd and 3rd med surg classes. Even though I was failing both classes at the same time you told me I could do it I was a smart cookie. Thank you for the little pep talks before I took my tests. I passed both classes and I can tell you right away how bad a blood gas is.
Most of my professors I ended up loving, great women, teachers, human beings. However, but, whatever, the one I am directing this to, try to be a human being, we are students, not nurses, If we don't know how to do something, guide us teach us, not get your ego off my giving us an F for clinical that day. Try to remember what goes around comes around in life. God don't like ugly
This is also for the students at clinical: please respect the other patients. You do not have to walk through the hallway laughing and making all these noises. Patients are resting, are in pain, some are dying. Please be less sellfish and start thinking about them, as well!!!
I was reading through these and you all said some things that I would love to say as well.
The test questions...I'm SO tired of that. It does help to know that it's not only happening at my school, but still...where do they get these questions from?
and, I think if you're a clinical instructor and you truly don't know something, stop and say, " I don't know, but we can find out together" or something... I get so tired of being told something that is so wrong by someone we are supposed to be counting on to teach us. It's pointless and it's a waste of our time and money, not to mention...what if we just kept doing things the way they taught us when they're wrong, simply because we think it's right...
I think nursing schools should screen employees better before hiring so easily.
I also hate how the rules never seem to apply to everyone in the class. Some people can seriously get away with ANYTHING and then others HAVE to follow EVERY single rule in the rule books... it's really unprofessional.
If you really believe the way to deal with a personality conflict between one student and one or two others is by having the entire clinical group, a total of 13 and two others not from the pod and completely ignorant as to what has transpired, confront that person without allowing the person being confronted with either warning that this will happen, or the ability to defend themselves, you are utterly and completely wrong.
and if you really believe that this 'encounter group' actually did anything to successfully resolve any issues instead of CREATE new ones and significantly damage the trust and semi-security, respect and honor of the one who was confronted, again, you are sadly mistaken. And do not even think that the utterly unfounded accusations, including neglecting a patient, fell on deaf ears...for it hasn't.
Please, please, please....write your own quizzes, since you're using your own lecture materials. I can appreciate not wanting to reinvent the wheel, but when our lectures go nowhere near a topic that shows up on our quiz...it's more than slightly annoying!
Please try to answer our question
And, please stick to your lecture topics. Stories are a great way to learn, but yours go all over the place. It's killing me.
to another...
You intimidated the hell out of me when we met on the first day of clinicals. But, you were absolutely amazing and forced me to do the very best I could. Your praise at my good deeds and encouragement during my mistakes are priceless. Thank you!
to my CI...
I don't even know what to say to you, seeing as how I never see you when I'm on the floor. Thank god for the nurses that work there and their committment to patient care. Without them, I don't think I would have learned anything this semester.
And, please...if you decide to clock in during our clinicals, can you at least put off pages from other departments until after we pass meds?
mcs1505
163 Posts
To my profs: I love you all! Thank you for filling your lectures with clinical stories to provide examples and keep us awake at the same time! Esp you, Dr. J, for your incredibly "inappropriate" jokes. Those always made my day.
To my clinical instructor: Thank you for listening to us (even though we were whiny about it) and backing off so we could actually experience something without seven people looking over our shoulder.
To the nurses and PCAs on our floor (except for that one grouch): Thank you for not killing me when I tracked you down to ask you where the trash bags were or for the code to the clean room or something equally silly; you kept me from getting "the look" from my clinical instructor. Thank you, thank you!