is this normal? I am in my first year nursing. I have had fundies, psych and now med-surg. Our professor has 4 people divided onto 4 units/2 floors. I saw my teacher all of 5 minutes today. That was to pass my one med. I talked with the other 3 and they seen her maybe 10 minutes each. We are there for 6 hours.
Is this normal to be abandoned so we have to learn and do it ourselves? Is it throwing us into the fire to force learning? Where in the world does she go? We are convinced she goes outside and naps in her car or is reading for her masters class.
Any advice? I feel like i'm learning nothing except how to try to figure out what is going on. The nurses are so busy they dont have a lot of time for the students.
Is this even legal? we dont have very much experience.
I don't think it's wise on her part to leave you guys for so long. Not to mention unprofessional with her tardiness. She is supposed to be setting an example. I just graduated and my CIs were always around. Except for one clinical that was just awful. She was afraid to let us do anything and we didn't learn jack, which is messed up for me b/c i didn't get that experience clinical gives and i have to learn the info on my own. But she's been fired and the following class have had a better experience without her. Maybe you can tell her that you'll need help doing something before she disappears and if that doesn't work she needs to be reported. And if being reported doesn't solve the problem or the school won't hear of it, it'll all be on her when a student does something wrong and she's nowhere around. Some people have to learn the hard way unfortunately.
When I was in clinicals for school we were all usually on the same floor, there were only 2 rotations that I can remember that we were on more than 1, And when we were we did not do hands on pt care. I did find that depending on the student confidence and the instructors confidnece in the student they did spend more time with some students than with others. Some students needed the instuctor right by thier side when ever they did anything ( this icluded vitals for some) and then there were others that would only find the instructor when we needed something signed off on.
I'm surprised your instructor would leave you alone on the floor for such long periods. When I was in school, both for my LPN then my RN, we were never left alone. In RN school occasionally we'd be on different units, but they were right across the hall from each other and the students not on the floor the instructor was on primarily, only did assessments and ADLs or if there was a dressing change they could plan the time to do that with the instructor or primary nurse present. Not only is your neglectful instructor providing a disservice to you all, she is risking her license...the license her students are working under. Granted you're all adults and should be able to follow directions not to do certain tasks without her, not everyone does follow directions
I had a terrible instructor who would leave the floor all the time, she would take over an hour for lunch and not even tell us she was leaving to eat.
We would find her in the linnen closet on her cell phone ***FYI she was over the age of 60--not that that matters but when you say some one was glued to their cell phone you think of a 20something***
If I were you--and I know this is a pain to the RNs on the unit I would just tell them "Sorry I cant find my instructor-can you double check these meds for me" if enough of you do that, maybe the hospital will get in touch with the collage and say "we are having trouble with your insrtructor Suzy--she is not on the floor with her students"
Another thing, we had to fill out every week a journal and there was a section of how we could improver our clinical experience, every week I would write--I could not find my instructor for med pass and had to resort to tracking down a unit RN to assist me---or instructor was off floor and could not be found for a question of mine--
These journals are supposed to be school property and left in your file at the end of the semester, if enough people put statements like that down on a school record--maybe the school will do something.
Thank you all for your replies.. it was another rough day. I did see her though when i got ready to go to lunch. I went to get my lunch out of the fridge in the break room and lo and behold!
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
None of this surprizes me, really. It is unfortunate, but, I really think that unless she singles you out and starts striking at you, use the time to study. There may be many dynamics that the students are not aware of. The program director of my program,for example had no interested applicants to be clinical instructors, so, she relied on previous students from years ago who have since become RNs to come and assist. I suspect that she did some serious begging, because these were tired women that had other jobs, other MAJOR commitments and while they were pleasent to the students, it showed. Also, the students work under the CIs license, and some are afraid to let them leave their site, others spread themselves thin, like yours seems to be.
I used to get calls about an hour before I had to leave the house to say don't bother, because she cancelled clinical for that day, or sometimes show up late. I didn't even get annoyed or bat an eye. I used that precious time to study for the exams since I wasn't gaining anything by being there. I know it was not what you expected, but, make use of the time in another way and just make it through the program.
When I was in clinicals I rarely saw our 3rd/4th semester professor. One day one of our classmates complained that the professor was spending tons of time with her during clinicals. I took it as a compliment, since it became clear that the prof was just busy spending her time with the students that needed extra help. Our instructor never really came out and said it, I think she didn't want to embarass anyone. Not sure what the situation is with your group.
My CI is never around.. she's always in the cafeteria, smoking a cigarette, or on other units visiting her nurse friends. Last week, one of my patients asked for a Tylenol (Ordered PRN). Took me over an hour to track my instructor down to give it. I was livid, but I couldn't say anything because she's one of these people who think we can pass meds if there is another RN on the floor. Sorry, but if you aren't going to be there when I pass the med, I'm not running the risk of getting my rear chewed.
1jazzynurse
17 Posts
I don't think it's wise on her part to leave you guys for so long. Not to mention unprofessional with her tardiness. She is supposed to be setting an example. I just graduated and my CIs were always around. Except for one clinical that was just awful. She was afraid to let us do anything and we didn't learn jack, which is messed up for me b/c i didn't get that experience clinical gives and i have to learn the info on my own. But she's been fired and the following class have had a better experience without her. Maybe you can tell her that you'll need help doing something before she disappears and if that doesn't work she needs to be reported. And if being reported doesn't solve the problem or the school won't hear of it, it'll all be on her when a student does something wrong and she's nowhere around. Some people have to learn the hard way unfortunately.