Tricky/Unfair Nursing professor..HELP

kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 16, 2013

Tests that are given are reviewed prior to actually being given. All test questions have to be approved for a teacher to use is what I'm getting at. If something warrants reviewing or adding back points, then it's done. Certain questions may add points back...now student at A may receive 5 points because the 5 questions they missed were those that award points. Student B may get 1 point because they only missed 1 of those questions.

And when they say study A B C, and it looks like X Y Z. It really is A B C in an applied form(not gonna say its that critical thinking crap, it's THINKING). So let's say you study Fluid and electrolytes. you learn about the things that affect potassium in the body. and you also have a cardiac lecture about EKG's, which includes causes of PVC's. If the teacher says that PVC's are caused by a low potassium. But your test question has "a patient has had diarrhea for 3 days and poor PO intake, what do you expect to find on their EKG?" Or they show you different ekg's and you have to pick the right one, they are TESTING that you can connect the dots. They want you to know that the pooping and poor intake are contributing to low potassium which will show PVC's on the EKG. Or they can say that the patient is having PVC's, which of the following lab values would you expect to find. And you would pick a low potassium from the 4 choices. Or they can make it a select all the at apply asking about what you might find with a patient pooping and not eating. You would find low potassium, ekg changes, etc. Make sense?

Cllaws889, BSN · Oct 16, 2013

I would say that if the Dean reviews the course and finds no reason to revamp the class then there shouldn't be any reason to revamp the class. At my college I've heard of this situation coming up with a few of the instructors that used to teach the entry level assessment courses for the bachelors track (1 of which I had). Out of this situation came the dismissal of 2 faculty members and the replacement of another who was more fit to teach the DNP track anyways. With all of this information being said, I noticed that there were 3 things that made the students in these faculty members' classes panic and do poorly (they all are very intelligent...they're going to have no problems passing NCLEX next Fall) they had anxiety about the faculty member from poor previous experiences w/ her, they didn't particularly fall into the critical thinking aspect naturally, and finally they over studied (The biggest thing IMO that ruins Nursing students.) Basically, what I'm saying is you're going to do well, don't let your poor previous experiences dictate your future because if you do what you've always done you will get what you've always gotten (switch it up and find what helps with this class), and don't study till the point you need Haldol. Good luck!

elkpark · Oct 16, 2013

Tests that are given are reviewed prior to actually being given. All test questions have to be approved for a teacher to use is what I'm getting at.

(Not sure where you got this idea -- I've taught in a few different nursing programs over the years, and I've never been anywhere where instructors' tests were reviewed and "approved" in advance -- test content was entirely and solely up to the course instructor. Administrators might get involved after a test has been given if a large enough group of students appear to have a legitimate beef, but there is no prior oversight in any nursing program I've ever attended or taught in.)

morte, LPN, LVN · Oct 16, 2013

(Not sure where you got this idea -- I've taught in a few different nursing programs over the years, and I've never been anywhere where instructors' tests were reviewed and "approved" in advance -- test content was entirely and solely up to the course instructor. Administrators might get involved after a test has been given if a large enough group of students appear to have a legitimate beef, but there is no prior oversight in any nursing program I've ever attended or taught in.)

Thanks Elk, I thought that was bogus, but I have never taught so I had no basis to comment....

Cllaws889, BSN · Oct 16, 2013

Our college lets professors or instructors develop tests, however the clause to the situation is that anytime there is a dispute it must be reviewed by the professor or instructor administering the tests. If not to the students satisfaction it must be reviewed by the Dean and College's BON. If the dean and BON see nothing wrong then there is "nothing wrong".

kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 16, 2013

Bogus isn't the right word there...I understand what you mean though because this might not occur at other schools. Just like one hospital may do something that another has never heard of, I can't speak for other programs. But the BSN program I attended(and I'm back there for the MSN and my wife is doing the MSN in education track) has a curriculum review board. They review the exams for those classes who typically have a higher than average fail rate. This is one of the initiatives of the new dean. She's redesigning the curriculum all together and this review group may be part of her evaluation method for the new design.

krisiepoo · Oct 16, 2013

without trying to start anything, SHE didn't fail 6 people, 6 people FAILED on their own. a majority still seemed to pass just fine.

I say this because in my program, so many people have this persecution complex and thing the instructors are out to get them when in fact they're just not studying/retaining the information they need

The DEAN reviewed this course and OK'd her to keep teaching. She's apparently doing a good job

springchick1, ADN, RN · Oct 17, 2013

without trying to start anything SHE didn't fail 6 people, 6 people FAILED on their own. a majority still seemed to pass just fine. I say this because in my program, so many people have this persecution complex and thing the instructors are out to get them when in fact they're just not studying/retaining the information they need The DEAN reviewed this course and OK'd her to keep teaching. She's apparently doing a good job[/quote']
Agreed! It's like the girl in my class who said the test we just took was ridiculous and unreasonable because a few people failed. The majority of us passed. He isn't out to get you, you just didn't understand the material or didn't know how to apply it. There is a difference.

springchick1, ADN, RN · Oct 17, 2013

Agreed! It's like the girl in my class who said the test we just took was ridiculous and unreasonable because a few people failed. The majority of us passed. He isn't out to get you you just didn't understand the material or didn't know how to apply it. There is a difference.[/quote']
And when I said "you", I was referring to the girl in my class, not the OP:)

kgh31386, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 17, 2013

Being brutally honest...a majority did end up passing. I also don't agree with being short by JUST 3 points...you were short by a cumulative trend/average that lead you to being 3 points below the failing line. Many missed questions contributed to the final grade.

MultiTasker33 · Oct 17, 2013

Unfortunately, the school isn't going to say, 'what did the instructor do wrong to cause those 6 students to fail?'...the school is going to say, 'what did the 14 students who passed the course do differently than those you didn't pass?' I hate that it has to be that way and I hope it works out. You've already gotten this far, hang in there!