Unethical Instructor... Report or no?

[meatballgirl]

I just finished a nursing program but I have to sit for my NCLEX. I have waited for months to post this because of fear of retribution and problems from the school. Basically, I had an unbelievably bad experience with a clinical instructor and I cannot decide whether I should report her to the Board of Nursing.

First, I had witnessed some pretty atrocious abusive treatment of patients at this facility we were at for our clinicals. When I told her as I was supposed to do as a "mandated reporter," she warned me not to say anything. She reminded me that we were guests at this facility and that I was not to say anything.

Second, she encouraged all my fellow students to attack me at the clinical site when I helped a CNA help a patient who had expressed a distinct dislike for her. She had gotten in trouble with the DON over this patient. So when I helped the CNA care for this patient, she encouraged all the other students to attack me. I was unable to finish in the PM class and had to be transferred to the day class, which actually was a blessing because the clinical sites and instructors were better.

Third, she tells her students about this practice she engages in that I think is morally repugnant. She also works for a large facility that caters to the poor and homeless. When her patients are dying, she stuffs money into their hands, wait for them to die, then pry the money from their dead fingers. She claims that when she takes this money to go gambling in Las Vegas, she wins. She also collects money from other nurses so that they can also participate in this practice.

I am now finished with the program. The grades are in. I totally want to write a letter of complaint to the Board of Nursing about this instructor. I think she's beyond awful and has no business encouraging abuse coverup and lateral abuse among new nurses. Some people say "let it go." Should I?

I'm not afraid to report her now. I'm done with school.

What do you think, dear nurses?

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

At a minimum I would request a meeting with the dean of the nursing school. She has no business teaching.

[ScientistSalarian]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean when you say she encouraged the other students to "attack" you (verbally? physically?) but putting money in the hands of a dying person and then using it to gamble .... that's beyond repulsive. Report her.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

The following statements might not be popular or welcoming...

Did you witness the instructor placing money into the hands of patients and then prying it from their dead fingers? If you witnessed nothing, you're going to have an uphill battle trying to prove that 'hearsay' took place. She can easily deny ever making these statements.

You claim to have witnessed this instructor treating patients atrociously and abusing them. What exactly did she do? Some of the things healthcare workers say and do to patients may look rather horrid on the surface, but these things do not necessarily cross the line of abuse or neglect.

Be cognizant that politics are constantly at play in nursing programs and at the workplace. It is imperative you have your ducks in a row (read: irrefutable proof) when you report people. Hearsay will not cut it. Without proper corroboration, reporting people in high places can lead to career suicide for you. Good luck to you.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

This is subjective, as well as hear-say and unfortunetely, neither stands together or alone in reporting someone.

These statements that were made by this instructor regarding "prying money from dead people's hands" has a repulsive edge to them, to say the least, however, the reality is sketchy to me--I don't often think patients who have passed or are in the process of passing have a capability of "clutching" onto money....not sure why she would say this, however, that would be a "red flag" for me.

Why would your co-students think that this was ok? Are you the only one who found all this unusual? Did other people find this odd or repulsive behavior?

If you had to be transferred to the day program, how did this happen? Did they give you a reason why, or did you give them a reason why? If you have had this discussion with your former school already, then I am not sure how much more can be done.

However, if you feel strongly about the instructor's behavior, I would make an appointment with the dean of the school and have discussion. If for no other reason than to discuss the behaviors of this instructor, for the knowledge of the school. I am having a hard time with the fact that this person acts like this and no one questions the behavior. If it is a school that is part of a larger facility, then I would go online to the website, see if there's some sort of ethics line, and use it.

Now, clinical sites are overwhelming. However, if you saw things that were not right, patients treated poorly, abused, neglected, the only thing I would do is to call the local omsbudsman, and have them look into it and take it from there if needed. It is hard to deceipher what it going on as a student who is experiencing things for the first time.

If you do what you can to at least make people aware of issues, then you can be assured that you no longer have kept this information to yourself, however, have passed it along to people who can choose to act on the information or not. I would be sure that I took and passed the NCLEX first. Because at the end of the day, I would want to be sure that I was licensed and that was all set before I started talking about things--due to the fact that they are subjective and based on hear-say.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

I agree that unless you SAW her doing this you don't have much to work with. I agree the money thing is disgusting!

[BacktoBasics]

Would not say anything unless you had proof. If she told the stealing money incident in front of other students and they would be willing to agree/speak with the dean, that would be hard to do. And the story kind of doesn't make sense. Why would she place the money in their hands instead of stealing it in the first place? Or why not just keep it in their wallet and then steal it when they passed.

[OCNRN63, RN]

Would not say anything unless you had proof. If she told the stealing money incident in front of other students and they would be willing to agree/speak with the dean, that would be hard to do. And the story kind of doesn't make sense. Why would she place the money in their hands instead of stealing it in the first place? Or why not just keep it in their wallet and then steal it when they passed.

My impression was she thought if she put money into the hands of someone who died it would bring her good luck in Vegas. Twisted, for sure.

Unless you witnessed this behavior you have nothing to go on. If you do decide to report her, i would wait till I had my license and a job. The nursing community is very small. Think very carefully about the potential ramifications of your actions.

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

God knows if she's doing that ( with the money in the hands of the dying) to the downtrodden, oppressed and poor. I would not want to be in her shoes if she's doing that to her patients. I would be relieved that clinical is over. Maybe you could ask to speak with your program director ~be honest about how you feel and let them know what is being said by her in her in classes. I work as a clinical instructor and I will tell you there is personality conflicts and your indifference could possibly be chalked up to that....but let the program director know or the appropriate channel. Congrats on finishing! ♥

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

Very strange stories for sure..

[JDZ344]

I don't know about reporting her, but if you believe that the facility which you did your clinical in is abusive to residents, then definitely report that. You owe that to the patients.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Why would you not report?