VENT: Clinical Instructor for last clinical rotation

Seas · Sep 7, 2011

There is nothing wrong with a question asked by a CI. There is no such thing as returning to fundamentals. Nursing knowledge is nursing knowledge; there is no level to it. Can you tell me what type of questions you'd like to get as a student graduating in 12 weeks? This just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe you did something that led your CI question your knowledge on temperature? I am only assuming here, since I don't know the whole story.

Picking your patients yourself? I only had one CI who let us pick a peds patient from the patient list. She was an exception. Students aren't entitled to pick their patients. So, don't argue with the CI if you want to stay in the program.

What you "heard" about last semester clinicals aren't necessary the truth.

Hence, I think you are worrying things that you shouldn't worry about and that would get you in trouble. You need to chill and go with the punches.

CBsMommy · Sep 8, 2011

Seas -

As a student graduating in 13 weeks, I would prefer to have critical thinking type questions asked, not simple questions such as what temp I would consider a fever to be. I also have no idea why she asked the question. If I don't know the answer to that by now, I probably wouldn't have passed my previous classes.

Yes, in my program we are allowed to pick our patients. That's how it's been since day 1.

As stated in my post, I know there is nothing I can do to change it. That's not my frustration. My frustration is that I would prefer to be challenged. And since this is a "vent" post as stated in the tag line as well as the first sentence, I am venting so I can chill. That's what this board is for among other things. I am not looking for an argument or for someone to tell me to chill. Thanks but no thanks.

metricalpound · Sep 8, 2011

Seas -
As a student graduating in 13 weeks, I would prefer to have critical thinking type questions asked, not simple questions such as what temp I would consider a fever to be. I also have no idea why she asked the question. If I don't know the answer to that by now, I probably wouldn't have passed my previous classes.
Yes, in my program we are allowed to pick our patients. That's how it's been since day 1.
As stated in my post, I know there is nothing I can do to change it. That's not my frustration. My frustration is that I would prefer to be challenged. And since this is a "vent" post as stated in the tag line as well as the first sentence, I am venting so I can chill. That's what this board is for among other things. I am not looking for an argument or for someone to tell me to chill. Thanks but no thanks.

I get that you are frustrated - I'd be too.

But try to understand from the CI's perspective. She doesn't know what you know - she has to find out. And I don't know about you but I've seen some people in my nursing program not know some basic stuff after being learning about it and tested about it. For instance, do you know how many people I know that can't work a manual blood pressure machine?

Your clinical instructor doesn't know what you know and before she puts her license on the line it would be prudent of her to maybe ask a few basic questions to see where your knowledge is at. You may be upset at her but I think it was actually really smart of her.

I also have a background in education - one of the first things they teach a person is that you never know what a person knows so start out with the basic stuff. There are reasons why people with a third grade reading level make it to high school - the teacher assumes that the student is at the appropriate reading level for the grade.

And I understand that you need to vent but part of venting on a public forum is for people to help you figure out why certain things happened that upset you.

CBsMommy · Sep 8, 2011

I get that you are frustrated - I'd be too.
But try to understand from the CI's perspective. She doesn't know what you know - she has to find out. And I don't know about you but I've seen some people in my nursing program not know some basic stuff after being learning about it and tested about it. For instance, do you know how many people I know that can't work a manual blood pressure machine?
Your clinical instructor doesn't know what you know and before she puts her license on the line it would be prudent of her to maybe ask a few basic questions to see where your knowledge is at. You may be upset at her but I think it was actually really smart of her.
I also have a background in education - one of the first things they teach a person is that you never know what a person knows so start out with the basic stuff. There are reasons why people with a third grade reading level make it to high school - the teacher assumes that the student is at the appropriate reading level for the grade.
And I understand that you need to vent but part of venting on a public forum is for people to help you figure out why certain things happened that upset you.

Yes, I understand there are people who don't know what they should know by now. I've already had a lengthy discussion with my CI and went over my background with her so she should know where I'm coming from. I'm not upset at her but at the situation that I'm not being challenged enough...again, we had already had that discussion.

It's not her license on the line. In my state we practice and are insured under our own student licenses.

Again this is MY vent thread. This is somewhere that I can come and let off a little steam. I already know what I'm frustruated over (not being challenged enough) so I'm not sure what you are trying to help me figure out? As stated in my original post, I just needed to vent. I don't really think there is anything to figure out.

What I don't appreciate is being told to "chill" over something that may be bothering me. I am entitled to feel the way I do about the situations in my life and right now I feel less than thrilled about not being challenged in clinicals. I also don't really care if the CI asks me questions as that is to be expected however asking me what a fever is? I think that is ridiculous at this level (that's my opinion, don't try to argue me out of it).

I also don't like people assuming the only way it's done is the way their program does it. So, you were not able to pick your own patients? Well, we are able to pick our patients, as it should be. I don't want to get stuck with the same type of patients over and over again, it's not conducive to my learning. And then assuming that I am going to argue with the CI. I would never argue with the CI, which is why I came to AN to blow off steam. And, finally, telling me to go with the punches when I already stated that in my opening thread.

You know, I've been a member of AN for quite a while and have helped many people through sticky situations. I don't post vent threads very often, and now I remember why.

metricalpound · Sep 8, 2011

Yes, I understand there are people who don't know what they should know by now. I've already had a lengthy discussion with my CI and went over my background with her so she should know where I'm coming from. I'm not upset at her but at the situation that I'm not being challenged enough...again, we had already had that discussion.
It's not her license on the line. In my state we practice and are insured under our own student licenses.
Again this is MY vent thread. This is somewhere that I can come and let off a little steam. I already know what I'm frustruated over (not being challenged enough) so I'm not sure what you are trying to help me figure out? As stated in my original post, I just needed to vent. I don't really think there is anything to figure out.
What I don't appreciate is being told to "chill" over something that may be bothering me. I am entitled to feel the way I do about the situations in my life and right now I feel less than thrilled about not being challenged in clinicals. I also don't really care if the CI asks me questions as that is to be expected however asking me what a fever is? I think that is ridiculous at this level (that's my opinion, don't try to argue me out of it).
I also don't like people assuming the only way it's done is the way their program does it. So, you were not able to pick your own patients? Well, we are able to pick our patients, as it should be. I don't want to get stuck with the same type of patients over and over again, it's not conducive to my learning. And then assuming that I am going to argue with the CI. I would never argue with the CI, which is why I came to AN to blow off steam. And, finally, telling me to go with the punches when I already stated that in my opening thread.
You know, I've been a member of AN for quite a while and have helped many people through sticky situations. I don't post vent threads very often, and now I remember why.

I was being nice but I can see that you are having issues with perception of reality so let me be super clear now about what I think about your situation and how you react towards things.

1. If you don't want to figure something out then why are you venting? Do you want to be coddled and be told that it's going to be alright? Or maybe you just want people to agree with only your side? Because this is a public forum you know and there is a reason why you are venting on a public forum and not a notebook for instance which may be more private and may not offer advice of any sort. Or you just want attention?

2. As I've said, you have every right to feel the way that you are feeling. However, if a person suggests to you that you may be overreacting because just maybe the CI had a reason why she asked you that particular question, maybe, just maybe you should take that into consideration. She's the instructor not you - you may be 13 weeks from graduating but you still haven't graduated and you are not an RN. You are supposed to know at what temperature a fever is - I don't really see the problem of your CI asking you. And again, because I feel that you sound just a little too entitled, just as you are allowed an opinion, I'm allowed one too. If you don't like mine, then don't "vent" on a public message board and save your whines for a notebook that only you can read.

3. If you don't like when people assume that their program is like yours than don't post about your program on a public message board or give us crappy information about it when you are "venting." Also it would be nice if you didn't berate other programs because their CI choose their patients for their students because it actually makes more sense for the instructors to choose the patients because, you know, they know that much more about nursing than you do and would know what would be more conducive to your learning than you do. I know it's hard to believe that a person with years of experience in Nursing would know more about what you need to learn than yourself but it's the truth.

4. If I have a real issue with my CI, I would tell her. I'm just that real. Fortunately, I'm also not that entitled and I understand where my CI's are coming from.

5. I'm beginning to realize that I don't really know what you mean by "vent." See if you want to "vent" or "to blow off steam" and not hear what other people think about your situation then you should do it in a notebook or somewhere private where no one would see it or hear you doing it. But if you want other opinions about the episode, maybe a possible different perspective per se, then you vent publicly maybe to friends, coworkers, or even an internet message board. Now sometimes people will coddle you and say things like "That bad CI was wrong for asking a question that you should have known and it was bad for asking you that question when you are about to graduate in 13 weeks." Then there are other people who give a pretty reasonable response who understand what you are going through but try to give a different perspective on the situation.

Now if you didn't want that then you shouldn't have posted on a public forum - it's common sense.

The truth is, again, I understand your frustration but if you act any way you sound in this thread at clinical, I can kind of understand why the CI would give you such an easy question. Because you must be the most entitled person that I've met on this message board to date. And it really irritates me that I wasted my time in my first message in which I clearly stated that I understood where you were coming from because obviously it went over your head.

Anyways, have fun with your new clinical instructor and I hope your stuck giving bed baths for the semester because it's obviously beneath you. :rolleyes:

mtdnk · Sep 8, 2011

Yikes, CBsMommy. You do need a chill-pill.

Nrsg dx: Ineffective individual coping related to self-esteem issues as evidenced by poster verbalizes hostility and egocentricity when offered constructive criticism (you need to be able to tolerate this, you know)

rn/writer, RN · Sep 8, 2011

Okay, folks, time to dial down the intensity a notch or ten.

Arguing in an online forum isn't going to do much except get each other riled up.

To the OP, venting is good to a point, but after you let off some steam, what then? If the CI isn't up to doing the job, you're going to have to find ways to challenge yourself or the next three months will be a real drag for you. I'd be interested in hearing what you come up with.

One thought about the fever question. Different facilities can define "fever" differently. In one hospital a temp might still be considered WDL at 100.3, while at another, anything over 100 might qualify. Maybe the instructor was checking to see if you knew the facility definition.

KrysyRN, BSN · Sep 8, 2011

I'm going to take a guess that the clinical instructor knows of a few students that don't know when the fever range starts, and she is checking around to see who else doesn't know.

allnurses Guide · Sep 8, 2011

Do you do the same type of clinicals for all 13 weeks? I am in my last semester as well - our first 8 weeks are more "clinicals" of the type that we are accustomed to, with gradually increasing autonomy to an extent. And then after 8 weeks, we are assigned to a preceptor at the facility and work five shifts with that preceptor without our clinical instructor even on site. That part is called "Transition", and you basically are the acting nurse with the preceptor's guidance for up to four patients.

Your school doesn't do anything like that? Could it be your experience will change as the semester ages on?

CBsMommy · Sep 8, 2011

Do you do the same type of clinicals for all 13 weeks? I am in my last semester as well - our first 8 weeks are more "clinicals" of the type that we are accustomed to, with gradually increasing autonomy to an extent. And then after 8 weeks, we are assigned to a preceptor at the facility and work five shifts with that preceptor without our clinical instructor even on site. That part is called "Transition", and you basically are the acting nurse with the preceptor's guidance for up to four patients.
Your school doesn't do anything like that? Could it be your experience will change as the semester ages on?

I thought about this too and I am really hoping that this is what's going to happen. I just want to be challenged at the level of a new RN so I'm not clueless when walking into my first job. I don't think that's so wrong.

CBsMommy · Sep 8, 2011

I'm going to take a guess that the clinical instructor knows of a few students that don't know when the fever range starts, and she is checking around to see who else doesn't know.

I thought about this too. I would hope that people would know what the fever range is by now but then we had someone last semester who didn't know the basic anatomy of the heart so anything is possible. :)