Very disappointed in my nursing program

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I am so disappointed with my nursing program. If I didn't already work in a hospital with people who respect me, I would be quitting nursing.

My instructor degrades us, is flippant, and humiliates us in front of our peers and the other nurses in clinical. For example, last week in clinical, I was required to given a patient meds at 10:00. At 9:30, my instructor marches down the hall wanting to know why I'm not ready to give my meds. I was giving good patient care, that's why. (The patient had just finished seeing the doctor and was on the bedpan.) One of my meds was Norvasc. My instructor barked at me about my patient's blood pressure. I told her I didn't know the BP parameters for administering Norvasc as I couldn't find them written in the doctor's orders nor in my drug book. She barked just to give the medication, never explaining to me what exactly the parameters were. (I later learned that the patient's BP, 141/61, required giving the med, but not from my instructor.)

When we are in class, she races through her powerpoint and yells at us for wanting to take notes. She insists that we *not* take any notes at all. After all, it won't be on the test. The last test had so many subjective questions, and some of her answers were wrong. I could go on.

We truely annoy her. In fact, she one time made a rude remark about how we follow her around like little ducklings. I can't believe I'm paying for this education. This is a second career for me. If others have experienced this before me, no wonder we are in need of nurses.

I should take these issues to her superiors, but I keep asking myself how anyone could possibly live with themselves and be like this.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Home Health.

I can't believe I'm paying for this education.

Monday morning [or as soon as you can] go to the Chairman of the Nursing dept. Tell her what is going on. Also ask her if she could stand outside the door and listen to this instructor. If you get no satifaction there. Take it to the dean of Students. If that doesn't work the take it to the President of the University.

As you state, YOU ARE PAYING!! I have taken the Financial Aid office to the dean and got a call from the president of the univerity. I am making HUGH sacrifices to get my education and I WILL get the help I need to learn or I will raise H***!! I am 42 yrs old and do NOT have time for the crap you are discribing.

PLEASE let the department chair know about this ASAP!!

Good luck and keep us informed!

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Originally posted by kwagner_51

I can't believe I'm paying for this education.

Monday morning [or as soon as you can] go to the Chairman of the Nursing dept. Tell her what is going on. Also ask her if she could stand outside the door and listen to this instructor. If you get no satifaction there. Take it to the dean of Students. If that doesn't work the take it to the President of the University.

This is what I should do, but with a job, school, and a family, I don't have the emotional energy to fight. It consumes me to the point that I can't study.

Thanks for your support, though. I should do the right thing and take this to the department chair. The sad part is, she knows all about her already. This woman has had this same reputation for 10 years.

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If and when you decide to tell of the horrific teaching that is happening in your classroom and clinical rotations. Make sure that you are not alone -- get as many classmates as possible and go as a collective group. If you fly solo you may crash and the issue might be considered a personal thing -- you don't want or need that. Make an appointment with your dean 1 to 1 but have everything document in writing and if possible have a petition signed by fellow classmates. Remember if it wasn't written, it wasn't done.

Good Luck!

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It will take you 5-10 minutes to write a letter of complaint. Simple, to the point...it will get your heard and the letter will end up in her file.

IMO...I hate when I hear someone complain about something that's as injust as this, and not want to do something about it.

You don't need to sign your name, just drop it under the door if you want but you should do something about it for your peace of mind and for thoes that will come after you.

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i had this same problem with subjective questions. if you can find the correct answer in the book or any book that disputes the answer this instructor is using challenge her! in the school i was in we actually complained so much that we challenged the other instructors to take the tests we were given. they did and all of them did very poorly and the test questions became subject to a group decision and they also made the instructor quit making up questions and use questions from an accepted pool of available questions written by testing companies.

as for the treatment i would report it and i would explain that we are adults and this isn't elementary school. the kind of tactics this person is using are pre-school!

silence is golden: but not being allowed to express your opinion is oppression

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Hello Classical Dreams,

I am a 41 yr old male nursing student, going on my 3rd career. I can identifiy with everything you are experiencing as I have seen it firsthand myself at the school i am attending here in Georgia. I think if you are gonna do anything, Mariannsi, offered some good advice, as I have seen students at my school get punished quietly for complaining about the program. Ultimately, I would tell you to hang on and endure all that you are going through, I think this is the nature off most of the nursing programs in the country. So feel secure in knowing that you are indeed in good company, and most of all, stick it out and get that diploma.

Best of luck to you,,

Cman

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Go to the Dean of Nursing. That is horrible. EVeryone in the beginning feels like sheep following people around enough, without someone saying that.

Terrible.

renerian

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Originally posted by classicaldreams

This is what I should do, but with a job, school, and a family, I don't have the emotional energy to fight. It consumes me to the point that I can't study.

Thanks for your support, though. I should do the right thing and take this to the department chair. The sad part is, she knows all about her already. This woman has had this same reputation for 10 years.

I agree with illeal; either DO SOMETHING about it, or quit complaining. You have received some excellent advice from the others; either take it, or suck it up.

BTW, I don't intend to sound mean and hateful; just stating my oppinion.

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Okay, I'm here to say I fully understand your hesitation, classicaldreams. I wouldn't even BEGIN to tell you to "quit complaining". I recognize your need to vent out of frustration and your need for advice. I can well imagine that you dread going to classes or clinicals because of this instructor and you should never have been made to feel that way. There are some very kind ones out there and some rather hateful, arrogant ones. Just goes to show that it doesn't take meanness to be thorough in teaching. Though I agree that you should do something about it I understand why you haven't. Nine times out of ten the higher ups in the colleges already know how these instructors operate and (well, hey!), they're still there. What does this tell you? They don't care!

At least that's the message any student would get if it's known a instructor has taught someplace for ten or more years. Obviously her behavior couldn't have just started.

I'd say....If there is anyway possible to actually get classmates to support you and sign that petition or go with you to the Dean or someone higher up, then do it. Or go directly to the instructor. Office hours! Go to her office and tell her how you feel! You have that right!

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.
Nine times out of ten the higher ups in the colleges already know how these instructors operate and (well, hey!), they're still there. What does this tell you? They don't care!

Be careful with such generalist blanket statements, as "they don't care." Oftentimes the directors of nursing programs care very deeply, but their hands are tied. (You can't just fire someone in today's society--you have to have a carefully laid out documentation trail... and this can take years and years.) Also, some directors may put up with a poorly-performing instructor rather than not have one at all. It is getting harder and harder and harder to find AND retain instructors... especially since in private practice we can make anywhere from $10,000 - $30,000 MORE yearly--and that's not pocket change!!!:chuckle :chuckle One has to REALLY love teaching in order to stay with such low pay. Since 2002, in our small cc ADN program, we have had 6 teachers either resign or retire!

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Originally posted by VickyRN

Be careful with such generalist blanket statements, as "they don't care." Oftentimes the directors of nursing programs care very deeply, but their hands are tied. (You can't just fire someone in today's society--you have to have a carefully laid out documentation trail... and this can take years and years.) Also, some directors may put up with a poorly-performing instructor rather than not have one at all. It is getting harder and harder and harder to find AND retain instructors... especially since in private practice we can make anywhere from $10,000 - $30,000 MORE yearly--and that's not pocket change!!!:chuckle :chuckle One has to REALLY love teaching in order to stay with such low pay. Since 2002, in our small cc ADN program, we have had 6 teachers either resign or retire!

So the students morale is sacrificed just so they can keep instructors? Help me understand if there is a fine line between how far an instructor can go and who intervenes when he/she crosses it......No one?

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