>>> Sorry - this is a big vent and may be very long!!
Today we took a stand against our clinical instructor (and now I'm a little worried).
Our CI is new to the school and new to the hospital. She was a last minute replacement, but claims she has 10 years teaching experience. We are half way into our rotation.
The earliest she has arrived was 15 minutes late - and that was on the first day. Since then, she insisted that we start clinicals 1 hour early (which put a strain on some of our schedules), and has been at least 30 minutes late every day.
When she does show up, she only has a list of patients on the floor. She does not check with the head nurse about who is getting discharged. She does not check the medication chart about what kinds of meds (and what time) the patient will get. She brings in her list and randomly assigns us a patient... AFTER we have already been waiting up to 45 minutes for her to show up! We usually do not hit the floor for 2-2.5 hours after our clinical started. Sometimes we end up with nothing to do (due to discharges and no meds to pass). She told us to bring our books to study, and to hide in the conference room:banghead:
There are other frustrations - wasting time talking endlessly about herself, her family, every health problem she has ever had, etc, etc...
Although I would not say she is mean to us, she can be condescending to some of the patients (behind their backs), primarily the overweight or mentally impaired.
Our professors that teach the theory part of the class are aware of the problems (heard it from the grapevine, I guess), but can't do anything about it. They have been supportive of us, and have given us some advice.
The official school policy is that a student must wait 10 minutes for an instructor to show up. Our professor said that certainly after 20 minutes we can assume they will be absent.
So.. today, we waited 20 minutes, then as a group, got up and left. We all went home. I really wanted to talk to her first (as a group) and then leave tomorrow if she is late again, but I agreed to go with the majority.
Now I am really worried. This woman will be writing our evaluations. I know she will be angry, and have no idea what will happen tomorrow. I think we have enough documentation to put administration on our side, but this could get really ugly.
Anyone ever had anything like this happen to them???
When we arrived at the beginning of clinical, the Director of Nursing was sitting at the table waiting for us. Our instructor arrived EXACTLY on time. She was very pleasant, and we proceeded to talk for 1 hour about our frustrations and possible improvements. The DON recommended that we go straight to the floor instead of the cafeteria, and that the CI would try to get our assignments to us quicker. She also recommended that we take on more patients and gave us a little more direction as to what we should be accomplishing in the next 3 weeks.
Then we talked for another hour, after the DON left, and things seemed to be fairly positive. We went up to the floor, got an assignment (one patient, assessment only) and kept ourselves busy. After 3.5 hours, we were told to go back down to the cafeteria and wait for her for post conference.
She came down 45 minutes later, and laid into us. She said that we had no integrity, that "what goes around comes around", were unprofessional, and had never in her life ran into people like us. We should have gone to her first. We just don't understand how hard it is to get assignments for us, and how hard she is working for us. She gave us assignments for missed clinicals and basically lectured us for another 45 minutes about what lousy students we are.
So.... I guess we sort of got our point across, we certainly got everyone's attention!! I am continuing to document this mess. We will be talking to our professor tomorrow for more guidance.
I really appreciate all of the supportive comments. Too bad I am actually PAYING for this experience!
Wow, sounds like a crazy time. Super sneaky of her to be all nice and stuff at first and then at the end lay into you. I don't agree with going behind her without going to her first, but at the same time she had no right to do what she did. Glad that it is getting noticed finally and maybe something will be done. How much longer until you are done with the program there and does she teach any other classes?
Wow, sounds like a crazy time. Super sneaky of her to be all nice and stuff at first and then at the end lay into you. I don't agree with going behind her without going to her first, but at the same time she had no right to do what she did. Glad that it is getting noticed finally and maybe something will be done. How much longer until you are done with the program there and does she teach any other classes?
yes i agree she was super sneaky to lay into you at the end... well, you got your point across and hopefully things will be better ( or not )... you only have 3 more clinicals right? i am sure it will be okay... at least it's almost over.. keep me posted if anyhting else happens...
When we arrived at the beginning of clinical, the Director of Nursing was sitting at the table waiting for us. Our instructor arrived EXACTLY on time. She was very pleasant, and we proceeded to talk for 1 hour about our frustrations and possible improvements. The DON recommended that we go straight to the floor instead of the cafeteria, and that the CI would try to get our assignments to us quicker. She also recommended that we take on more patients and gave us a little more direction as to what we should be accomplishing in the next 3 weeks.
Then we talked for another hour, after the DON left, and things seemed to be fairly positive. We went up to the floor, got an assignment (one patient, assessment only) and kept ourselves busy. After 3.5 hours, we were told to go back down to the cafeteria and wait for her for post conference.
She came down 45 minutes later, and laid into us. She said that we had no integrity, that "what goes around comes around", were unprofessional, and had never in her life ran into people like us. We should have gone to her first. We just don't understand how hard it is to get assignments for us, and how hard she is working for us. She gave us assignments for missed clinicals and basically lectured us for another 45 minutes about what lousy students we are.
So.... I guess we sort of got our point across, we certainly got everyone's attention!! I am continuing to document this mess. We will be talking to our professor tomorrow for more guidance.
I really appreciate all of the supportive comments. Too bad I am actually PAYING for this experience!
another point... every CI that I've ever had (except for the one I had like yours) ALWAYS arrived 1 hour before we were scheduled to come, so that the assignments could be worked out and the med passes scheduled so that the day would flow more smoothly.
Who advocates the students??? Besides attorneys? Educators need to be held accountable for their actions. No hard working nursing student deserve to be treated like they are insignificant as a human being.
We need to create a support group for other students who are being treated unjust by their instructor(s). When my instructor retialiated against us, no one in the school advocated us. We were lost, my confidence was gone. I was and still is depressed. I was supposed to graduate this month, now I have to start all over again because the school administrators decided that our grievance was not important enough to be acknowledged.
I have posted my experiences with this school. I would not recommend this program to my worst enemy. I wish Mayor Daley would know what is going on with City Colleges of Chicago. Or inform the investors that they are wasting their monies with the City Colleges of Chicago. I heard Daley and Wright college are okay. But the rest, like ours is substandard. No wonder they have alot of lawsuits pending. I wonder if the investors are aware of that.
Please support our fellow classmates even if you don't know personally who they are. We need to put a stop on instructors who are abusing their power. They need to focus on teaching and inspiring their students. My instructor taught me whatever she does wrong, she can get away with. Even if it does involve discriminatory comments, defamation of characters, and pure humilation. Welcome to nursing where you are suppose to be compassionate.
Lets stick together and support one another. The nursing shortage is not getting better. The instructors' who lack inspiration and has malicious agendas should not be allowed to teach. They should be reported beyond the chancellor. Does anyone know who can create a pathway beyond chancellor?
How should we go about creating a support group for all of our classmates who need us most?
Any suggestion?
God Bless everone!
Wow! I wrote about my cousin's experience at the CCC a while ago on the Illinois forum. I'm now wondering if you two went to the same college! She had me terrified to start NS; she said that it didn't depend on the grades you got, but how well you kissed your clinical instructor's butt. So glad that my university ended up being nothing like she said! I did experience one episode with a clinical instructor and when I got home, that was the 1st and last time that I cried... I don't even treat my kids like that. I definitely agree with you that something needs to be done about it; I have heard for years about the overwhelming and often unfair power of clinical instructors to change your life in less than 60 seconds. But as one poster above wrote about, I think there is strength in numbers... if the numbers are willing to unite.
Wow, sounds like you guys just got a slap on the wrist overall. Which is good. Yes she says "what goes around comes around" which means she plans on treating you guys probably terribly but at least the DON was involved (I like those initials...haha...very fitting). Anyhow, I wouldn't worry about her too much. She's trying to gain back some control and feel on top again. I have a feeling she got a tongue lashing herself. I'm sure the DON would have asked the staff at the clinicals if what you are saying is true...and they probably were able to vouch for you. It doesn't look good on the school when the CI can't be there on time when the hospital has picked the time slot.
If I were you I'd become part of the wallpaper so to speak...try not to stand out. Especially if you have a dominant personality or a voice heard above the rest...try to tone it down or she might zero in on you thinking you were involved in the "planning"...
Specializes in Triage, MedSurg, MomBaby, Peds, HH.
OK... here's what happened today...
She came down 45 minutes later, and laid into us. She said that we had no integrity, that "what goes around comes around", were unprofessional, and had never in her life ran into people like us. We should have gone to her first. We just don't understand how hard it is to get assignments for us, and how hard she is working for us. She gave us assignments for missed clinicals and basically lectured us for another 45 minutes about what lousy students we are.
I really appreciate all of the supportive comments. Too bad I am actually PAYING for this experience!
Michigangirl,
I am so sorry this has happened. When doing my prereqs, we had a very similar experience with the instructor of an A&P course. To put it all in a teacup, she was insane. We got her fired, which was difficult because it isn't easy to find instructors for these courses (probably easier than to find a CI replacement though :stone)
Do not allow yourself to be threatened scholastically. If she's unstable and unprofessional enough to threaten you with reprisal, believe me she is capable of doing it. And at the end of the term, it will be your word against hers.
Talk to your dean and see if you can schedule a time to speak with her ASAP. Get as many brave souls as possible to join you. Prepare an official letter of complaint; I emailed one to our Dean. This worked for us because giving written notice to a school official creates a paper trail. This makes the Dean accountable for outcomes from this conflict. It also makes it easier for the Dean to let this CI go as she has less to fear from a claim of unwrongful termination. Even if she doesn't let her go, if you promptly document in writing the threats she made about your grades, it will make it pretty difficult for her to fail any of you who witness what she said.
Nursing school is far too important, stressful, expensive and time-consuming to be relying on an unprofessional, mercurial lunatic such as this woman. Let us know how you resolve things. You can do it!
It's not surprising to me what happened-not sneaky at all! I can honestly say that I expected everything that you said happened. On one hand, I do totally disagree with not talking to her 1st; I always attempt to voice my gripe with the person that has offended me in both my personal and professional life. However, this very interesting post pointed out something that I haven't really thought of. We are paying a good penny for this service of education! You are all so right. Funny how I never thought of this before, lol... I've been acting like I needed to pay for nearlympossible-to-get approval!
It's not surprising to me what happened-not sneaky at all! I can honestly say that I expected everything that you said happened. On one hand, I do totally disagree with not talking to her 1st; I always attempt to voice my gripe with the person that has offended me in both my personal and professional life. However, this very interesting post pointed out something that I haven't really thought of. We are paying a good penny for this service of education! You are all so right. Funny how I never thought of this before, lol... I've been acting like I needed to pay for nearlympossible-to-get approval!
I actually had an A&P instructor tell me I was coughing too much and it would bother him during his lecture so he was going to have to ask me to leave. I said, "Not as long as I'm paying YOU to be here." He gave me a tic tac (which I left on the desk). True story!:chuckle
I am so sorry this has happened. When doing my prereqs, we had a very similar experience with the instructor of an A&P course. To put it all in a teacup, she was insane. We got her fired, which was difficult because it isn't easy to find instructors for these courses (probably easier than to find a CI replacement though :stone)
Do not allow yourself to be threatened scholastically. If she's unstable and unprofessional enough to threaten you with reprisal, believe me she is capable of doing it. And at the end of the term, it will be your word against hers.
Talk to your dean and see if you can schedule a time to speak with her ASAP. Get as many brave souls as possible to join you. Prepare an official letter of complaint; I emailed one to our Dean. This worked for us because giving written notice to a school official creates a paper trail. This makes the Dean accountable for outcomes from this conflict. It also makes it easier for the Dean to let this CI go as she has less to fear from a claim of unwrongful termination. Even if she doesn't let her go, if you promptly document in writing the threats she made about your grades, it will make it pretty difficult for her to fail any of you who witness what she said.
Nursing school is far too important, stressful, expensive and time-consuming to be relying on an unprofessional, mercurial lunatic such as this woman. Let us know how you resolve things. You can do it!
I so totally agree! I don't know why people in general don't create paper trails- you see it on court shows everyday. I can't stress the importance of that enough!! Honestly, the opportunity to sign a written complaint should've been taken advantage of, but that's now water under the bridge. So far, you guys only have a little leg to stand on... now IMHO if you were brave enough to walk out, you need to be brave enough to file something written regarding what she said to you all. If you don't, you may find yourself wishing you had.
True story!:chuckle
mom2maddynsky27
28 Posts
wow I hope that everything turns out ok.