What is the biggest frustration for nursing students?

Specialties Educators

Published

Just curious as nursing instructors what do find nursing students complain most about or find most challenging. Thanks.

I had a horrible day today. I had my last check-off for the summer and it happened to be on Medication Administration. I passed the check off, but I would like to ask anyone's opinion about the way the instructor treated me. First of all, we were given 30 minutes for two students to correct a MAR, prepare 9 medications including the med math, an ampule of Demoral and Insulin, give the medications, and mark it off on the MAR...that was fine, I studied a lot. My instructor, who is quite a bit younger than I am, is not ever what I would call overly friendly, but today she was an exceptional treat. These checks are very important. We only have two chances to pass, then we're out of the program. Because the previous students were running late, it meant we were all running late. When it was my turn to fix the meds, the kept looking at the clock, rolling her eyes, huffing, etc. It made me very, very nervous. Not that I wasn't a wreck already....but then, after only drawing an ampule one time before, I'm trying to do this without touching the sides, etc. and the whole time she's huffing, making comments under her break...now, I'm doing this check off with three of my peers watching and listening. I was looking for an insulin syringe...there was a plastic box of mixed up syringes and of course I couldn't find the one with UNITS on it and she says, "What ARE YOU DOING??!" I almost burst into tears, but I was able to maintain professionalism...she did pass me; however, I have never been so embarrassed and humiliated...on the one hand, I realize her job is to make sure we know what we're doing, but I felt like she was very unprofessional for huffing, rolling her eyes, making smart comments, etc. while I was trying to pass a very difficult check off....what do you guys think?

Sounds like the instructor who checked me off. Tapping her foot, snatching things right out of my hands, among other things that I won't type because who knows if she is a member here and will recognize herself and I don't want any repercussions. I have a LOT that I could say about this gem. Most others were pretty good but this woman is just...

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Nurse Educator..

* so much workload,so little time.

* examination unannounced

* discipline for proper uniform,and haircut..(they hate it..!)

* complaining of bulk of nursing notes/nursing care plan..

*graveyard shift duty

* long hours of lectures/return demonstrations!!!:monkeydance:

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Specializes in PEDS ICU, ED, Management, Home Health.

Originally Posted by HSMOM viewpost.gif

I had a horrible day today. I had my last check-off for the summer and it happened to be on Medication Administration.

I think this instructor's behavior was totally unprofessional and ridiculus. I cannot believe an instructor behaved in such a manner, the dean should be notified of this behavior and I would hope the instructor would be reprimanded. Totally innapropriate in my eyes.:nono:

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Hospice, Palliative Care.

I love learning, and am excited to be in nursing school (only 2 more months of LPN classes!). My frustrations are similar to others: I show you respect, and unless I have done something to offend you, I deserve respect in return. If I have unwittingly offended you, please approach me. I have worked for 20 years as a professional assistant, and know that these things happen and that the best way to deal with them is to be open and direct*. I will offer you the same in return. I am one of the few students who "defend" the instructors.

I study very hard, and read outside of the texts. If I question something on a test, it is because I am asking for clarification, not necessarily for the points. BUT - if two instructors ask the same question with the same choices and accept two different answers, at least one of those times I must be correct! Please be fair about that.

If you are a faculty advisor, please don't tell the students that you are too busy to talk to them and repeatedly cancel their appointments without prior notice. I understand busy - that is why I made an appointment that we mutually agreed upon. I also understand paperwork - unless it is a life and death matter, a person should take prescedense, esp. if they have an appointment.

When a student asks a question, it does not reflect well upon you to belittle that person for not knowing the answer. It does shut down the rest of the class. I have very thick skin, so I continue to carefully ask questions; I can't tell you how many times I've had fellow students thank me for getting clarification that they were too scared to ask for.

Many of us students have full-time lives outside of school and there is only so much that we can do to reschedule at the last minute. Please provide us with a clinical schedule at least a few days before we are scheduled to go somewhere. It makes childcare etc very difficult.

Also, not all students want to work in a hospital in med-surg. The focus is often on preparing us for that, and while I understand the reasoning, there are students with varied backgrounds that will allow them to bypass that if they wish to pursue a different career path. Please don't discriminate against a student who knows their physicial limitations by "marking them down" because they might not be able to work a 12 hour med-surg shift.

The last item I hesitate to write, but will: I am paying for a service, and I expect that you will come to class prepared to provide the service. Please do not just read from the text; your value as an instructor is your professional experience, since I'm quite capable of reading on my own. Please do not use the students as your "whipping boy". If you are having a bad day, tell us (no details necessary, of course). We can adjust and get done with what we need to do. To snap, berate, and yell offers nothing positive, and damages the school's reputation. I think that is the unprofessionalism that we hear so much about.

I am very grateful for the good instructors...those who are engaged and excited about teaching and nursing. At the risk of sounding cheesy, I think that it is an honor to be a nurse, and can't wait to get started.

e

*I practice what I preach - it is easy to figure out of I am one of your students, since my user name is not coded!

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Specializes in critical care.

Hi,

You make very valid points that need to be reinforced to instructors. You have touched on several issues that cause students frustration. These are issues that students seem to respond about on facultly evaluations.

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Specializes in pediatric, neonatal, ER/trauma, camp.

I'm picking up my first assignment as a clinical instructor next month. I am excited as I enjoy teaching.

When I was in nursing school over 12 yrs ago I had one really bad clinical instructor and one so-so, the rest were pretty good. The so-so instructor was critical care. She docked me a letter grade because my white leather shoes were scuffed. She totally lost my respect after that.

The terrible instructor was during a med-surg rotation. I had heard through the grapevine that she always picked one student per rotation and picked on them. I was that student. Her tone was always condescening to me, she would hold me accountable for things she wouldn't hold the rest of the group up for, if I didn't understand something she would berate me and make me feel stupid. One time one of my patients didn't go for a procedure that had been planned. I found this out when I arrived to the floor that morning. When my instructor asked me about the procedure I told her that the patient never received it. She of course thought I was stupid, huffily grabbed the chart to prove me wrong, but of course I wasn't, she then threw the chart down and mumbled "well she was suppose to have it" and walked off. This lovely woman then proceeded to fail me. I talked to the advisor about it but to no avail - but while I was there I found out I wasn't the first person this happened to or the first to complain. Years later I heard she was fired for too many complaints. Yeah!

Another big worthless task - care plans. No need to practice writing 10 page care plans. "Good nurses don't really need them" - shhh, it's a secret. Many units have gotten away from "writing them" by providing fill in the blank pre-written forms. Most advanced hospitals have them computerized and you just choose what applies. Anyway, once they are filled out, they are never looked at again - at least for guidance on care.

I could add more but it's late...maybe later.

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I had a horrible day today. I had my last check-off for the summer and it happened to be on Medication Administration. I passed the check off, but I would like to ask anyone's opinion about the way the instructor treated me. First of all, we were given 30 minutes for two students to correct a MAR, prepare 9 medications including the med math, an ampule of Demoral and Insulin, give the medications, and mark it off on the MAR...that was fine, I studied a lot. My instructor, who is quite a bit younger than I am, is not ever what I would call overly friendly, but today she was an exceptional treat. These checks are very important. We only have two chances to pass, then we're out of the program. Because the previous students were running late, it meant we were all running late. When it was my turn to fix the meds, the kept looking at the clock, rolling her eyes, huffing, etc. It made me very, very nervous. Not that I wasn't a wreck already....but then, after only drawing an ampule one time before, I'm trying to do this without touching the sides, etc. and the whole time she's huffing, making comments under her break...now, I'm doing this check off with three of my peers watching and listening. I was looking for an insulin syringe...there was a plastic box of mixed up syringes and of course I couldn't find the one with UNITS on it and she says, "What ARE YOU DOING??!" I almost burst into tears, but I was able to maintain professionalism...she did pass me; however, I have never been so embarrassed and humiliated...on the one hand, I realize her job is to make sure we know what we're doing, but I felt like she was very unprofessional for huffing, rolling her eyes, making smart comments, etc. while I was trying to pass a very difficult check off....what do you guys think?

HSMOM,

Oh dear, I can so relate. I can honestly say that the attitudes of instructors was my main problem in nursing school, which is why I am finishing up at Excelsior. I think in a previous post you said an instructor was actually fired for her attitude. This would have never happened in the school I was in. The same behavior would have been praised for being "rigorous" or some such nonsense. There is so much psychological terrorism in nursing school. I just don't get it. The only reasons I can see is the history of nursing. Nurses have always been treated badly, and I am just hoping I can find a situation where this kind of thing doesn't exist, it's so destructive. I was telling my tales of woe to my GP, who told me this joke. I won't tell the whole thing, other than the punch line - the found an unidentified dead woman and knew it was a nurse because "her stomach was empty, her bladder full, and her rear end was all chewed up." Ug. There are so many things love about nursing - most of all, one doesn't have to have any doubts about it being a meaningful job. One can make such a difference in people's lives by just being a kind, wonderful person to somebody who is sick. Being in the hospital is such a drag, nurses can make it so much more bearable. Thanks for your input!

Diahni

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Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

As an older nurse who recently graduated and currently working in ER, I can say my biggest pet peeve were long winded questons on test by professors who couldn't explain their own lecture content. I found it completely disturbing that anyone dare lecture or grade on content matter they themselves did not understand. Mind you, most of our professors still maintained per diem positions in local hospitals. I had no problem questioning testing content or comments if I had reasons for making those selections(especially backed up by literature) I came from a technology background-just because I said so, or those were the answers in the question bank didnot work for me! Like everyone else I did not like care plans, but found they were very useful for following nursing process and making you think about disease process. I also felt that due to my life experience I was not intimidated by naked bodies, or skills that needed to be performed. I feel that the younger students truly struggled with skills and criticism by the professors. Older students who had not really worked in leadership positions also suffered. Eventually, I would like to be a nursing professor. I hope to follow my own advice someday. Also, for those instructors that were doctors from India or the Phillipines and became nurses-DO NOT EXPECT NURSING STUDENTS TO DIAGNOSE! There was no arguing with them regarding testing and exams. If they want to be doctors, pass the licensing for that-stay out of nursing.

Lots of Love to all, Still need lots of nurses!

Maisy;)

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