What do I do after my clinical instructor told me I will never be a good nurse?

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I'm in my 2nd level at a community college. This is my 3rd clinical. I had no problem at all during my first 2 clinicals. The instructors told me I would be an excellent nurse and I always got a 4/4. However, in this clinical my instructor told me otherwise. I had put up a post before asking if I was sensitive in thinking my instructor was not fond of me, when I was putting 110% into my work trying to do my best. However, my instructor pulled me aside and told me I would never be a good nurse. I was just shocked. It was only my 3rd day at her clinical. I have about 8 more days left of clinicals. She told me this at the end of the clinical so when I went into my car, I just cried and cried. I have my nursing care plan due the coming week and I tried so hard, putting in extra things to show that I really want this. I don't know what to do..

Specializes in ER.

Ignore her. Plenty of my clinical instructors and professors told me I would make an awful nurse as I am head strong, a heavy hitting patient advocate and like to practice as independently as facility guidelines and the board of nursing allow!

These days I have almost two years in the ER where people like me thrive and are a dime a dozen. Over the past two years, people have commented on my passion for my profession, told me that my patients are the best cared for and happiest patients on the unit, told me that I have found my calling, indicated that I have saved lives, thanked me for saving their lives, and appreciated my advocacy for patients that needed it.

Nurses are not all built the same. I tend to think that the best nurses are those that believe primarily in themselves when few others do but maybe I am biased. ;-)

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

You can do what I did after one of my teachers told me twice I would never be a nurse....I mailed a copy of my license to her with a sticky note that said "thanks for the motivation"

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Prove her wrong...I was told the same thing and those professors were the first ones trying to hug me at the graduation ceremony..and I passed nclex on the first try and had a job the week after that...The best thing to do is to prove them wrong!

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People like this will test your ability to "bless them and move on." She must see something in you that reminds her of someone who hurt her. Unfortunately that person is not you and you don't deserve the hostility. Get mad and use the anger to make it impossible to sink you.

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You can actively take action against her and go to her higher ups but I advise against doing that. The reason being that you may need this person later on in some capacity down the road and while they didn't do anything to help you at the time at least you didn't make an active enemy out of them. I speak from experience here. I had an instructor earlier, who while she didn't come right out and say I'd make a terrible nurse, as much as said by her words and actions "You should really consider something else, you aren't cut out for this". I chose to ignore that and try to stay on her good side anyway, part of the reason being is that she is also a instructor in an MSN program at a local university that I hope to attend someday after I become an RN. Who knows - I may actually have her again as an instructor somewhere down the line. The best thing to do is what some others here have suggested - by your actions and success prove her wrong. She might even tell you someday "I was wrong about you" but even if she doesn't she will know.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i'm in my 2nd level at a community college. this is my 3rd clinical. i had no problem at all during my first 2 clinicals. the instructors told me i would be an excellent nurse and i always got a 4/4. however, in this clinical my instructor told me otherwise. i had put up a post before asking if i was sensitive in thinking my instructor was not fond of me, when i was putting 110% into my work trying to do my best. however, my instructor pulled me aside and told me i would never be a good nurse. i was just shocked. it was only my 3rd day at her clinical. i have about 8 more days left of clinicals. she told me this at the end of the clinical so when i went into my car, i just cried and cried. i have my nursing care plan due the coming week and i tried so hard, putting in extra things to show that i really want this. i don't know what to do..

prove her wrong.

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Specializes in Student.

This seems to be a very common experience for many of us Nursing students. My entire clinical group hates clinical. We are all nervous as can be before, and never know what we will get on the paperwork after. One time something is OK,

the next time it is bad. The only conclusion I have come to is that it's the CIs problem, I to do everything to the best of my ability, with patient saftey first.

The bad thing is they do have our future in their hands. I keep trying to kill 'em with kindness, stay as clam (even when I'm shakin' inside), never let them see me sweat - and on the days when she is really on my a**, look her in the eyes, and tell her straight out "I'm having a really bad day, no excuses,I just am" - that worked for me. She got off my a**, I took a breather , then stayed I the room with my pt and gave her the best care and most attention ever. By the end of the day, I felt better, my pt and her family couldn"t say enough good about me, and the CI had nothing more to say.... that day.

At my school, it is common for the Nursing Instructors to "eat their young."

Here are a couple of other things that have helped me

- talk to students in the semester or 2 before you find out what to expect

- document, document, document

- write a letter, don't mail it, but tell the CI all the things you would say if you could (this gets it out for you, and you can move on)

- Do you get to do an anonymous evaluation at the end? carefull though with details, while your name isn't on it, she might have an ideal who you are. All of the CI's at my school talk - eat lunch together around a big table!

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I did not read through all replies. But why do we have to let this type of instructor continue? Obviously this is not an uncommon event. I guess what really gets me is that this is a form of bullying and NOT OK. Why do we as nurses and student nurses put up with it? It does not make sense to me. What kind of message are we sending. One again, if I knew how dysfunctional nursinf truly was, I am not sure I would have chosen it.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.

Maybe its just me, But if i gave my all and a instructor or anyone for that matter insulted my abilities, I would make my voice heard.

I have done it before and I have no problem doing it again.

I dont go out of my way to sugar coat or justify anything. Certainly, if i was in your shoes, the clinical instructor would not like me.

My advise - Pick and choose your battles but if it was me - make sure you have quick wit and a comeback.

"Your never gonna be a good nurse"

My reply : "Spoken like the worst of them - hello pot hello kettle - pot calling the kettle black - Spoken like a true Protestant....."

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I hate that. I work with two fairly new nurses who were told by a clinical instructor that they would be lousy RN's. They are AWESOME nurses!! :heartbeat

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Specializes in ER and case management.

Me too, one crabby ol'teacher-- 18 years ago! hang in there. Just one patient saying thank you with their eyes or a smile- means more than any 'instructor'

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Specializes in ob.

Prove her wrong. Maybe the subject is just not your forte. Get through it and move on. Look to your ultimate goal. It is just her opinion and not a fact unless you decide to make it one.

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