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..

WhAt!!!!!!

There are always going to be haters....my husband always says (from a movie, ofcourse) "haters gonna hate, gators gonna gate" lol!

I guess what Im saying is, try to have a sense of humor about what they said, I know it hurts to have someone you look up to put you down especially when you feel your doing fine.

I had and Im sure we have all had "that" teacher who seems to hate your guts for some unknown reason or no matter what you do they act like you suck, I finally just decided that I would take whatever constructive criticism they had for me and use it, if they had something to say, I would always ask...ok what can I do better, I want to learn but I need to be guided by constructive criticism.

BUT i agree, mean people suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Remnants of the "nurses eat their young" culture? I had a clinical instructor that made me terribly nervous and, looking back on it, I think it was purposeful. On one of my first jobs I had a preceptor who was just mean - you know, acting incredulous when I didn't know what an acronym stood for, like I was a hopeless moron or something. Some people think since they had to take it from their instructors, so should everyone else. Then again, some people are just bullies.

Maybe you remind her of the mean head cheerleader at her high school. Maybe she WAS the mean head cheerleader at her high school.

It wouldn't hurt to look hard at yourself and see if there is ANY grain of validity to her position - well, not the "never" part, but what the root of her feeling might be. There might be something you can learn even if she's not teaching it in a constructive way. And if not, then fine, she's a bully.

Hang in there.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I personally have put a lot of thought into clinical nurse bullies. I went to a school where they had received a 2 million dollar grant to increase the amount of nursing graduates. All they did was bully the students and kick out 20 or so per semester and bring in 20 off the waiting list. They never increased the size of the class. I think its part of some scam.

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Specializes in Home Health,ID/DD, Pediatrics.

I had a similar experience as well. This was later in nursing school, and I had always done very well in clinicals up until this point. My instructor told me I probably wouldn't graduate, took my hand from a patient and pushed me physically, stuck my finger with a needle and did several other things along these lines. I wanted to walk away because it seemed as though she was going to get away with all the things she had done. She terrorized me, and I do mean terrorize. If you have other faculty you trust and can go talk to, I would suggest that. I ended up talking to another faculty member and in the end she was fired for what she had done. It was something that followed me into the last monthes of nursing school, I had to fight to get my confidence back.

Don't give up, and don't let an instructor steal your confidence. The incredibly hard and stressful things you go through now will prepaire you for when you get out into the nursing world, it can be very difficult and their can be some nasty nurses you may encounter. Use this as a learning experience, take what you can and let it make you stronger.

Good luck!

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Specializes in M/S, ICU, ICP.
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..

First off, that instructor has just an opinion like everyone else and it doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Opinions are like belly buttons, every bodys got one. I could probably buy a car with the money I could have made from dumb bunnies like that. Just chew up the dish she serves you spit out the bones, and if there is any meat (truth) in it swallow it and grow stronger. Some folks are just not happy unless they are making everyone else miserable.

Let it flow off you like water on a duck back. You will do fine!

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Thank you for your advice you gave me last November. Sorry, I just read the post now. Hope you are doing well.

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Maybe some people get off on being mean but it reminds me of when I played volleyball. We had a coach who was hardcore & the other girls didn't like her but I LOVED that she pushed me to do my best! Sort of like a drill sergeant. They don't act that way for no reason. It produces results. It separates the mice from wo/men! If you can't stand the heat, get out of the oven! That said, I'd probably cry but try your hardest to prove that instructor wrong at all costs! That might be exactly what he/she wants you to do!

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