What to do? --Terrible Clinical Instructor--

[~FutureNurse~]

I am at my wits ends with one of my clinical instructors. I don't know what else to do--or if I can do anything. Here are my complaints:

She sits and socializes with other nurses during clinical

Texts/talks on her phone during clinical

Studies during clinical

Will disappear for 30-40 minutes at a time

Makes us skip lunch because she has to leave early

Brings her children to clinical (ages 1 and 2.5)

On top of all of that she is VERY mean. She will call you out on your mistakes in front of other students, patients, and other nurses. She acts like it is a HUGE hassle if you say or do something wrong. She missed clinical a few weeks ago and we were having to make it up over spring break (this week), which is fine. Well, this morning I woke up feeling not too hot, so I called and told her I wouldn't be in today. She basically threw a huge fit--saying that if this were a job I would be fired, and that I was basically lying to her.

I am to the point where I feel like I can't even work with her. She has embarrassed me so much in front of my classmates and patients that I am terrified of making a mistake. I literally get sick when she decides to follow me around. I really do not think my last 3 weeks with her are going to be productive at all.

Any advice would be appreciated. Oh, and yes all of my complaints above have been reported to the Dean of our program--by more than a dozen students. I think they are out of options so they are being forced to keep her.

[tbell2]

I feel your pain. The only thing I haven't had with the instructor I am thinking of is bringing her kids. On her instructor evaluation I wrote "For the love of G-d.... Leave your cell phone in the car!!!" Now she changed classes, and I will definitely have her in the classroom (whre she will read to us directly from the book) and I may have her in clinical again (which might make me quit the program).

More than 1/2 her last class went to the dean of the nursing department and complained about her. Has anything been done? Of course not. That is why I hate filling out the instructor evals every class. I can't believe for a minute that they are taken seriously. Nothing will be done. Instructors will continue to do things that would get me failed from the course (cell phones, sitting around, bad attitude). It is absolutely terrible. And frustrating.

[Work in Progress]

I am sorry that you guys are going through this. I think that people like this end up as clinical instructors because there is a shortage of them. Very few people are willing to be CIs. Schools take what they can get. It really sucks that the deans are not doing anything about it. Have you gone outside of the nursing program to any of the higher ups? Sometimes college administrators that are not within the nursing politics of the department take more action about these sorts of things.

In the mean time I would suggest killing them with kindness and professionalism. When they are a**holes in front of patients and other students, put on a big smile and say "thank you for correcting me, maybe we can work on this skill later so that I can improve." (And try to keep the sarcasm and annoyance out of your voice). Be a model of professionalism and kindness and it will remind them what they are supposed to be. When you have down time and they are sitting on their butts texting, gossiping or taking care of their kids (I can't believe that is tolerated by the facility!) walk up to them and say "I am having some down time, do you think we could go over XYZ?" Remind them what their job is in a non threatening and professional manner. Positivity and enthusiasm really does rub off on people. The most important thing you can do is take charge of your own learning. Get what you can out of clinicals. Use the floor nurses as resources, seek out opportunities to learn and work hard every minute (even when you are angry at the dumb CI). Don't let the CI see you upset or disheveled by their criticism.

Then go home and leave the day behind. Tomorrow is another day and another opportunity. You will get through this! Not all clinical instructors are like this, and even if you get the same person twice, you will have people who will teach you something. Good luck and I hope it all works out for you guys.