Worried about instructors

[futurenurseashley]

I'm going to start nursing school next Tuesday. I've been to orientation, a nursing school workshop, and a meet and greet so far. My concern is that while the administrators of my program have been present at every event, my teachers are not. The learning specialist, dean, department head, and instructors of other levels have attended these preparatory events, but the Level 1 teachers have not. The other staff have said they are on vacation or being with their new spouses. This concerns me because it seems as though they do not meet the level of commitment to which the students have dedicated themselves. Are your nursing teachers an enigma until the first day of classes? I feel as though my teachers are ignoring our need to be prepared for this program. I understand that these people have dedicated their lives to training nurses, but feel they don't show the same commitment as the other faculty members. This leads me to believe that these teachers will be the kind to preach and not practice. Is this the norm in other programs, or am I overly anxious in believing that my teachers should be available at the same before-school commitments that the students are required to attend? I don't want to begin nursing school with an attitude that my instructors are less committed to me than I am to them, but I also don't want to have false expectations of my teachers. I just thought that my teachers would at least be present at orientation. Is this normal?

[Sharingan]

Our theory professors were there during orientation and we met all of our clinical instructors second day of class. Though, I wouldn't assume that because they weren't there, they didn't commit to teaching or things like that.

[AOx1]

As a nursing instructor, what I do with my vacation time is my business. I don't try to dictate what my students do with their vacation, and unless they are paying for it, my students do not have any ability to dictate what I do on mine. Most of us spend 60+ hours a week trying to make an excellent learning environment, and get paid for 40. I've earned a vacation. And don't assume that just because you don't see someone at every event, that they are not committed. We have lives also. I love my students, but they will never be more important than my husband and my family.

And I also don't agree that all students are more committed to the program than the instructors. Sadly, sometimes I see just the opposite...students who would get the grades they would love to have if they put in the same amount of time that I do each week. Of course, the huge majority of my students are not this way and work extremely hard to learn and to excel. Teaching takes a lot out of you if; you give so much of your time and self to students, and so rarely hear "thank you"- we also need time to refresh and relax in order to have more to give.

Anxiety is certainly understandable. Making character assumptions when you have not even met someone is not wise. I hope you are treated by your instructors with more grace than what you are extending to them.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Maybe the OP misunderstood how these things work and is just a little overly-anxious. I agree with JBudd (as usual) deep breaths...in thru your nose, out through your mouth...think relaxing thoughts...

OP - take this is a lesson to think about how people in various roles are compensated (paid!) related to their job responsibilities and how they juggle many hats/responsibilities that we may not be aware of.

[vmoh18]

This is the norm for my school. My school is part of a consortium with two other community colleges. We arrived at classes Wednesday not knowing who our instructors were or even where our classroom was (I am a 2nd year student). But from what I have seen the two instructors we have are the best so far. Remember the saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover." You will find that most instructors are there to help you succeed and will do what ever it takes to make sure it happens.

We also had to attend new student orientation so that we could mentor the in coming class. The only instructors there were the directors and their assistances of the program at the three colleges.

[CuriousMe]

I know this sounds overly harsh ... but think about this. The OP is complaining about her instructors and she hasn't even met them yet! School hasn't even started! It disheartens me as a faculty member to think that my students might be so hypercritical and quick to judge without even giving the faculty a chance to do a good job.

On my first read, my guess was that the OP was just super anxious about starting nursing school in general. That anxiety has just bled out a bit as they were trying to find subtext where there was none.

To the OP: I hope that as you get into your program and it's less of an unknown quantity to you, you'll see just how wonderful and committed your nursing instructors are.

[goodstudentnowRN]

To the OP, please do not be worried about the instructors. Do the best you can and do not tell these instructors anything about your personal life. Some of them strive off students' personal business be very careful! Study, study, study, and if you are not clear about something make an appointment with the instructor and she will explain it to you. Watch out for the loonies, they will ruin your dream. Be positive in all things and you will have peace.

[JBudd, MSN]

Maybe the OP misunderstood how these things work and is just a little overly-anxious. I agree with JBudd (as usual) .

Ah shucks, (rubbing toes in the dust), thanks

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

teachers don't punch a time clock. if they did you would discover that they work far beyond a 40-hour week. long after students have left the classroom (or in the case of some nursing instructors, clinical areas) teachers are still laboring away at developing teaching plans, writing study guides, researching and preparing material for lectures and writing tests. when students are asked to prepare a teaching plan for one of their care plans some panic because they have no idea what kind of time, thought and creativity go into it. i frequently post the 6 things involved that students never give a thought about that their teachers do to prepare in teaching them.

your statement that "i don't want to begin nursing school with an attitude that my instructors are less committed to me than i am to them" and that the teachers did not attend orientation, a nursing school workshop, and a meet and greet makes "it seems as though they do not meet the level of commitment to which the students have dedicated themselves" makes me think of the word hypocrisy. that sent me to a site of quotations that expresses the ideas i want to post here much better.

1. whatever you condemn, you have done yourself. ~georg groddeck, the book of the it, 1950
   
2. one should examine oneself for a very long time before thinking of condemning others. ~moliere
   
3. how seldom we weigh our neighbors in the same balance as ourselves. ~thomas à kempis
   
4. saying is one thing, doing another. we must consider the sermon and the preacher distinctly and apart. ~montaigne, essays, 1588
   

in addition, some of the things you have said indicate to me that:

1. you do not know or understand what the job of a teacher is
   
2. you suggest that you speak for the entire class of students and that can't be correct
   
3. it is entirely plausible that there are students in your class that are not committed and dedicated to the study of nursing and that is going to reveal itself as the semester or quarter unfolds
   
4. another quote: in trying to get our own way, we should remember that kisses are sweeter than whine.
   

i think that you have a long way to go in problem resolution. i can see future misunderstandings with others if they are approached in the way this thread was started. we nurses are all supposed to work together as a team and allow for and celebrate the differences each of brings to our relationships.

[biblepoet]

Just my two cents worth as a student most of the profs are there to have you learn. Just because they did not go to meet and great is not big. BTW we do not even have it. You want them there when you need them not for that. They have a life just like we do and to them it is a job not all they have going on in their life. A big thank you to all the instructors out there that are willing to teach new nurses I appreciate you.

[WInurse]

I think you are being overly critical and if you are already this critical before school begins, you need to look at your expectations. I agree with many of the posts on here, the insturctors have a life and are there to teach you and are most likely not involved the in the student orientation. That is for you. You will meet your instructors when you start classes. I have had 6 years of college with a BS and now nursing school. I have never met an instructor before classes. No one is going to be there to hold your hand in nursing school, so get used to it.

[caliotter3]

I had a clinical supervisor who showed up for one or two meetings in the beginning, then was gone on vacation for the rest of the term. Was she doing her job? No, of course not. Did she get paid for taking her vacation on her employer's timeclock? Yes. Did any of her students suffer because of her lack of commitment? Yes. Administration at the school did not care, otherwise, she would not have been allowed to pull that stunt.