You will fail the NCLEX

[isabing]

I had a horrible experience with an instructor today which I am basically over, but I have to share this story with all of you to see what you think.

We just started class on Wed the 28th, which means we are finished week two today. My group (7 students) has been given the wrong information a few times and it is beginning to get on my nerves. We had a take home mastery due today which we went over as a large group (about 23 students) with 3 instructors present. One of the questions was a true or false:

When using a cane, a client should be instructed to place the cane directly to the side of the unaffected leg.

First the instructor said this was true, then she looked at her answer sheet and said no, it's false. Then she read the statement and said it was true. The whole class was in a whispered uproar by this time discussing whether it was true or false. My belief was that it could be answered either way. The cane does go on the unaffected side, but if it is being used (meaning the client is walking) then it is placed a step ahead of the unaffected side, not DIRECTLY beside the leg. It still has not been resolved as to whether the answer is true or false and we are to use this mastery sheet to study for our first exam. The class then broke up to go to individual groups. Since we were to stay in the same room my classmate and I were still discussing the true/false dilemma. I stated my opinion and he was rereading the question. The instructor for one of the other groups kind of nosed into our conversation. I thought she wanted to explain the mix up so I told her that I thought the statement was misleading because of the words "using" and "directly". She turned on me and in a very short and snotty tone said, "If you read into every question that deeply you WILL fail the NCLEX!" I was shocked. The way she turned on me I felt like I was being attacked. Eventually, I ended up crying. Which I am also very upset about. I don't like to lose control like that. (We all have other things going on besides the stress of nursing school and I am on overload right now.) My group instructor went with me to the bathroom and told me that the other instructor was way out of line and that she was going to talk to her about it.

My question: Did I overreact?

[BadBird, BSN, RN]

Yes, you did over react. You need to develop a tougher skin to make it through school. Good luck to you.

[lisamc1RN, LPN]

I am a cryer. :) That's how I deal with stress, anger, anxiety, sadness, etc. Once I've had my cry, I'm good to go. I don't see anything wrong with it either. If you felt you needed to cry, then cry. Don't worry about what other people think about it either. It isn't necessarily a sign of weakness. If you cry over everything then I would be concerned, but that doesn't sound like that's the case. Your instructor was rude and embarrassed you in front of the whole class. Some people get mad about that and stew over it or say a few curse words under their breaths. Some people cry. :) The important thing now is to move on. Now that you know that she has that ability and willingness to humiliate students and behave poorly, know that it isn't your problem but hers and that you don't need to take it personally. If she continues to behave so badly, you may want to put in a complaint about her.

As for the question about the cane, what was the answer she finally decided on? Sounds like it was a really good question to toss out, IMO.

[isabing, ASN]

I guess they decided that the answer was true. They are going to discuss it further and get back to us . Oh, by the way, I should let you all know that I quit smoking on Sept. 18th. That probably has a lot to do with my emotions being out of whack, too. I quit 4 years ago and I cried all the time. I started again last year. Stupidest thing I've ever done besides starting to begin with. I noticed a change in my attitude toward school and I knew I had to quit again before I sarted the nursing classes.

Lisa

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I think you overreacted. I am also someone who tended to "read into" questions too much. It is entirely possible that this instructor meant the comment as a constructive criticism and not as an attack. I would have tried to phrase it better if I were her, but she didn't say "You will fail the NCLEX. Period", she said you would fail IF you read too much into each question because "using" may be used in a lot of NCLEX questions.

Yeah that. A lot of instructors when I went to school said things like that to us. "Keep that up and you will fail NCLEX" NCLEX, NCLEX, NCLEX. RN school is geared towards NCLEX and you will hear a lot about it in the days to come. I think in a round about way she was trying to help you, but perhaps her skills need a little brushing up. Because it's true, overanalyzing will cause you to miss the obvious answer in front of you. NCLEX and nursing school is dreadful. Good luck to you.

Crying certainly was an overreaction (unless like the other Lisa, this is what you do and it helps, but it sounds like the crying stressed you out as well), but you acknowledge other stressors in your life.

Time to learn what you needed to learn through all this stress and pain, and move on.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I guess they decided that the answer was true. They are going to discuss it further and get back to us . Oh, by the way, I should let you all know that I quit smoking on Sept. 18th. That probably has a lot to do with my emotions being out of whack, too. I quit 4 years ago and I cried all the time. I started again last year. Stupidest thing I've ever done besides starting to begin with. I noticed a change in my attitude toward school and I knew I had to quit again before I sarted the nursing classes.

Lisa

Way to go Lisa on the quitting smoking!

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

Maybe it's just me, but ...

Have always felt the often-quoted advice to "not read too much into the question" isn't very useful. It's so subjective and vague that it begs the question. What's "too much?"

We're supposed to be critical thinkers, a crucial characteristic in nursing (and many other professions). That being the case, we must consider the details. If we don't do that, surely "we won't pass the NCLEX."

It's almost like a double-binded recommendation. And sometimes it's a cop-out for not putting sufficient time or thought into composing a valid testing tool.

To the extent possible, well designed questions and exams shouldn't be subject to varying interpretations that result in different outcomes.

That experienced instructors have multiple takes on the "correct" answer makes me think the question isn't very valid. If they're gonna be judging students, then they need to get their act together and formulate a reliable means to do so.

[Fun2, BSN, RN]

Exactly my thoughts! An easy answer would be, "Check the Dr's orders." However, it would seem to me that the critical thinker would say, "I have the boot in hand, therefore I have already read the Dr's order".

Why in the world would a nurse be walking around with a foot boot, if they hadn't already read the Dr.'s orders?

Like I said before, I have so much to learn.

Maybe it's just me, but ...

Have always felt the often-quoted advice to "not read too much into the question" isn't very useful. It's so subjective and vague that it begs the question. What's "too much?"

We're supposed to be critical thinkers, a crucial characteristic in nursing (and many other professions). That being the case, we must consider the details. If we don't do that, surely "we won't pass the NCLEX."

It's almost like a double-binded recommendation. And sometimes it's a cop-out for not putting sufficient time or thought into composing a valid testing tool.

To the extent possible, well designed questions and exams shouldn't be subject to varying interpretations that result in different outcomes.

That experienced instructors have multiple takes on the "correct" answer makes me think the question isn't very valid. If they're gonna be judging students, then they need to get their act together and formulate a reliable means to do so.

[KatieBell]

I have not ready every post in this thread, but to encourage you- the questions on NCLEX, while they might have more than one correct answer, and one that is determined by the powers that be as the "best right answer"- they (the questions) are usually very clear. They have been tried and tested many times for clarity etc before being used on the test, something that is not the case with all the tests made by instructors...SO many times in school- I had the instructor say- well the entire class selected answer D for the question, the right answer is C- but Since you all got it wrong, I had to throw it out and you all get an extra point...

Good Luck.

[PsychRNMsz]

Exactly my thoughts! An easy answer would be, "Check the Dr's orders." However, it would seem to me that the critical thinker would say, "I have the boot in hand, therefore I have already read the Dr's order".

Why in the world would a nurse be walking around with a foot boot, if they hadn't already read the Dr.'s orders?

Like I said before, I have so much to learn.

I agree with you, the instructor could have phrased the questions better to get the answer desired....I know I wouldn't walk around with a footboot looking for the Drs orders either....

Christa- Student Nurse (procrastinating writing my PIE notes)

[unknown99, BSN, RN]

What you need to tell that instructor if she tells you that you will fail the NCLEX is this: "Well, the way I see it is if I fail the NCLEX, then that reflects on how well you taught me, then, doesn't it?!!"

[GrnHonu99, RN]

I have felt like I have wanted to cry before too, nursing school is frustrating sometimes, especially when you feel like you don't have the support of your instructors.

I have had a week similar to yours this week and what I have learned is that instructors are human too, maybe she was having a bad day, we all make mistakes...that does not excuse her behavior in the least but maybe it makes it a little less hurtful when you think of it that way.

As for the NCLEX quesions...our med/surg teacher only uses questions that are like the ones that will be on the nclex..it took me awhile before I "stopped reading to much into them". Try thinking, ABC's..airway, breathing, circulation, safety, pain and infection...those are the biggies...good luck:)

[Jo Dirt]

I think sometimes the instructors don't realize how harsh they can sound and how the students' perception of their comments are magnified about ten times because of the overwhelming amount of stress.

She probably didn't mean to sound like such a monster.