Your definition of good clinical instructor and bad one

Carolanne · Oct 20, 2003

A good instructor is one who shares in your enthusiasm to learn, nurtures your confidence, remembers what it's like to be a student and doesn't make you feel stupid or inferior if you make a mistake. A bad instructor is ... just the opposite!

bluesky, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2003

Originally posted by Carolanne
A good instructor is one who shares in your enthusiasm to learn, nurtures your confidence, remembers what it's like to be a student and doesn't make you feel stupid or inferior if you make a mistake. A bad instructor is ... just the opposite!

Absolutely! And she also knows alot and has practiced recently on the type of floor where she's teaching.

sashibeak · Oct 21, 2003

A good clinical instructor is one who is there for her students 100%.

She supports them, and even though they may be fearful or insecure, enables them to achieve their goals.

Encouragement, support, being there, enabling.................hey????????? doesn't this all ring a bell??????????????

:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

rngrad2009 · Oct 21, 2003

I agree. A good instructor will point out your faults and will take the time to explain correct procedures and rationales with you. I have been lucky so far

slyhrtbt · Oct 21, 2003

A bad clinical Instructor tells her student that they are stupid and ignorant. She is very picky she Grabs them by the arm and spins them around out of frustration. And she was just forced to resign from the program I am in.

sashibeak · Oct 21, 2003

WOAH! Steve!

I'm sorry............. that must have been tough.

At least the error of her ways were dealt with appropriately!

I hope you get someone super supportive to take her place!

rpbear · Oct 21, 2003

My best clinical instructor was the one who callenged me to the point of giving up and then wouldn't let me quit. She had a way of finding your weakness and then pushing that button over and over until you made it your strength. I learned the most from her because she made you learn. She didn't tell you what to do, she made you go and find out what you were supposed to do. She made me and independent learner and a stonger person. I will be a better nurse because of her!!!

Good luck.

Molly

perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN · Oct 21, 2003

My good clinical instructors have pushed me to do things, not unsafe, but made me get out of my comfort zone and learn something, and I am so much more comfortable now in the clinical setting and learned a lot more than I would have otherwise because of that. THey are also very supportive, caring, etc. like so many of you have said. I have not had any really bad clinical instructors yet, nor have I heard any "horror stories" from the seniors this year, so I'm hoping they are all good!

medicrnohio, RN · Oct 21, 2003

I had one of each so I thought I'd share.

My good clinical instructor was friendly and helpful. She respected the skills I had and helped me to work on the ones I needed to work on. She made me feel like a human and made me feel important. She listened to what I said and made constructive but not demeaning comments. She encouraged me.

My bad clinical instructor would show up late to clinicals and talk on the phone. She would yell at students in front of patients, nurses, other staff, and other students. Usually the student did nothing wrong and never was a patient put in jeopardy. Talked about other students to other students in a negative way. She picked on everything that anyone did no matter good or bad. She would not allow you to ask other nurses questions (we were supposedly bothering them) but then she would give incorrect information. She made me feel like crap and made me almost cry once. I hope I'm never a nurse like her.

bluesky, BSN, RN · Oct 21, 2003

Originally posted by medicrnohio
She made me feel like crap and made me almost cry once. I hope I'm never a nurse like her.

Ouch- you have to wonder why they're there just to be abussive. I'm glad you someone wonderful to compensate!

NursingRocks1998 · Feb 12, 2009

My best clinical instructor was the one who callenged me to the point of giving up and then wouldn't let me quit. She had a way of finding your weakness and then pushing that button over and over until you made it your strength. I learned the most from her because she made you learn. She didn't tell you what to do, she made you go and find out what you were supposed to do. She made me and independent learner and a stonger person. I will be a better nurse because of her!!!
Good luck.
Molly

You summed up my thoughts perfectly- I had a clinical instructor who was EXACTLY the same way- if it wasn't for her, I would have quit.