Nurses' Questions Answered: Toughing It Out as a Student Nurse

Diane M. Goodman, BSN, MSN-C, APRN

Tactless Instructors

Nurse: Recent postings on Twitter provide alarming scenarios wherein nurses (and students) encountered shameful, embarrassing, disheartening, and degrading comments from nursing instructors. Do we attempt to prepare our newest caregivers to enter the profession by making sure they can "take it"? What does this communicate in a profession that is supposed to promote nurturing?

Goodman: From feedback supplied by nurses and nursing students (during dialogue posted on Twitter), the environment for academic nursing may be less supportive than we hope. My own experience as a diploma graduate, although many years ago, parallels what nursing students have to say today.

I lost my father during my first semester of academic learning. His death was unexpected; the grief was profound. I was allowed time to attend the funeral but shortly thereafter, I was expected in the classroom. To my shock and horror, the first lecture upon my return was about death and dying.

I was completely unprepared. I can still feel eyes staring holes into my back as I kept my attention focused downward. It required all my strength to complete the lecture. I should have been excused or offered the opportunity to make up the work on my own time but I was not.