Sometimes it does seem as if the instructor is out to get you. It is sad but the first thing you need to ascertain is whether there is room for your way. If not, then you must, must must learn the instructor's way. By this I mean som etimes there is not a right or wrong way and sometimes there is. When there isn't you must learn the instructor's way and regurgitate it almost verbatim. clinical instructors are usually tough on you so that you can be the best nurse you can be out the door. That is upon graduation. I have a Developmental Psych instructor right now who does not want any debate, no opioions, no thinking, hard to turn off sometime. We just regurgitate his views and ways of thinking and try to get the answers right so to move on. As an example he thinks since sexuality is determined in the brain, homosexuality is a choice. Now I believe he has a right to his opinion but I should have aright to mine. he also teaches that children are a direct product of their parenting. he will not accept any argument even if backed by studies. he also says the LaLeche league is an organization full of zealots. Now before you all write back to me about him. I use this as examples of how you sometimes must swallow your political and other opinions and what you know might be fact in order to get through a class

PrincessQ and Sandy, Boy do I feel for the two of you. Sandy, sounds like you have a whacko for an instructor. I have had instructors that love to teach by intimidation. I never taught that way. I want my students to learn and I want them to do their very best. Just like nursing is supposed to be, some students are better at some skills than others.

Students are just that. Students. They are not going to be adept at all skills. That is why they are in school. My way or the highway is not a way to teach or manage. However, you do have to get through school. When more are failing than passing, yes something is drastically wrong. Take it up as a group with the dean.

Like dmaz pointed out, follow the instructor and do things his/her way when there is more than one way to perform a task. Learn to speak/act/walk like the difficult instructor. Is it fair? No. But, it is life in nursing school and your goal is to get your degree and your license. The goal is not to one up the instructor.

Thank you guys so much for your advice i hope all works out because i've worked to hard and long to not do well because of someones crappy personality. Sandy i realy appreciated you advice it gave me a new way to look at it. Perhaps i just need to go with their opinions just so that i can get through and forget m own opinion for awhile ( very hard to do i must say).

PrincessQ: you've gotten some good advice here, for the most part. I would try discussing the issue non-confrontationally with the instructor, after clinic not during clinic. Use "I believe" types of statements rather than emotional statements like "I feel." Ask for rationales if you are told to do something different from what your lead instructor is teaching you. If that doesn't work, see your lead instructor for the course, then the Chair. Follow your chain of command.

I don't encourage people to become "kiss asses." it leads to a lifetime of "kissass" behavior that can make you very unpopular with your peers in the work world. However, if you disagree with your clinic instructor, and the instructor is intimidating, then arguing with the instructor is useless. Again, go to your lead instructor. Don't complain about the clinic instructor unless he behavior is inappropriate, but simply say, "My clinic instructor says this, and I'd like some clarification." Your lead instructor will get you on the right path.

Princess I was in a similar situation about a year into my nursing school. I had an instructor who told the entire class that we were her compition. She taught us nothing and tested us on material out of books we did not have access too. When over half the class was failing, myself included, at mid term we decided to get together and go talk to the DON. She listened to our thoughts feelings and complaints about this instructor and it did take many visits to the DONs office and many statements in writing before anything was done to get her to change her ways. We ended up having to teach ourselves the material and just pray that we had taught ourselves enough to pass the class. Unfortunatly some people still failed but when the DON stepped in and saw that she was testing us on material that she had never taught and was not in any of our text books she threw the test questions out and made the instructor regrade our tests. We did have to put up with her for 6 months and they were long frustrating months, but our persistance paid off and at the end of the semester she was asked to not return to the facility as an instructor.