What to say when a student did something wrong
I have a student who abandent a patient and did not tell me about it. The student left the unit and it took over 90 minutes to find her. What to say in situation like that?
I have had a student do this once in the clinical setting, they were required to meet with the director of the program, placed on a probationary period and successfully complete that course and the next course before being removed from the probationary status.
I also have had students abandon sites they were at, just walked out. They are advised by Director so they are aware you cannot not just walk out on Doctors and patients
Kathryn
Once you confront the student and for some reason the behavior continues, what would the next step be? Another meeting? Action plan?
I would confrot the student in a firm, private, respectful way. I would role play the scenerio with her being the patient. I would also go over ramifications not only for the program but in life.
I concur with Bobbi, I utilize the same approach. I also include a Rogers approach to emphatic understanidng balanced with values based consequences (gain insight from supervisors on how to address the situation if)-i.e. attempting to understand what was driving the person to respond the way they did, this way I can address more than just "discipline," active/in-vivo learning/teaching.
Hi Margaret- Thanks for your post to the forum. As a long-term pet owner with a large "Pet Cemetary" on our farm, I often have wondered how Vet folks keep it together when dealing with emotional pet owners. I guess it's the same with MDs/Nurses though. It's just life! You are doing a great job of giving your students the coping skills they will need in their careers. Great work! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
This is absolutely true, and in our program, we do strive to emphasize the grieving process very early in the course. We even have the students interview a close friend or family member on what euthanizing a pet meant to them, and write a detailed paper on this interview. Unfortunately, sometimes until the students are actively involved in the process, the emotional impact, espeically where memories are involved, is not real to them. As part of their support system, we try and help the students realize that this reaction is normal, and give them appropriate coping mechanisms to try and deal with it. This way, when they enter the profession as an employee, they are better preparred.
Hi Margaret- Thanks for your post to the forum. Your disipline is really emotionaly highpower. Pets become children for so many people. Learning how to deal with this involves so many emotions. Perhaps we need some training in grief counseling.
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I also teach in a program where we must evaluate the student's ability to care for patients, albiet they are animals. I agree with Susan that the student MUST be made aware that, were this an actual employment situation, there could/would be very serious ramifications, including possible termination, as a result of these actions. However, I also agree with Bobbi that this should be done in a private area so as not to embarass or humiliate the student.
I have found that sometimes situations develop with patient care in which the student suddenly finds themselves emotionally unable and/or unprepared to handle what's happening. (For example, in our program we can see this with euthanasias.) In these cases, sometimes running away is the only coping mechanism they have. Getting to the real cause of abandoning the patient (i.e. reminded them of a time when they had to euthanize their own pet) is critical in these cases, because it ensures future episodes are dealt with in an appropriate, sucessful manner. If we don't help the student's explore why they did what they did in a safe and supportive manner, they may actually never be able to explain their actions, or prevent them from happening in the future.
Students sometimes ask to use restroom or get a drink and them don't come back for 30 minutes. Oh I was talking to so and so.....At the end of class they are the ones asking questions about what happened when they were gone. I let them know that their absence has affected their learning for that day.
This sounds like a very good strategy because you are getting your point across without being overtly punitive. Assuming the student cares about his/her work, the guilt over compromising patient care will have a far greater impact than any formal sanction.
Hi Janine- Thanks for your post to the forum. You detail a good plan for making the student accountable for his/her actions and understanding the impact as well. Best wishes! Susan
Once the student was located I would ask the student to tell me what they have been doing for the past 2 hours, recalling there last patients etc. giving them the opportunity to explain what has happened. Once the student provides me with the information I would ask about the last patient and why they left them and the consequences of them leaving the patient-harm to the patient and let the student know that this can never happen again and if it does their will consequences for their action. I would also make them go to check on the last patient as well.
Hi -
The way I typically handle situations like this (I teach in a business program, not a program that involves patients) I remove the student from the situation to a place that is private (to ensure that they are not ridiculed or publicly embarrased) and go over the ramifications of their actions.
Bobbi Bricker
Hi Galit - Is this a student who had completed the majority of her program? If that was the case the student should certainly know the implications of her actions. I would be very firm with the student and emphasize the enormity of her lack of responsibility and make sure she understands that there would most certainly be the possibility of termination if this happened in the workplace if not also legal reprucussions.
Susan
