Clinical Instructor Red Flags
How to handle difficult clinical instructors: documentation, escalation, when it's you vs them.
Most clinical instructors are fine. Some aren't. Knowing when to push back vs when to keep your head down matters.
Reasonable instructor behavior
Pointed feedback, even harsh. High expectations. Real safety concerns documented. Reasonable assignments.
Red flags
Belittling in front of patients or peers. Refusing to explain rationale. Asking you to perform tasks outside your scope. Documenting issues that don't exist.
Document
Date, time, what happened, witnesses. Don't share publicly. Save for if you need to escalate.
Escalate
Program coordinator → dean of nursing. Most programs have processes. Document attempts to resolve.
Frequently asked
What if escalating makes it worse?
Risk exists. Weigh against ongoing harm. Often other students have similar issues, collective concern carries more weight.
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