I reported my clinical instructor for threatening behavior and now feel I’m being discriminated against for speaking up. What can I do?

Question:

Dear Donna,

I’m a senior nursing student who reported to my clinical instructor her threatening behavior towards me and her violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act with one other student. In the month following my report, my instructor gave me multiple written academic warnings and noted an unacceptable practice case. The dean of nursing threatened me with expulsion, banned me from returning to a clinical position, and told me that I’d receive a failing grade in lectures and laboratory classes. The dean advised me not to hunt further clinical experience at the power to which I used to be assigned and where I planned to use for a job. My labmates rejected me? several nursing lecturers who had previously helped me stopped contacting me or advised that they weren’t allowed to seek advice from me for fear of repercussions.

I’m a mature student in my 50s and my academic achievements include praise from all previous clinical nursing instructors. I consider I actually have experienced discrimination for speaking out and I’m afraid to proceed my studies at this school. However, I cannot start studying at one other school as a consequence of financial and time constraints.

Nursing is my passion, but this treatment exhausts me. I’ve come too far to provide up on my dream. What can I do to seek out a way around this?

At-risk student

Dear Donna replies:

Dear At-Risk Student,

If you suspect you’re being discriminated against or retaliated against and your education is in danger, I like to recommend that you simply discover a nurse attorney and discuss your situation. A nursing lawyer is uniquely qualified to enable you with nursing and legal issues. Find a nurse lawyer through a referral out of your state chapter of the American Nurses Association (www.nursingworld.org) or the American Nurse Lawyers Association (www.taana.org). It can be helpful to hunt skilled advice and support, in addition to to advocate for you and take any motion if mandatory.

All the very best,
Donna