Nursing placement advice please

[Mama Mirabelle]

I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I'm Muslim too and had placements while at Uni (teaching) and had to deal with some of what you've described, particularly the obsession with "where are you from". It's so disheartening and upsetting!

I have no other advice for you, I think there's been some excellent suggestions in this thread. Please take the advice you've been given and go above your coordinator's head; your university has absolutely failed you on this and it's outrageous.

Also I would name and shame the hospital and department. This woman has acted disgustingly and it seems the rest of the department are no better; as a Muslim I would hate to be a patient there, I can only imagine how I'd be treated.

[Mrs Snowman]

Absolutely not good enough response from your uni. The hospital preceptor is bullying you and you are being punished? I would speak to someone higher than your subject co-ordinator and get in contact with the ANMF and student union for support.
Completely inappropriate behaviour from your preceptor. You can't judge a student on their first week. Most of the time they hardly know where the toilet is and who the other nurses on the ward are. Not to mention the blatant racism. Wtaf. I'm angry just thinking about it. I worked in a very multi cultural hospital and ED. Asking where someone is from was just conversation and an out of interest thing because there were people from everywhere and everyone was interested in others experiences. If someone seemed uncomfortable talking about it, you didn't.

[maternidade]

Now I'm hoping I haven't offended someone with an accent or different skin colour by asking where they/their family is from...... I'm just genuinely interested!!

Yes but to be pressed over and over isn't on, especially when you say you and your parents were born in Australia.

[Mama Mirabelle]

For me, I don't mind if I've developed a friendship with someone, or a good working relationship and in context they might politely enquire where my family is from, that doesn't offend me.

What upsets me is when it's automatically assumed you're an outsider based on your skin colour or appearance. When you're in a group of caucasian people and you're the only asked 'so where are you from'. Maybe I need a thicker skin but it annoys me. I know plenty of Caucasian people who have recently immigrated while I've lived in Australia since I was a couple of months old, but to some people (and sounds like this supervisor woman is one of them) I would have less of a right to call Australia home, in that context it's very upsetting.

[turquoisecoast]

to be pressed over and over about your "Australian-ness", at a first meeting/intro session in front of a bunch of other people, is deplorable. how humiliating and demeaning. the ignoramus doing it was obviously trying to make you feel demeaned and marginalized. I'm shocked anyone would behave that way. like what a shiit person they are.

[sunnyflower]

Go further. This is not acceptable. Sure it's a good idea to be withdrawn from this placement but they can't expect you to just start your placement all over again next year. No way.

[Kazzy36]

Hi there, i work as a facilitator for a Uni, & agree that this is not good enough. As others have suggested - document it all in a diary - include times, places, & any witnesses to what happened. It is also important to record how each of these events/interactions have made you feel.

You have spoken to your coordinator - the next step would be to meet with the Dean of the nursing school - make it clear you are experiencing racial intolerance on your placement - essentially the Uni is failing in it's duty of care.

Also- i agree with meeting with the NUM of your ward to dicuss your experience with them.

[Mama Mirabelle]

I saw this today and it reminded me of the conversation in this thread 😅

ImageUploadedByThe Bub Hub1444443471.315883.jpg

[maternidade]

Please keep us updated op, I hope you're going well.
This behaviour isn't on and again I'm sorry you're going through this

[ieatshavingscum]

thanks so much for the advice and replies.

I actually wrote a huge reply the other day but it wouldn't post it for some reason.

I did talk to the nurse manager of the department whilst on placement multiple times about the issue I was having and the comments being made and all she said was 'that's no good, but you're almost finished' type thing.... she never tried to address these issues.

the nurse manager and my facilitator are the 2 main issues here, they both have an issue with not believing my heritage etc since day one.... they have made things very difficult for me even giving me the most horrendous feedback to my topic coordinator saying I refuse to do anything but play games on the computer, won't change nappies, talk to patients or parents etc... which is so far from true.

I have tried to explain this to the uni but of course they are inclined to believe the hospital.

I was contacted by the uni to start a new placement at a different hospital next month so I will be doing that and be able to finish this year thankfully.

so having been offered a new placement sooner than I thought I think I'll just stick to making a complaint to the hospital about the staff.

My confidence has really taken a beating in regards to my practice having read the interim report the facilitator and nurse manager wrote giving me an 'unsafe for practice' in every category.... though I know this is not true as I said my last placement I got a distinction. I feel these 2 ladies gave me those marks not based on my actual knowledge and practice but their personal feelings about me.

the uni has told me to seek help from a councilor to develop strategies to deal with this in the future.

I also might seek help from a speech therapist to help me get an 'australian accent'

I did love the picture post to this thread by the way.

please don't quote I will dele later.