As I look back on the blog which I wrote after graduating, I see an idealistic and appreciative new instructor. I see optimism and hope in the words I wrote; and I sense the trepidation I felt.
Today, however, I quite possibly shot myself in the foot... or fell on a sword as a kind mentor once cautioned me. "Deanna you can not fall on every sword, as you think about it, was this issue so important..?" At the time, I concluded yes, yes it was. It involved an unkindness toward someone else that was defenseless, I would do it again I concluded.
Well, today I spoke my mind. I am still pondering the wisdom of this but I believe that it was worth the sacrifice. I love the school where I teach because this is my alma mater, twice over. Each time I had excellent teachers who came along side me and taught me to be a great nurse...if I do say so myself ;-) I have been dismayed over the last year to see lateral violence toward students and even more disconcerting, incivility toward each other among the faculty.
Lateral violence in nursing is not new and we love to blame it on being a suppressed group working under dominating physicians. Well, there are no physicians here on this campus, so I feel that we must place the blame squarely upon our own insecure and haughty shoulders. Where does it come from?
Why do instructors belittle students and treat each other in less than professional ways. The back biting and catty chatter is disruptive and demeaning. I do not know the answer to these questions but I do know that if God allows I hope to be active in nursing education for quite sometime and I for one refuse to tolerate it. So I hope that as I reminded everyone of the great instructors I had enjoyed and concluded that while I am so proud of my school the display of incivility is disappointing, hopefully it will encourage others to refuse to be a part of this type of behavior. What would happen if we all refused to participate and tolerate this type of behavior? Would those bitter, angry souls wither away?
No, I know that they would not and I know fair well that I fell on another sword but I don't care. At least as they meet, confer, gossip and engage in their intellectual snobbery they know in the depths of their souls that their deeds are known. And it is my belief that no great person ever had a mind so small.
Oops, in the back of my mind I hear my Mama calling, 'Deanna, ... If you can't say something nice, just don't say anything at all...'
Well, alright then; I'll write it!
I'm done.
D
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