Am I over-reacting?

[emtannie]

Some of you are aware that I am in the middle of my initial practicum (I know, in the US, they are referred to as clinicals) for the medic program here. Practicum consists of 384 hours for initial ambulance, 270 hours for hospital, and 576 hours for final ambulance.

After my first tour (4 shifts, 12 hours each) my mom took ill very suddenly, and deteriorated quickly. As I have been the one who has been her “guardian” – the one who took her to all her doctor appointments, monitored her medications, etc – for the last 4 years, I was the one at the hospital with her. Just over 48 hours after she was admitted to hospital, I had to make the decision to have her removed from life support, and called the rest of my family with the news.

Due to the time Mom was in the hospital, and planning her funeral after, and I am also executor of her estate, I missed the next two tours. I contacted the college, and was given the “take all the time that you need” speech.

I wanted to try to get back to normal as soon as possible, so I returned to practicum, but have been having difficulty focussing. On discussions with my preceptor, we agreed that I should request more time off. As well, my preceptor admitted that he has been harder on me than he should be, as he is burnt out from overwork (he works industrial shifts on his days off from the hospital) and having 3 students before me in the last 12 months.. “all of whom were awful” in his words. He also said I did exceptionally well my first week, but the weeks after I got back I didn’t do very well.

I had contacted the college by phone and email several times over the last 10 days, and did not get a reply from my practicum coordinator. Yesterday, my practicum coordinator called 3 hours before my shift, to tell me that he was stopping in for an evaluation, and to see how my practicum is progressing.

He showed up, and we discussed me taking a leave and returning to my practicum in 6 weeks. He said that it isn’t possible, because I have to have my initial practicum completed by the end of April as the college’s agreements with hospitals is to have all hospital practicums between May 1 and August 30. By not finishing by the end of April, I was told that I would have to forfeit my entire year, and would have to start my practicum over again next year… and it would cost me another year’s tuition.

He admitted that he hasn’t read any of my emails, and that he “didn’t have time” to return my calls.

I am really angry that they can’t accommodate me…. Even with finishing my initial practicum 30 days late, I would still have sufficient time to finish my hospital practicum in the time allowed.

I am also angry that they have made accommodations to other students in hospital and final practicums, so why can’t they accommodate me in this initial one? I am aware of a student last year who broke his leg during his hospital practicum, and they delayed the remainder of his hospital practicum, and allowed him to finish his final practicum after the year end deadline, and of a student in my class who has requested a delay in starting hospital practicum due to ankle surgery, and he has been accommodated.

The college’s whole argument is that they have to have all students finish initial practicum by April 30 so they can get them all through hospital practicum between May 1 and August 30. I can still do that, and already have confirmation from the hospital that they will make arrangements to ensure I can be done my hospital practicum by August 30.

So, instead of being flexible, given the circumstances in my life right now, instead of giving me 30 days grace, they want me to forfeit an entire year, and come back next year, which will cost me another approximately $4500 in tuition as well.

I could understand this more if I was a poor student, if I had done poorly in the classroom environment, and if I had done poorly on my practicum initially, but that isn't the case.

I am livid over this, and do plan on fighting it. I am well aware that I do need some time off to deal with Mom’s estate and get over some of the emotion involved with that… but I do not need a whole year off!

Opinions? Advice?

[FireMedic65]

Sorry to hear about your mom. I surly sounds like you are getting a raw deal here. I suggest taking it up with the dean. I do not know how your clinical/practicum works up in Canada, so I can't fully suggest any real solutions. When I was in medic school, there was no time to wait for students that were behind, for whatever reason. The program went fast and if you missed out, you missed out. There was a student towards the end of the program whom became very ill, and missed a few weeks of class. He was able to recover by having his books in the hospital and people taking assignments to him. Acomidations were made to help, but if he missed stuff, he missed stuff.

In your situation, it sucks. If you can make up the time, I don't see why they would give you a hard time over it. It sounds like your clinical person is a &$*)(@ and lazy.

Go above their head.

[paramedicmike]

My condolences for the loss of your mom.

Document everything. Go to the department head and plead your case. If you don't get any satisfaction there, document everything and go to the dean. Take it as high as you need to go. Get the support of the students you mentioned who had received accommodations for their situations in any way you can (written statements, showing up in person etc...).

Good luck.

[Lone Star]

In the military, as well as in civillian life, there is a proper 'pecking order' or 'chain of command' that must be followed when trying to resolve issues.

I'm sure that your practicum coordinator has to answer directly to someone; go to them. If you don't get satisfactory results, then you go to their supervisor, and so on and so on until you get to the 'top dog' (ie: the Dean)

I would imagine that if you have to go above the Dean, (Board of Reagents?), that would be another option. Above that, I'm sure that there is a panel of memebers that set the college requirements for the Province....

My condolences about your mother.

Keep us posted on the progression of your grievance with the school!

LS

[HERBIE1]

First and foremost, my sincere condolences on the passing of your mom. This is one of the most difficult times in anyone's life, and being in the middle of your internship certainly does not make it any easier. I'm not sure how much time has passed, but I know from experience, it's hard.

I suggest you talk to someone you trust- family, friend, counselor, clergy, etc to get your head on straight. If you aren't able to focus and concentrate, you need to get help to work through your feelings. Find out why you are having so much trouble-unresolved issues, fear, guilt, anger, denial - it's all a normal part of the grieving process, we all go through these stages, and the timetable varies with each person. Unfortunately, time IS the best healer, but in your position, you have deadlines and commitments you need to be concerned about.

I will echo what the others have said- go up the chain of command, have a clear idea of how much time you need, and your date of return. Have them spell out their policy on these things if possible so you know what is possible. You cannot leave something like this open ended- say I need x amount of time to get some help, and would appreciate some consideration. Employers and schools may have various bereavement leave policies, but after that, we need to figure out a way to move on.

Have your preceptor and anyone else involved honestly look at your performance, and whether they feel you can work through your problems and still be a good student. Optimal- no, but can you still survive the process? Have them clearly spell out what your options are at this point- stay the course, take some time, do make up work, or start over, etc.

I will caution you though- be careful how you handle this and do not burn your bridges- it may come back to haunt you later.

I will now say something that you need to consider, and please do not take it the wrong way.

In this business, we must deal with the worst society has to offer, we see people at their worst, and regardless of our personal problems, we have a job to do. Patients and families do not care that you are having a bad day, or that you have major personal problems- they need your help, and they need you at your best. You will learn to compartmentalize your feelings- the kids are sick, you had a spat with your spouse, you are having financial problems, but at work, you need to put all that aside. You cannot solve your personal problems at work. I'm not saying ignore how you feel, just stow those feelings and problems away until you can focus your full attention on them after your shift is over. I was told this by a very wise senior person years ago-I was dealing with my own personal issues, and as cold hearted as I felt it was at the time, I later understood what he meant.

Best of luck, emtannie and I hope you find some peace and resolution to your problems.

Look at it as a test. How committed am I to this field? What am I willing to do to ensure I achieve my goals?

[Richard B the EMT]

My condolences on the great loss in your personal family.

As for requesting this time off, I concur with the "Pecking order" method.

However, if they still say no, see if you can get a "pro-rated" refund, letting them keep the money for classes already taken. While I feel you won't get full refunding for the school year, perhaps you can get some of the money outlay back, and use in the year following when you'd return to the school.

[tskstorm]

The bottom line with this has to be if you have personally assured you will be able to finish your in hospital time, and your ambulance time there is no reason for them to charge you more money or delay you a year. I would be outraged at the lack of flexibility.

Even so I have to agree with FireMedic65 here, my medic program, didn't stop for people with surgeries, broken bones, car accidents, lost family members or even pregnancy. It was the students responsibility to work it all out and make the dead lines.

I am truly sorry for your loss, however, to be perfectly candid, our bereavement leave where I work is 3 days from date on the death certificate whether or not they fall on work days. I can understand you have trouble focusing, but perhaps asking for 6 weeks off was a little much. Maybe as an alternate you can lighten your load in other areas of your life.. in case you are unable to get through the "pecking" order because that in and of itself will take a lot of time, which will not help your case, or help you have time to destresss and relax, I mean if your going to go through all of that might as well just go to the shift on the ambulance and be stressed!

[thrutheashes]

The bottom line with this has to be if you have personally assured you will be able to finish your in hospital time, and your ambulance time there is no reason for them to charge you more money or delay you a year. I would be outraged at the lack of flexibility.

Even so I have to agree with FireMedic65 here, my medic program, didn't stop for people with surgeries, broken bones, car accidents, lost family members or even pregnancy. It was the students responsibility to work it all out and make the dead lines.

I am truly sorry for your loss, however, to be perfectly candid, our bereavement leave where I work is 3 days from date on the death certificate whether or not they fall on work days. I can understand you have trouble focusing, but perhaps asking for 6 weeks off was a little much. Maybe as an alternate you can lighten your load in other areas of your life.. in case you are unable to get through the "pecking" order because that in and of itself will take a lot of time, which will not help your case, or help you have time to destresss and relax, I mean if your going to go through all of that might as well just go to the shift on the ambulance and be stressed!

tskstorm has a perfectly valid thought with lightening the load in other areas of your life where you can. Life doesn't always throw scenario's at us, however it's how we work our way through them that counts. I am sorry for your loss, however if you can learn how to practise medicine while dealing with this.....when you hit the real world on car, not much will faze you.

All that being said, you know yourself best, and if you feel being off car for awhile is the best way to deal with things, then maybe that's what you have to do. If you lose your year because of this, well that sucks, but nothing that can not be re-accomplished at a later date.

I want to echo what everyone else has said, move up the food chain until you get someone who can/and is willing to help you. If you can't YOU have to make a decision, "Can I pull it together enough to finish Practicum by de-stressing the rest of my life where I can?"

If you have to pull out, there is no shame in it. I have had to walk away from the field myself before, to get myself re-centred and get my head back on task. However when I come back I'm always re-charged, re-energised and ready to raise hell.

[tniuqs]

Opinions? Advice?

Just an Idea .... get a Lawyer to look at the agreements signed with your school, let it quietly slip from someone elses lips as they DO have an legal agreement to educate you, students do have rights and or is there not a impartial faculty member not available in the entire Institute to explain your concerns too ?

If policy is "coined" ask for the written policy document the school must have provisions for uncontrolled "circumstance".

And if your Liaison for field practicum is not answering either phone or email (I believe there is a distant on line involvement) then this should seriously be questioned if undue delay in tangible response sounds as if you are responding in a timely manner but others ... are not.

That said on the flip side you could take time off or perhaps investigate another school to transfer your present credits if you need a short sabbatical.

ps Good thing I did not apply to teach in that facility ... to hear of this conundrum just confirms some of my initial spider suspicions that less than stellar understanding of the human / student condition.

cheers and keep us posted ... quite obvious EMT City supports you