I think I'm finally able to write something about this horror. Flores' actions were abhorrent and unforgivable.

One of the slain nursing faculty had reported him to the ASU police earlier. Many of the other faculty appear to have just tried to avoid or ignore him. Did no one urge him to go to ASU's CAPS? He certainly gave enough early warning signals that apparently were ignored. His own letter certainly painted a vivid picture of a deeply depressed person, who thought his life was falling apart. I can't help think that this might have been avoided, if someone had managed to get him to go to CAPS -- free service, so it would have fit even his budget.

In the letter to the newspaper, he predicted that the university would portray him as a "misanthropic, marginal student" who was undisciplined. His transcript shows that before failing the course with Ms. Rogers, he had a satisfactory academic record at Arizona. Now, when they speak of Mr. Flores, officials of the nursing program emphasize that he had proved himself unworthy of being a nurse. They paint the professors' decisions to flunk him as an act of understated heroism. "By standing firm and upholding the values of nurses, [the professors] protected others from possible harm," says Raymond Woosley, vice president for the university's health-sciences center. Still, there is a sense that perhaps these shootings could make professors waver the next time a failing student seems dangerous. "We can't do that," says Mr. Woosley. "Everyone knows it's a risk. It reinforces why we have to maintain those standards... . To me, that's the message. These three nurses held the standards and paid a terrible price. And all of us who evaluate students have to do the same thing."

I'm not certain that nursing schools do an adequate job of communicating what the demands and standards will be to their students. The job is high-stress, requires mastery of a rapidly growing amount of knowledge, and great people skills -- at least that's what the good nurses can deal with. I've known many nursing students, trying to get their LPN or RN degrees. It seems there are always a few instructors who appear to lack (or perhaps just don't show) some of those skills they expect from their students. Certainly, the standards are important, but don't lose sight of the main purpose -- "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."

Perhaps they are trying to build emotional callouses, so their students who make it past the filters of the curriculum and this sort of instructor's behavior will be better equipped to handle the job environment that awaits them. But I also think that a boot-camp type of experience or attitude should be explained up front and often while it's happening. I know that Alwin had started a post about this horror, and I hope he will share some of his thoughts about how nursing education could be made better...

10:48:17 AM  [] blah blah blah'd on this