I am interested in finding out what avenues are available for a student nurse who has had two outs. The first one occurred during a chemistry class and an immediate family member dying the week of finals, and the student not being allowed to take the test any later. The second out occurred in the Critical Nursing, or Agency III (the last nursing class)... when the person in question failed by one test question.
We have been trying to find out what a person is to do when this happens. She is not able to continue at the same nursing school. She passed the clinicals and did her preceptership.... any information that we could get would be greatly appreciated. I do not want to see her give up on a dream!
Carolyn
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December 7th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
I am surprised that she was not able to make up her Chemistry final due to the death of an immediate family member. That is a legitimate reason for missing a final, and if she was not allowed to make it up, she should have brought this to the attention of the head of the department, and if they did not agree, she should have taken it to the Dean. Unfortunately, it is probably too late to pursue that avenue.
As far as failing a class by 1 question, I don’t think that is ever the case. She failed the class by missing a lot of questions, and this 1 question pushed her over the edge. If she was that borderline, she should have sought extra assistance earlier in the year (this is assuming that she did not do that). Has she had a meeting with the school of nursing faculty to discuss any options, such as re-taking the course or re-examining her reason for missing the Chemistry final?
My best suggestion is that she see if she is able to transfer her credits to another program and pursue her dream of becoming a nurse elsewhere.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Well, Hello! I was a nursing student at Mount Aloysius College located in Cresson, Pennsylvania near Altoona, Pennsylvania. I basically had two outs also. For one, I don’t think I was prepared enough for the incredibly hard work that one must do for nursing school. I don’t think I studied the right way, either, and that led to lower test scores. Some of my tests, however, I did really well on, others were just horrid. Though it was not just me, many many others in my program were struggling because the nursing instructor that actually makes UP the questions… there might be 2 different answers for one question. There has been speculation as to if the program will undergo investigation, as many people failed. I also failed my clinical experience NOT BY MUCH, though I exceptionally excelled at the hands-on things. It was just the practice charts that we had to fill out on the patient that we had that week. The other problem I had was that I had not had all my pre-requisites finished before entering the nursing program which made it almost impossible. Combining the demands of nursing classes as well as anatomy and physiology 2, was just too hard. I appealed my ejection from the nursing program, but the strange thing was the people that appealed (which was quite a large number) NO ONE GOT BACK IN!! 4 had only got back in the previous semester ( fall ’06) Now, I am at a community college close to my home in Baltimore, Maryland, and am “re-doing” my academics. Some of the more important pre-reqs have transferred over such as the psychology 1 and chemistry. I will go back into nursing in the fall of 2008. Maybe your friend may want to transfer to a college that has better personal help. 🙂
December 8th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
My advice to your friend would be to have them check out other nursing programs around your area. Some schools may allow for transfer credits and some may allow your friend to “test- out” of the equivalent classes at the new school. If she made it that far into nursing, she should know enough to test out of previous semesters and then maybe all she will have to finish up is critical care nursing, but hey… she will already know the stuff… good luck, i know its a rough spot
December 9th, 2007 at 1:56 am
I am studying for my finals next week myself. This is the end of my first semester. Unfortunately I believe your situation is true of many nursing programs. I know we have already lost 10 of our 75 admitted students and I expect to lose another 15 or so after finals. BPlover said “many many others in my program were struggling because the nursing instructor that actually makes UP the questions… there might be 2 different answers for one question.” I think that is how it goes in most programs, that is how it goes in mine also. From what I understand, the Nclex is formed that way. One or all of the answers might be appropriate, but there is one answer that is better than the others. Any way you look at it, nursing school is terribly hard. I hope the best for you. If it is in God’s plan for you to be a nurse He will open the doors for you.
December 11th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
I want to thank those of you who responded to the above question. My friend did follow the correct avenues. She discussed the chemistry grade with the instructor, the director of nursing and the dean…did not get her anywhere. Then she had a hearing and then appealed the second out… with nothing positive there either. You are all right. I believe that nursing school was the hardest thing I ever did. I graduated in May of 2006. I commend anyone that goes through it. I just do not want to see my friend give up. I was trying to get answers for her… where does she go from here…thanks for your replies!
December 19th, 2007 at 10:17 am
There is an online nursing school that will let you take the course wok at your own pace . You have to arrange for your own preceptor though to get the clinical hours. It sounds like your friend may have enough clinical time already – I’m not sure how they handle that – but this may be worth a shot. I talked to them and they will let you take as long as you need to finish your coursework as well as provide you with support. Their goal is to have you pass. It is expensive but they have flexible payment plans. The company is called RUE Education if you think she might be interested.
Good luck -tell her to keep plugging away. It is hard but as Tom Hanks said in a league of our own- ” if it were easy – everybody would do it “. There may be no crying in baseball but we all know there is some in nursing school.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:31 am
I am a victim of the two strikes rule. My first stike came in a very stressful time (my nephew, 2months old, was murdered by his father) and i managed a C- in my first nursing class. I progressed through till my senor year. Mind you none of this mess with my family had gone away… the trial lasted for what seemed forever and this horrible monster kept sending my sister mail, his mother would visit her at work and my family was on edge. This monster now lives in my hometown after spending 5years in prison. Anyway my senior year i failed out of Critical Care nursing and there i was a few months left of nursing school with nothing to show for after spending 5 years of my life in college. It has been 4 years and i’m still paying student loans but i’m almost financially ready to pursue my degree again. I’m also curious to see what options are out there for getting my degree. Thanks to all of you who have posted helpful options!