OK! OK! This is my confession!!!

Nursing Students Excelsior

Published

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Two and a half months ago, I failed my FIRST EVER nursing exam!:blink: Community Focused Nursing! I...WAS...DEVASTATED:dead:!!!! I didn't think it was possible!:down: I went into the exam just really ready to get it over with. I began to read stuff that I felt belonged on any other exam but the one I was taking. In the end, I changed quite a few of my answers. Walked out of Pearson Vue with a D. A "D"! *:***:** is a D? Why not just put an F on the paper? It had the same effect! Or better yet, why not just rip the printout in half and trash it?! It would have saved me the effort of doing it!!:madface:

I came home and filed it in the drawer that is now labeled BS....Bachelor of Science? Yeah...ok. I blamed my friend because I didn't feel he was as supportive as he should have been; I blamed my daughter because she didn't think failing an exam was a big deal, (after all, I needed family hovering over me because this was a funeral that they just did NOT understand!); I even blamed the dog that I don't even have because I felt a dog could have felt my apprehension and provided me with the emotional support that I needed; I blame trending practices for the push for BSN; and of course, I blamed Excelsior College for creating such an exam in the first place! The only reason that I didn't blame Pearson Vue is because of the cameras.:cautious::sniff:

My oldest son was as shocked as I was;:eek: my daughter didn't seem to care:cautious:: "Mama, people fail exams everyday", (note to self: when I get past this, let me see your semester grades); and my middle son brought a reality check into the limelight with his analysis: "Dang! That's $700 total after you take it again:nailbiting:!" (Like there's gonna be a next time):no:

I came here to allnurses on the day that it all happened but it's like I developed a serious case of arthritis in my fingers, or the stages of grief froze over on denial. Twenty-seven, count them, 2-7 years of nursing and I fail a nursing exam!:barf02::poop: I reviewed my notes and study materials and simply could not find anything in the materials that even remotely resembled that exam! I have not looked at the material since!!!

I just finally had to put this out there after reading a post from a pre-nursing student agonizing over failing his/her first exam in an accelerated BSN program. I applaud those of you who have the courage to face momentary defeat head-on, because it has taken me nearly 3 months to do it and I'm still confused as to how it happened. The clouds that I thought I was walking on was nothing more than quicksand. I guess, come January, I will be taking the course instead of retaking the exam because that dealt a tremendous blow to my GPA.:banghead::madface: The capstone will have to wait until May...*****:arghh:

***Notice, I still haven't found the courage to blame myself...:nono:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I never failed an exam. As my wife liked to say, I just didn't pass. ;)

But I agree, as far as I was concerned, a D was the same as an F. I would have to do it over again. It is frustrating knowing that all that studying was for naught (well, hopefully something was learned, just not what they wanted on the test).

I passed every single exam (Pre-reqs and Nursing exams) I had taken till I took Health Differences Across the Life Span 2, then I failed it (sorry, didn't pass it). Twice.

Take time to regroup. You can pass, just take this as a learning experience.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Thanks for the encouragement. You better believe I've learned from this! The next attempt WILL BE the course!!! The shock value with this was more than I had bargained for. Funny thing is, I've posted on here so many times for others to get up, dust off, and get going again. Now I know it is a totally different view of the facts from this side of the exam. Had it been a math or statistics (I got a 34 on the final), or any other science, I would have been ok with failing either one of those because it seems as if I was born to fail those. With those, I was shocked when I passed. But this was not only a hard pill to swallow, I probably couldn't swallow it if it was crushed and put in applesauce. But, I'm ok.......as long as I don't think about it.:headphone:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro.

I felt the same way after failing Transitions. It took me a while to get back on my feet and attempt another test. Thank God for good family and friends. They lit a fire up my *$@ so I licked my wounds and moved on. I wish you the best on the course.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
I felt the same way after failing Transitions. It took me a while to get back on my feet and attempt another test. Thank God for good family and friends. They lit a fire up my *$@ so I licked my wounds and moved on. I wish you the best on the course.

That's the thing: I'm taking four courses this semester with one of the 8-week courses ending tonight and the fourth course to begin Monday. I'm at midpoint with the two 15-week courses and I've been pulling all A's since August with barely any effort! But I tackle that darn exam as a one-on-one and blow it royally!!! I don't suffer from test anxiety; in fact, I love to take exams even when I KNOW that I haven't a clue about the information. I just really love that 'let-me-see-how-many-of-these-I-can-get-right' moment. But that CFN exam to me was like a freaking crossword puzzle with no vowels.:confused:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww, girl! You crack me up as always, I almost covered my keyboard in coffee. I would react the same way as you did -- I do NOT NOT NOT NOT like to fail! OMG, I darn near flipped out when I thought I might get a B and mess up my 4.0 GPA last semester in my MSN program (thanks to some group work and a less than stellar group). *hugs* Regroup and conquer!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Thanks LunahRN! As you can see, I changed my username, the coward that I am, before I made my confession!:blink:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I don't in the least bit mean to minimize your agony over this, but blaming the dog you don't even have??? I probably shouldn't laugh at your pain, but gosh that was funny! I can't believe you have such a great sense of humor over an obviously distressing event. Good for you! Just keep that sense of humor intact and I have faith you will come out on top.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

I feel you on that one! I got to the last exam LS3, went in to take the exam, got a D...3 mo later took it again...got a D...AGAIN!!! I was devastated, waiting 9 months...yes you saw that right...9 MONTHS to finally retake it for the third and final time and got a B!!! It's so easy to want to give up, but I think things happen for a reason. I took the very last paper/pencil version of the FCCA, and then my CPNE about 4 mo later. I will say the online Community nursing course is well worth doing even if it takes you a little longer for the Capstone. A lot of stuff in the online courses for the BSN accumulates in the capstone and it helps make that course EASIER because you will have already done the work before in previous courses.

Good luck to you and hang in there!

Tasha

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Like ur spirit, (everyone in ur hse had something to do with it lol) Pick urself up and keep going, the finish line is very close n u r almost there. Praying for strength ur way

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Thanks siddy. I'm still bleeding from that wound!!!:blackeye:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I used to be a test-taking expert but after about a year in EC's BSN program I was scared of this test after reading so many stories of others either not passing or getting Cs. I had gotten spoiled to the As from the regular courses. I had also lost my fear of writing papers (which kept me out of school for years). I took the Community Nursing course. Admittedly I really disliked most of the material. Sparred with my professor a couple of times (we made up and I gave her a good review) and pulled the A I was looking for. There is nothing overly difficult about the course, other than it being 15 weeks long!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment