failed out of nursing school.... now what?

SinusRhythm · Jan 19, 2008

Failing out of nursing school isn't the end. I could write forever about this (but I won't). I live in CT, so I can't help you with the local schools. But I can give you my thoughts on what to do.

I think that if you really want to be a nurse, then go for it! Don't let anything get in your way. It's just like anything else. If you want it badly enough, you're going to find a way to get it. Failing out of nursing school doesn't define who you are. It doesn't reflect what kind of nurse you're going to be. I'm sure people on here would agree that there are morons that pass nursing school and very intelligent people that don't. Go figure.

I'm a 2-year graduate. Makes no difference when you work. You can always get the BSN later. Good luck to you. I wish you the best!

danh3190 · Jan 19, 2008

One classmate enrolled in an LPN program after her 2nd fail. I think her plan is to get the LPN and work then try to get into an LPN to RN program.

Cinnamongirl · Jan 21, 2008

were you in long enough that you got your LPN certificate? I went to an ADN program, and halfway through our program you could apply for the LPN exam. I would go this route if possible. Not only will you gain good experience that will help you as an RN, you will start out making more as a new RN b/c of your LPN experience. AND you could probably get your employer to help pay for your RN schooling.

Good luck to you.

bbhalle · Jan 22, 2008

Hi everyone,
I'm new here so excuse me if i'm posting this tread in the wrong area. I need help! I was in my second semester of nursing school with only a year left before graduating with my BSN. I just recently failed my second course (OB/BYN) with puts me out of the program. I'm am sooo confused and mad at myself for not giving it my most. I feel like I let everyone in my family down including myself the most. I put in an appeal and just received the answer today that it was not approved. Now I dont know what my next move should be. Should I find a school that will allow me to transfer my credits that I have finished at my most recent school. Or should I just go and apply at a tech or community school and do the associate degree. I'm willing to move if i find a school that will allow me to transfer my finished credits. I'm on here looking for help to see if anyone knows any schools if there are any at all that will allow transfering of already passed nursing classes. I'm just wanting suggestions of what to do. desperate to finish nursing school. help!!!!!!!!!!

Hey, I failed nursing Twice, this is my 3rd time trying. I will start in Feburary. I hope to pass this time around. WestPenn Hospital Nursing in Pittsburgh, is a good school. You should look more into it. By the way don't put so much pressure on you your self. That's when we set our self up for failure. It's not the end of the world. Think positive, but if you don't make it, have a plan B. My plan B is going to the airforce or being a fllight attendant. Keep in touch. Feel free to ask many question as you please.

leelife · Jan 24, 2008

Hey, I failed nursing Twice, this is my 3rd time trying. I will start in Feburary. I hope to pass this time around. WestPenn Hospital Nursing in Pittsburgh, is a good school. You should look more into it. By the way don't put so much pressure on you your self. That's when we set our self up for failure. It's not the end of the world. Think positive, but if you don't make it, have a plan B. My plan B is going to the airforce or being a fllight attendant. Keep in touch. Feel free to ask many question as you please.

Thanks for your suggestions, bbhalle. I'm going to keep going, I'm trying to get into the Associate Degree program which is harder to get into than it was to get into the bachelors program..?? oh well... as for plann b..... not there yet, just going to have hope that this time around I'm going to make it... .... *smiles*

simplenotions · Feb 9, 2008

I can understand how you feel. I was a junior at a nursing university and I failed out this last semester, I'm taking this quarter off. Next quarter I will be taking pre-requisites at a community college for another nursing school. Some days I am determined to get through this and get back on track, other days I feel really down.

My advice: Research what you need for other nursing programs, see if what you have will transfer. Spend your time wisely - work, volunteer, use your emotions and thoughts as fuel for a really good admissions essay, see if you can get your CNA if you don't already have it (some CNA programs take only a month).

I wish you the absolute best of luck!

Venus1 · Feb 9, 2008

Hello All:

Well...I haven't failed out of the ASN program...but my nerves (and feeding into the school gossip fish bowl) just might get me there :) My grades are good (85%), but when I have to do a skills practical checkoff, my nerves definitely get the best of me. The last checkoff I did I failed. I get a chance to do it again, but if I don't pass this time, I'm out of the program. Please instruct me how to stay out of the gossip mills, talikng about grades and performances. I feel like I get sucked into this...everyone who has been through nursing school informed me that I need my classmates for studying and practice times in the labs. I feel like studying with others hinders me (only went to one study session) and the instructors pair us up to practice in lab times. That's when the communication lines are open. The instructors told us that we would become a family and learn to depend on each other for support through this process. I recently appealed my practicum (I was failed due to not keeping within the time constraint, everything else was correct on the skill). Classmates were informing me of their plights (why they did/didn't pass) I felt that the instructors were not being subjective on grading and some students were given breaks/freebies, while other were penalized when instructors had to leave the testing area to get questions clarisfied for grading. With us being on a time schedule and the time not being recorded by a stopwatch, I felt that breaking my flow gave me a disadvantage on testing...I know I repeated skills and cost myself extra time jsut to be sure that I covered all of the skills required. Everyone wants to talk grades (I try to stay out of it, yet we can grade our papers after a test with the answers by guides posted outside the classroom)...so many people look over your shoulder and say they're there to give everyone "moral support"....HELP! I feel that I've stigmatized myself by appealing the process...my appeal was denied and I feel like the pink elephant in the room now. Our school is very small and I feel like everyone knows that happened and why. Please advise me as to how to stay out of the social pitfalls of nursing school. I have two degrees, ahve owned a business in the customer service industry, am in my late 30's and have one child (9 years). Thought this schooling would be an easy one to handle socially.... THANKS fro reading all of this and giving me a neutral forum to discuss my nursing school plights :)

Venus1

nursemike, ASN, RN · Feb 9, 2008

Hello All:
Well...I haven't failed out of the ASN program...but my nerves (and feeding into the school gossip fish bowl) just might get me there :) My grades are good (85%), but when I have to do a skills practical checkoff, my nerves definitely get the best of me. The last checkoff I did I failed. I get a chance to do it again, but if I don't pass this time, I'm out of the program. Please instruct me how to stay out of the gossip mills, talikng about grades and performances. I feel like I get sucked into this...everyone who has been through nursing school informed me that I need my classmates for studying and practice times in the labs. I feel like studying with others hinders me (only went to one study session) and the instructors pair us up to practice in lab times. That's when the communication lines are open. The instructors told us that we would become a family and learn to depend on each other for support through this process. I recently appealed my practicum (I was failed due to not keeping within the time constraint, everything else was correct on the skill). Classmates were informing me of their plights (why they did/didn't pass) I felt that the instructors were not being subjective on grading and some students were given breaks/freebies, while other were penalized when instructors had to leave the testing area to get questions clarisfied for grading. With us being on a time schedule and the time not being recorded by a stopwatch, I felt that breaking my flow gave me a disadvantage on testing...I know I repeated skills and cost myself extra time jsut to be sure that I covered all of the skills required. Everyone wants to talk grades (I try to stay out of it, yet we can grade our papers after a test with the answers by guides posted outside the classroom)...so many people look over your shoulder and say they're there to give everyone "moral support"....HELP! I feel that I've stigmatized myself by appealing the process...my appeal was denied and I feel like the pink elephant in the room now. Our school is very small and I feel like everyone knows that happened and why. Please advise me as to how to stay out of the social pitfalls of nursing school. I have two degrees, ahve owned a business in the customer service industry, am in my late 30's and have one child (9 years). Thought this schooling would be an easy one to handle socially.... THANKS fro reading all of this and giving me a neutral forum to discuss my nursing school plights :)
Venus1

In my first semester English course, our professor taught us the importance of "writing for your audience." The way she worked class, we wrote first drafts of our papers and had another student critique them, then re-wrote using whatever advice we felt was useful. On one of my papers, I used the word, "notwithstanding," and the word "foible." A classmate didn't know the meaning of either word, so he circled them and reminded me to write for my audience. I considered his advice for about two seconds, then decided my "audience" was a college English professor, since she was the one who gave the actual grade.

My point is that the opinions of your classmates are pretty nearly meaningless. The opinions of your instructors matter quite a lot. I can well relate to your anxiety. My advice is to talk to your instructors about it. You won't be the first deer-caught-in-headlights they've seen, and they may have some useful advice. I think it may help, too, to know that you have been actively examining your performance and are serious about improving it.

Horrible as it is, you have an excellent opportunity, here, to develop some skills you will definitely need as a nurse. Taking ownership of your mistakes and recognizing your weaknesses, formulating plans to correct them and seeking feedback and advice make it very hard for an instructor or a manager to stay mad at you (not least because it indicates at least the possibility that you will overcome them). Standing up for yourself in an assertive way (not an aggressive or defensive way) is a critical skill. Protecting you privacy (r/t grades, for example) is a valuable lesson that can apply just as well to protecting the privacy of your patients. If a classmate asks how you did on an exam, "Okay." or "Pretty well." are more info than they are entitled to. It may seem hard, at first, to resist pressure to divulge more than that. Think how much harder it will be to tell a patient's family member that their loved one is in "fair" condition, when you don't have the patient's permission to go into more detail than that.

To succeed as a nurse, you'll have to use a lot of personal skills that don't have much semblence to "normal" social skills. Reheorifice confrontations in private, if you need to. Stand up straight. Make eye contact. Don't cry, and especially, don't even think about whining. Treat those you speak to with respect, and treat yourself with the same respect. It's hard, and I'm sorry I can't think of any really specific examples, but it can be done and you can do it.

Nursewannabe25 · Feb 18, 2008

I completely understand. I was in my last semester of RN school at a community college, and I failed by less than 3 points. I was not able to come back and take that class over. I had just wasted over 2 years of my life. The only choice they gave me was to sit out for 2 years and then come back as a new student, and start all over. It was not fair one class kept me from fullfilling my dream. I was about to graduate (the next day), and because I missed 2 to many questions on my final I was told I could not be a nurse. I had over a 90% chance of passing my state boards. As of right now I am working as a secretary, and trying to find a school that will allow me to transfer my credits, but so far I have found nothing. I did try to appeal it, but my school refused to follow appeal procedure, since then they have rewritten the policy and procedure book. I wish I had seeked a lawyer but I did not know if I truely had a case. Does anyone have any suggestion about what I should do?

Good luck on your situation~

dsquard · Apr 30, 2008

I failed out of nursing school. If I reapply to other schools, is it required to submit transcripts for school I just flunked out of? I just want to start over on a new slate....

labrador4122, RN · May 2, 2008

here in FL if you fail 2 courses you are out of the program, and will have to go to LPN school and come back with your LPN license then do the LPN-RN program.

anyways, keep trying, tons of people do it. Do your best and you will make it.

labrador4122, RN · May 2, 2008

I completely understand. I was in my last semester of RN school at a community college, and I failed by less than 3 points. I was not able to come back and take that class over. I had just wasted over 2 years of my life. The only choice they gave me was to sit out for 2 years and then come back as a new student, and start all over. It was not fair one class kept me from fullfilling my dream. I was about to graduate (the next day), and because I missed 2 to many questions on my final I was told I could not be a nurse. I had over a 90% chance of passing my state boards. As of right now I am working as a secretary, and trying to find a school that will allow me to transfer my credits, but so far I have found nothing. I did try to appeal it, but my school refused to follow appeal procedure, since then they have rewritten the policy and procedure book. I wish I had seeked a lawyer but I did not know if I truely had a case. Does anyone have any suggestion about what I should do?
Good luck on your situation~

I've heard stories like yours.

In my school you can come back but with LPN license.

since you are almost done with the rn program, see if you can go to LPN school for a couple of months get your LPN license then go back and redo that class.

here, in FL, you could probably even take your LPN boards without going to LPN school since you were in your last class of RN school!!