Dismissed from my program less than a week before finals!!! Please Help!

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Specializes in Community Health.

I was dismissed from my LPN program today for clinical absences...

One clinical I was sent home because I was 5 minutes late...we are afforded, by school policy, a 10-minute window to be late before we are sent home, but my CI sent me home anyways because she "wanted to set an example" to the other students (she actually told me this)

Then today, I was sent home for wearing the wrong kind of shoes. The sneakers I normally wear had a heel that was literally falling off and the only other pair I had was some white Crocs...I wore them, hoping it would go unnoticed (there are tons of flagrant dress code violations in my clinical group that never get addressed so I didn't think it would be an issue) but had the other shoes with me just in case it was an issue. My instructor saw the Crocs and confronted me about it, and I explained the situation to her and immediately changed shoes (this was within an hour of starting the clinical day, I hadn't even hit the floor yet) but she called the program director and sent me home, which resulting in me absencing out of the program.

My program director actually told me that she would have overridden the first absence if I had approached her about it...I had planned on doing so but she is NEVER in her office and with everything else going on I sort of forgot about it. She says that because I signed the paper acknowledging that absence (which I thought I had no choice in, since I WAS technically absenst since I got sent home) her hands were tied and there was nothing she could do.

My last final is Monday...I have a 4.0 GPA in classroom and have gotten A's on all of my clinical paperwork and good evaluations, but if this goes through I'll have to wait until December and take the entire Mod over...and get zero credit for this Mod, clinical OR classroom (even though I've already taken the A&P final and gotten my final grade!!)

Has anyone been in this situation before?? Is there anything I can do to appeal this?? I'm still in schock right now...I've worked SO incredibly hard and made so many sacrifices, I cannot believe this is happening :crying2:

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I have never been in this situation before but I feel your pain. I would try to have a meeting with both the clinical instructor and the director about this to see if a compromise can be worked out. It is very sad after you have spent all that money for school but keep your head above the water.

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wow those are seriosuly really strict codes, which actually scared me abit...

i just bought white shoes yesterday but i dont know if im gonna be able to wear them now...

i got this converse

http://www.converse.com/#/products/shoes/chucktaylor/M7652

is it okay to wear?

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Specializes in Correctional Nursing, Orthopediacs.

Well in my program those Converse would not fly because ours had to be leather uppers. I have these new balances and they passed.

http://www.newbalance.com/fitness/walking/WW511/

They were similar to these but it has been a few years and mine are 575 NB

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Those shoes would not be allowed at my program. You need to check your school clinical dress code. My school requires pure white leather and preferably no laces... (lots of places for blood and feces to hide :barf01: )

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Specializes in Correctional Nursing, Orthopediacs.

I forgot they had to mostly white in color. BTW if you did spill something canvas shoes would not keep your foot from being contaminated as 20mom10 said.

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oo shoot, i guess ill have to ask my prof on the first day of class... because on the orientation all the prof said was to wear white shoes...

well i wish the best of luck to you and to every nursing students out there!!

good luck !!

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Maybe you should try to appeal. Our school lets us wear crocs if they have no holes. Every school has different rules, so I really can't say its fair or not. I wear nike shox to clinical and no one cares.

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wow those are seriosuly really strict codes, which actually scared me abit...

i just bought white shoes yesterday but i dont know if im gonna be able to wear them now...

i got this converse

http://www.converse.com/#/products/shoes/chucktaylor/M7652

is it okay to wear?

I don't think those are ok. U need athletic shoes. THose are too casual

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Could we please get back to the topic at hand, the OP's unfortunate situation regarding her dismissal just before finals. I'm sure she would like some ideas and support in her time of need.

Thank you.

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Seems like all you can do is try to make an appeal to anyone in an authority position. Line up the facts and present them in a non-emotional manner. Then hope and pray for the best.

I'm so sorry this happened to you and hope something good comes out of the situation.

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Specializes in Community Health.

I guess my biggest issue with it is, I IMMEDIATELY changed shoes after she told me they were not acceptable, but was still sent home. While at the same time, almost every other student in my group flagrantly violates the dress code (big hoop earrings, wrinkled clothes, wearing hot pink cami's that stick out of the bottom of the scrub top, cell phones...I could go on and on!) and they are either not even spoken to about it or are asked to remove the offending item AND ALLOWED TO STAY ON SITE! This is the FIRST time I've ever violated dress code!

It's just such a double standard...this is a CI who has been extremely unprofessional from day 1 and has always picked on me, IMO, because I'm the "nice" one out of the group and she's intimidated by the others.

Anyways, I called corporate and they seemed willing to help...I'm filing an appeal. I asked if pending the results of the appeal I could attend clinical tommorow and take my finals, but they haven't gotten back to me yet...I'm wondering if I should just go in tommorow anyways if I don't hear from them...do I have a right to do that??

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