Dismissed from nursing school? Don't give up!

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Hi everyone!

I was dismissed from my nursing school for failing two classes in the same semester. (Never ever failed, or even came close to failing before!). I did not like my pharmacology instructor's teaching style and nothing was "clicking", among various other reasons why I had a terrible semester. One thing that helped me get through that awful semester that I wasn't a nursing student was going through various discussion boards and seeing that I wasn't the only one and to get advice about appealing. Most people have unfortunately said that they're school denied their appeal.

That being said, I'm here to give those students who have been dismissed a little bit of hope.

My school ACCEPTED my appeal! I was so so thankful!

Not only that, but I'm thriving in pharmacology class (Well going from 62% on my exams last year to getting 85% now is "thriving" in my book :). I am taking the class with the same teacher and I'm totally getting her teaching style now. I would even go ahead and take another class with her if I could! Everything that I'm learning now and in my past semesters are all "clicking". I kinda feel like super-nurse!

I just wanted to give those people who were in the same boat as I was some hope. Nursing school is tough, and it's definitely a different way of thinking. For some people it takes longer than others. So if the material is not "clicking" for you, don't give up! We all have it in us!

Best of luck!

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Congratulations!!! I just failed my first class, thanks for the hope! BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I don't know if this is true for you but sometimes when I hear my classmates complain I wonder how much better they would do if they had a different attitude. Teaching is difficult.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, Neurology, Rehab.

OP: I am so glad for you and hope you continue to excell in your studies, God Bless!!!

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So not liking your instructor's teaching style is an acceptable excuse...?

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I agree completely, but it's also important to remember that everyone learns differently and that every nursing school is a little bit different. I did have a very difficult instructor that was teaching a very difficult class. Roughly 1/4 of my classmates failed that class and my school decided to bring in more pharmacology professors for that reason. I agree teaching is difficult, but a student's negative or positive attitude has to come from somewhere? Also, the other class I failed, the instructor was fired.

And lub dub, I did say "among other reasons why I had a terrible semester". Haha, if my argument was "I didn't get her teaching style" the board probably would've laughed in my face.

Either way, my background story won't matter. What does matter is that I'm here now and I'm doing my best I possibly can and that I have learned many many things while going through this tough time.

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I want to spread some hope to anyone in the same boat or maybe even a worse boat (a denied appeal). I failed two classes in school too, and everyone that I knew who had once apealed got back in. So even though I was extremely upset, I felt like I had a chance. Well, they denied my appeal. The teachers said that I had missed too many days of class. I was so confused; I had only missed two days..Every time that classmet we took a quiz that was electronic and it posted the grades online. The class met 15 times. I had 13 daily quiz grades online. Which means I only missed two days. I printed that off and showed the dean and what do you know, they were wrong and I was right. AND now I have been an RN for almost 3 years. So please don't anyone give up too easily. If you can show them that you deserve this, and you believe you can do it YOU CAN DO IT. I know everyone's situation is different, but try everything you can!!

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

Believe me I am happy that you are back in. That is awesome that you are pursuing your goals. What I am trying to say is that positive connotations lead to better outcomes. For example, I frequently hear complaints from fellow classmates like "we have to read x amount of chapters before next week" or "our instructor reads straight from the powerpoint." I choose to not participate in the whining and keep a positive attitude and I just aced my test this week, with A's and B's thus far. School is not as difficult for me as it is for other people but sometimes I wonder if people had a more positive attitude would things be easier for them??

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Telemetry, Med-Surg.

That's pretty awesome. A friend of mine's little girl had brain surgery not once but twice. She ended up failing a class by a very small percentage and our school wouldn't even consider her appeal. Consider yourself very lucky.

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Congrats. I am currently failing Pharm I by 7 points and it is scaring me. I don't like my professor and am overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do in Pharm, which to me is more than any other class. I can't change these circumstances so I am desperately trying to find a way to work with what I have to get those 7 points. Hopefully, I'll be able to do so.

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congrats! Nursing school is SUPER tough....we have to learn that we cannot beat ourselves up for doing the best we can! Just remember, you GOT INTO NURSING SCHOOL! That says a ton right there!

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I am struggling with my first year of nursing school as well. The content is not difficult to grasp. Its just so much information. Tests every other week with 4, 5, or 6 chapters on each test. In between lectures, there's the clinical writeups, skills practice (mostly has to be on my own time), skills check offs (85% of scheduled lab time is used by instructors for checkoffs and their brief intro to a new skill), and a few quizzes. Exams are worth 70%, quizzes 10%, and final is 20%. There is not a lot of time to master the content in the chapters because of skills and clinical & writeups, and study time for quizzes. Passing is 78 with no rounding. If you end up with final average of 77.99, you fail the course. For clinical writeups and skills, there is no numerical grade to figure into your average grade. The exams is basically the determinant of your passing or failing. Exams are online and timed, 50 multiple choice questions in 1hr, 15min. Quizzes are also timed. Last quiz had 20 questions/25 mins. Regardless of your strengths in clinical, quizzes, skills, the exams determine your fate.

Is this the norm for all ADN programs?

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