failed class resulting in time off, what now?

[IHeartPeds87]

Hi everyone. I failed med-surg one by one point (legit one question! argh!). Passing was 80%, I got 159/200 points.

I was able to go on and take other classes (our school is weird) and eventually got to retake med-surg one. I have finished my first year of classes but don't get to start the second year classes until august...so basically I have time off from now until august.

I was really bummed about it. The thing is, I wasn't even close to failing the class...I had an 86 percent before the final but I tanked the final. I got some bad news the week before the final and did not process the information well. I am not making excuses - the ability to seperate your personal life from professional life is necessary, I'm just explaining what happenned.

Anyway, I took med-surg one over and did just fine in it.

My question is, what should I be doing between now and august? I already got the syllabi for hte remaing classes I have left to take, and have done the required reading for 2/3 of them. I plan on doing the third...I've basically tried to stick with the same study plan I had but its hard to do without the lectures. I've also been trying to learn the top 300 prescribed medications...i'm about half way through.

Except for reading through the material for the last class and learning the meds, what else can I do? I work as a nurse's aide at a hospital and am trying to pursue a nurse extern position so that it is more similar to clinical...I hope that pans out.

I want to do everything I can to ensure my success in nursing school. One more failure, and i'm out. Any tips on how to spend my time?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Take a job as a CNA. You will learn so much by osmosis. Those test questions may jell in your brain while observing reality. AND you may earn (depending upon you and your performance) some valuable references for a "real" job upon graduation.

[mhy12784]

A CNA is an excellent idea. Good experience, some money, and strongly improves your odds of getting a job at graduation (a classmate of mine did this exact same thing when he failed medsurge)

If theres a certain area you want to be in in the hospital, you could also see if theres anything you can do to improve your odds. (ie if you want to be in the OR take a scrub tech program. If you want to be in psych volunteer/work at a psych place etc)

[IHeartPeds87]

I think there was some confusion...sorry if I was unclear.

I already work at a hospital as a nurse's aide. I am not a CNA, but I took a nurse assistant class, EKG technician class and phlebotomy class. The three combined allowed me to become a patient care technician, which is what I currently am (and my specific job title, although it is more or less a nurse's aide position).

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Have you taken and passed other nursing courses such as maternal health nursing, psychiatric/mental health nursing, pediatric nursing, community health nursing, etc.? If not, study in advance for the nursing courses that you have not yet taken. Good luck to you!

[IHeartPeds87]

thank you!

[caliotter3]

Ask your instructors if you can sit in class if there is an available seat. Do not participate, just listen and take notes. They might not care that you are an "unofficial" auditor.

[matthewandrew, NP]

Prep for advanced med surg/critical care.

Matthew, RN