Failed first semester by very small amount...

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HI everyone... I just failed by first semester of nursing school and I'm devastated. A few people in my class have failed by such a small amount I don't even see how they can do this... our program requires 80% so 79.5% is the lowest you can get to pass. There are people in my class that have 79.48 and they have failed. Has this happened to anyone else? Can they even do this?

I just failed my 3rd semester for the 2nd time and can not go back to that school d/t their rules. Last fall i failed miserably because i went thru a divorce and he was mentally abusing me. I just failed this time by 2 points but heres the kicker.....5 students were failing the 4th semester in the spring this year. My college started a "new" night nursing program and December 2013 was the 1st grad class for nights. My program has been under review for the last 2 years and could have lost their accreditation. Those 5 students were allowed to take 2 exams with my day class and attend lectures, 2 exams and lectures with night class and thats 5 more students to graduate with the night program and makes it look VERY SUCCESSFUL! But, the content i failed fall 2012 is NOT what i just repeated. They changed the content to accomodate those 5 students. The student handbook also says that if you withdraw/fail a semester, you have to wait til the next year to start again. I could go on and on about this school, im 42 yr old single mom and broke....tons of knowledge.....student loan debt.....no job.....devastated! I do not believe the way they done things is fair at all. Lifes never fair....but i sat out nearly a year from failing last fall.....why was it fair to bend the rules for 5 students? Nothing against those 5, we started the program together 3 years ago and i love those 5 students, we started with 105 students and spring 2012 only 32 made it to graduate. Also, 4 other repeat students that didnt make it last fall when i failed, they failed this fall also.

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Also, so yall dont think im a complete failure, as i already feel, i put almost 6000 miles on my car because they put me so far away from home to do my clinicals. The 1st 6 weeks of clinicals when i would leave in the evenings, the traffic was horrible and it would take me 2 1/2 hours to get home. Day class grades are totally based on exams. 4 exams and the final counts for 30%. I wrote 9 careplans this semester, 4 nursing diagnosis each, 6 interventions and rationales to each diag. We get NO grade for paperwork or no grade for clinicals although they can fail you by saying you are no good at clinical. The night class....50% grade comes from exams, 30% from clinicals, 20% from paperwork. I just dont understand how the same school can have different rules for nursing program. This is RN program. I hate that anyone has felt the hurt of failing, but am glad someone knows how worthless I personally feel

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Specializes in Aesthetics, Med/Surg, Outpatient.
Also, so yall dont think im a complete failure, as i already feel, i put almost 6000 miles on my car because they put me so far away from home to do my clinicals. The 1st 6 weeks of clinicals when i would leave in the evenings, the traffic was horrible and it would take me 2 1/2 hours to get home. Day class grades are totally based on exams. 4 exams and the final counts for 30%. I wrote 9 careplans this semester, 4 nursing diagnosis each, 6 interventions and rationales to each diag. We get NO grade for paperwork or no grade for clinicals although they can fail you by saying you are no good at clinical. The night class....50% grade comes from exams, 30% from clinicals, 20% from paperwork. I just dont understand how the same school can have different rules for nursing program. This is RN program. I hate that anyone has felt the hurt of failing, but am glad someone knows how worthless I personally feel

We DO NOT think you are a failure. You are obviously competent and just went through a difficult time. But you will over-come it and thats what matters :)

Im not gonna lie; it bugs the mess out of me when the same RN programs has such variations in their grading between schedules. But since there is nothing that we can do about that, I encourage you to sit back and analyze your situation; academically and career-wise. You will accomplish what you need to. It may just take some time. All the best

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We DO NOT think you are a failure. You are obviously competent and just went through a difficult time. But you will over-come it and thats what matters :)

Im not gonna lie; it bugs the mess out of me when the same RN programs has such variations in their grading between schedules. But since there is nothing that we can do about that, I encourage you to sit back and analyze your situation; academically and career-wise. You will accomplish what you need to. It may just take some time. All the best

Thanks for your reply. Im just not sure where my life will go from here. Been a stay home mom for 17 years and no one will hire me. I made a 72, 62, 77, 77, and 77 on final. Passing is a 77 and the majority of my class barely passed. The 1st semester freshmen began with 100 students this fall and lost 40 before finals. This college is VERY good at convincing people to withdraw so they dont look bad if the students fail.

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Specializes in Public Health.

I'm gonna go ahead and say that in the future, research research RESEARCH! We are adults and we are responsible for our own learning.

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Specializes in L&D.
wow GrnTea...way to kick someone when they are already down. Thanks for the optimism

What GrnTea told you is right.. she isnt "kicking you while you're down," she's keeping it real and more than anything thats what you need.

I really hope if you can figure out what worked for you and what didnt and fix whatever issues you had that hindered you from doing well in nursing school. Good luck!

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My heart goes out to you along with the friends in my class that like you, missed by a fraction of a point. Our theory (test) average must be OVER 82 percent or we are out of the program. The good news is...you already know how things work in the program, so poise yourself to really give it your all next try. PLUS you won't have to buy the books, uniform, stethoscope...fear giving that first injection... I suggest you keep connected with the friends you made in class and learn what they are doing so you will be that many steps ahead of your next class. Don't give up if nursing is in your heart.

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Specializes in geriatrics, IV, Nurse management.

I failed my first semester. Unfortunately, it means dust yourself off and jump back in. It will make you a better nurse because of it.

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The changes in programs is nothing new. Mumblemumble years ago when I went to school with Florence, our college's program was entirely different from the one the class before us had, and the class that entered the year after us had a different program. You play the hand you're dealt, not the one you wish you had. Or you get up and leave the table.

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The changes in programs is nothing new. Mumblemumble years ago when I went to school with Florence, our college's program was entirely different from the one the class before us had, and the class that entered the year after us had a different program. You play the hand you're dealt, not the one you wish you had. Or you get up and leave the table.

Mumblemumble? Sounds like you are an instructor at my college. I am going to leave "That" table, and i am gonna show ALL what an awesome nurse i can be!!! Every single pt ive had at clinicals LOVES me! I have many thank you notes to prove it! Psych pts that refuse to speak to any staff TALK TO ME simply because i have awesome communication techniques.....awesome bedside manners.....and I DONT ACT LIKE i am waaay better because im not sick! I will never treat anyone as an "Oh well, thats your problem. And walk away from the table if you dont like it!" If you went to school with "Florence" shouldnt you be on a grannys board? Or in heaven by now? And if it was that long ago that you went to school, any nurse will tell anyone that if they had to go through it today.....they couldnt make it. Everyone of us students know that "that many years ago" was easier. Besides, your profile says 6 years experience, hmmm. Good luck with your pts

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Mumblemumble? Sounds like you are an instructor at my college. I am going to leave "That" table and i am gonna show ALL what an awesome nurse i can be!!! Every single pt ive had at clinicals LOVES me! I have many thank you notes to prove it! Psych pts that refuse to speak to any staff TALK TO ME simply because i have awesome communication techniques.....awesome bedside manners.....and I DONT ACT LIKE i am waaay better because im not sick! I will never treat anyone as an "Oh well, thats your problem. And walk away from the table if you dont like it!" If you went to school with "Florence" shouldnt you be on a grannys board? Or in heaven by now? And if it was that long ago that you went to school, any nurse will tell anyone that if they had to go through it today.....they couldnt make it. Everyone of us students know that "that many years ago" was easier. Besides, your profile says 6 years experience, hmmm. Good luck with your pts[/quote']

***** at on a granny's board or in heaven by now. That made me laugh out loud, for real.

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

Mumblemumble? Sounds like you are an instructor at my college. I am going to leave "That" table, and i am gonna show ALL what an awesome nurse i can be!!! Every single pt ive had at clinicals LOVES me! I have many thank you notes to prove it! Psych pts that refuse to speak to any staff TALK TO ME simply because i have awesome communication techniques.....awesome bedside manners.....and I DONT ACT LIKE i am waaay better because im not sick! I will never treat anyone as an "Oh well, thats your problem. And walk away from the table if you dont like it!" If you went to school with "Florence" shouldnt you be on a grannys board? Or in heaven by now? And if it was that long ago that you went to school, any nurse will tell anyone that if they had to go through it today.....they couldnt make it. Everyone of us students know that "that many years ago" was easier. Besides, your profile says 6 years experience, hmmm. Good luck with your pts

Your patients can "LOVE" you all they want. You still can't be an RN if you can't pass the classes. I sure hope you learn to take advice, instead of being defensive. It will go a long way when you're in the real world. Re-take your class and do well. Then you can talk all you want. Otherwise, you're just another student who failed a class with a laundry list of excuses of why it happened. :yawn:

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