Failed the RN program still want to be an Rn . Help !

Students General Students

Published

Hi I am a 3rd year nursing student in the bachelor of science nursing program who ended up failing my peds and OBS clinical courses this year. At my university if you fail any 2 courses you are withdrawn from the nursing program. My GPA is still good because these two failed courses were pass/fail courses. My university will not let me reapply into their nursing program. I really want to pursue becoming an RN, I love nursing and it's been a dream of mine for a long time. I really don't want to give up and I am determined to get my RN degree. I am finding it difficult to find Universities in the United States that will let me apply to the their RN program , the universities I have spoken to so far say they do not accept students who failed out of their nursing program. Does anyone know a university in the USA that will allow me to do their RN program ?

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

You may have to go to a community college or a Practical Nursing program before reapplying to a university program.

I failed in my ADN program-most universities did not accept me into their program; however, per my sisters insistence while I was researching, I entered a PN program, passed, and once I was licensed as proof I could go through the rigors of nursing theory, most universities were not concerned of the failure and wanted me to apply. :)

May I ask what happened?

Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

Have you tried to appeal? Try to do that and if that does not work, you may have to go the ADN route with a community college.

Specializes in IMCU, Oncology.

It is my understanding that some programs allow you to take your LPN exam after one year of nursing school. If you completed one year, you may want to find out.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN

13,952 Posts

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
It is my understanding that some programs allow you to take your LPN exam after one year of nursing school. If you completed one year, you may want to find out.

It's not the school but the state board of nursing. Usually you must have completed clinical & theory in adult med/surg, psych, pediatrics, geriatrics & obstetrics and be in good standing at school. In MA you are eligible if the school certifies that you meet the education standards AND withdraw from the RN program in good standing

Specializes in ER.

There is a bunch of schools. Look in the midwest and prepare a letter beforehand about failing and how you think you have learned from your mistakes.

Specializes in ICU.
It is my understanding that some programs allow you to take your LPN exam after one year of nursing school. If you completed one year, you may want to find out.

There are very few states that allow that anymore. The ones that do have legislation going to prevent it. You have to graduate from an LPN program. In most programs, the first semester for RN and LPN are the same, but after that it all changes. I know here, it's 3 semesters for the LPN program and they do different rotations than we do. The OP needs to evaluate why they failed and probably apply to an LPN program then bridge to RN

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 5,114 Posts

You failed peds and OB? Really? After failing one clinical rotation you didn't work extra, extra hard to be darn sure you didn't fail another, knowing you'd be tossed from the program if you did? And those are the two easiest rotations (IMHO)? And you realize that even if clinical is pass-fail so you think you calculate your GPA to be passing, passing clinical is a required element, and you think that's a mitigating factor?

And now you want to know who will take you as a student when you know most, if not all, programs are very competitive for admission and are not likely to take someone that another program has saved them the effort of flunking out already?

I would seriously rethink this whole gestalt.

Perhaps you can get admitted to another program and start over, but I think the idea that you can transfer into a program and pick up where you left off is a total pipe dream. If you do get admitted somewhere, though, fergawdsakes don't do what you did last time, whatever that was. And do whatever it was you didn't do last time. Nursing school is serious business.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

People who leave programs for reasons other than academic failure find problems when trying to get accepted again, so don't be surprised or easily discouraged if you find closed doors.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Does anyone know a university in the USA that will allow me to do their RN program?
Yes. Just watch more daytime television, specifically the cheesy courtroom/judge shows.

The schools that purchase airtime to advertise using low quality commercials during these shows (read: Kaplan, West Coast University, Everest College, Concorde Career Institute, Brown Mackie, ITT Technical Institute, DeVry, University of Phoenix and others) will take you as long as you can pay the tuition.

Specializes in Emergency Department.

To the OP:

Because you have failed out of your program, and you're not NOT in "good standing" with the program, you do not have a good chance at all of simply transferring to another 4 year program. I would not be at all surprised if other programs basically told you something along the lines of: "apply in 10 years and maybe we'll consider you." You'll get this all over because you have failed out of your RN program. I also, once upon a time, failed out. I was lucky enough to be readmitted to the program and a year later, I graduated.

At the time, I was definitely offered a seat in the LVN program and I was going to take it, but I did ask to have some time to think about it. It was by great luck that the very day that I decided to call and accept the seat that they called me and offered me a return to the RN program.

If you still can, ask if there's any appeal process or some other way you can re-enter the program. Check your Nursing School Student handbook for guidance on this. If there's none and there's an LVN/LPN program there, ask to transfer to that program and if you're successful there, to return to your program. It's worth a shot to you.

Otherwise you're looking at some very expensive options: those very expensive programs that will generally take anyone as long as they can pay the tuition... Oh, and if you were to apply to another program without mention of your previous program, you will be found out and bounced out on moral grounds.

+ Add a Comment