I failed out of nursing school my final semester (5 days before graduation) by 3 points. I need advice. Here's my story in it's entirety...
I began taking prereqs right out of high school in 1997. I would go to school for a semester and then go back to work for a while. In the meantime, my husband and I got married and started our family... I put my nursing degree on hold for a long while. When both of my boys were in school all day, I decided to go back. I applied and was accepted to an ASN program in Oklahoma in 2008. My grades were awesome! When the final class of the final semester rolled around, my husband's job was transferred to Indiana. No big deal, right? My clinical rotations were complete. The only class I was still attending was Advanced Med/Surg online. I talked to my instructor about our move and she said it wouldn't be a problem as long as I was willing and able to return to campus for exam purposes. I agreed to travel back and forth between Indiana and Oklahoma for 5 exams. I did well on all of my exams except the final. I totally stressed and blew it. When I sat down to take the exam, all I could think about was that this was the final step to my dream... Test anxiety hit me hard that day. I failed out of nursing school because of one class and 3 points. I was heartbroken but still determined.
In Oklahoma, they have a gray area where if you are 3/4 of the way finished with RN school (includes Psych/OB/Peds), you can sit for the LPN boards. Ok...I can do that, right? Wrong!!! There isn't a gray area in Indiana. You either have to graduate from the LPN program or graduate from the RN program. No middle ground. Next, I thought I could obtain my LPN licensure in Oklahoma and have it transferred to Indiana. Nope...Can't do that either. You have to verify proof of graduation from one program or the other. Now I am totally crushed. I was supposed to graduate in Dec of 2009. I can't think straight and I don't know what to do. I have contacted ALL of the colleges in the state of Indiana to see if I can transfer into an ASN or BSN program or even attempt to get the LPN. Everyone says I would be better to start all over again because nursing program courses do not transfer. Basically, they are telling me the last 12 years of my college life has been a complete waste of time and money. One final & 3 points killed my dream (for now). I'm not giving up, but I can't afford to start all over again. Does anyone have any ideas or advice?
