I flunked out of clinical today..

Nursing Students General Students

Published

I`m devastated.. This was my last semester.. 3 weeks away from graduation. What happened is I didn`t have my watch for clinical and that was a break in dress code.. and when I went to take a vital sign i was confronted with the problem that there was no clock anywhere around and I had no watch.. I went and took out my cell phone and used the timer to get the exact 30 second count. I had my back to the door at that point because i wasnt really sure my instructor wanted to see my phone out .. I couldn't feel the radial pulse so well.. I was nervous and recorded the wrong number. I handed them my vitals and it was way off.. the HR.. I looked at it and thought to myself that`s not right .. my instructor said go do it over again .. I did with another student and had a number that was way different but I used the apical pulse which I could hear much better. Now I get sent to the office and told that I falsified medical records to try to cover up my mistake of not having a watch. I am kicked out of the program .. my instructor said that she did not see my cell phone and that she was watching me the whole time.. that i was facing her and looking at the door to see if there was clock hanging.. This did not happen. I don`t know how I can prove it. Its basically my word against hers and i`m like devastated.. She keeps saying that my story changed.. that the second time i got the HR i got 117 and then told someone else it was 170.. which was completely false I even wrote down 170, with another student watching me right there (its a child, that`s why so high), and I`m not entirely sure why she would be so insistent to say this.. I was like flabbergasted at all of this.. shell shocked and maybe I didn`t express myself properly but I didn`t change my story .. I might have misspoke .. i mean hell when she took me to the waiting room to talk to me about this and I told her I listened to the HR for 30 MINUTES.. when obviously I meant seconds.. I`m just very upset right now.. 3 years of my life and it ends like THIS!!? Now I don`t know if i will ever go back into the program .. I need to write a letter in my defense for when the teachers have their meeting about this where they decide whether to take me back for next semester.. or any semester. It`s devastating.. I`m taking 1 day off to clear my mind and then start writing this tomorrow.. anyone have any idea what I can write.. I don`t know if theres anything I can do to get them to change their minds. This is so awful

I get everyone`s point- I was wrong in more ways then I know. Made mistakes.. but this is one isolated incidence in 3 years. I understand the point that the instructor had .. but im not the best at communicating when i`m unprepared to be chewed out for doing something like this.. I used my cell phone, got an inaccurate pulse, and then was really rammed by the instructor on day 1. I`m working on communication but it`s not going to happen overnight. If this semester ends like this I still feel like I should be allowed into the program because I don`t think that i`m a bad nurse.. I know that i`ve helped people and managed to be competent up until this roadblock. It`s just sad that I might not have this chance and I don`t know what to do if i can`t be a nurse.

0 Votes
Student 2001,

Never, ever, ever, ever... admit to something that you did not do. Last resort, start throwing "my lawyer" around... it's three years of your life and it sounds to me like it was some stupid silly thing that got out of control and you are being accused of something really serious.

BTW I forgot my watch a ton of times and I always had my cell phone with me.. sorry this is the real world

Yea.. I was thinking about making this into a legal issue HOWEVER .. I don`t remember how this came up but the instructor was talking about how she never backs down when being confronted by court and how she always wins.. lol.. now.. she may be very sure of herself and comfortable around courtrooms but i`m not. i`m deathly afraid of places like that so I would look like i`m not too dependable ...or sane.. as i`m crapping my pants due to pure unadulterated fear. EEK.

0 Votes

Yea.. I was thinking about making this into a legal issue HOWEVER .. I don`t remember how this came up but the instructor was talking about how she never backs down when being confronted by court and how she always wins.. lol.. now.. she may be very sure of herself and comfortable around courtrooms but i`m not. i`m deathly afraid of places like that so I would look like i`m not too dependable ...or sane.. as i`m crapping my pants due to pure unadulterated fear. EEK.

Honestly if they don't admit you back for something you did not do, legal action against the school seems like your best option. You invested considerable time and money and getting kicked out for not bringing your watch once just doesn't seem reasonable to me.

I'd start looking for legal help if I were you!

0 Votes

First off I'm sorry this is happening

Let me just try and understand

1) you forgot your watch, and you tried hiding it

2) you then claim you didn't go to instructor or any one else and chose to break another rule and use your cell phone

3) you got out of the normal vital signs:

the resting pulse rate of children between ages 1 and 10 years is generally between 70 and 120 beats per minute; and children over age 10 as well as adults typically have a pulse rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute.

It doesn't sound like you checked them twice, or reported them with any sense of urgency.

I know this is the first bad thing you've done wrong, but you had 3 major infractions.

I think during someone because you did something wrong is wrong, but you must do what you feel right for you.

0 Votes
Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Someone will come along with the links to show that students are NOT working under the license of their CI, COMMON misconception shoved down the throat of terrified nursing students!!

The instructor is covering her butt. You are working under her license. 170 is a crazy high number, and you should recognize that by now.

I guarantee you won't make the same mistake again. From one point of view it's an awesome learning experience for you. From the instructor's point of view, you are working under her license.

0 Votes
Yea.. I was thinking about making this into a legal issue HOWEVER .. I don`t remember how this came up but the instructor was talking about how she never backs down when being confronted by court and how she always wins.. lol.. now.. she may be very sure of herself and comfortable around courtrooms but i`m not. i`m deathly afraid of places like that so I would look like i`m not too dependable ...or sane.. as i`m crapping my pants due to pure unadulterated fear. EEK.

Being comfortable around courtrooms means that she has been involved in a couple of lawsuits either as a party or as a witness and if "she never backs down or always wins" that says a lot ... Anyway, people will generally say crap like that even if not true and from your story, that instructor sounds like a real winner (sarcasm). I have been in many courtrooms as I was a paralegal for 12 years and I can tell you that you would most likely never see the inside of a courtroom in a case such as this. The school simply needs to know that you are serious and will not stand for being acused of something that you did not do. They are accusing you of something really serious that can potentially ruin your career forever and never mind the money and time you have already spent. If it's your word against hers... then you HAVE TO HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

I am just staying that if you start to be serious and tell them that you will not stand for it and that you will seek legal advice if necessary, then they have no choice but to hear you.... Good luck.

0 Votes

BTW, I wanted to say that some of these comments sort of imply that the instructor is a professional that would never, ever lie or be unprofessional... but let me tell you, they are just people like you and me. As a matter of fact, in our school they just recruit whomever has a little experience as a nurse to be a clinical instructor and I have had a couple of them that I was very close to hanging from the tallest tree I could find by their toes! One in particular was so mean and evil that had one of my classmates crying the whole 10 weeks we were in clinicals as she was constantly being picked on by the witch... Long story short... after I wrote up some stuff and sent it to the right people, she no longer works there...

Fight for what is right and stand up for yourself and if you cannot speak up then hire someone who will do it for you...

Plenty of stories about clinical instructors on this site... here is one

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/i-chosen-one-798340.html

0 Votes

You have my deepest sympathies. I flunked out of clinical last week. I did very well in the lecture courses, but got nervous and fumbly while being observed. I'm so depressed I can't even begin to tell you. Plus I have troubles at home with a seriously depressed husband who, after thirty years of marriage, announced he wanted to divorce me.

I've been struggling with getting into nursing school, overcoming obstacles, and bouncing back from defeats for two years now. My school has had enough of me. I'm not blaming them.

But what do I do now? Maybe home health care would be an option. I have to get back on my feet before my self esteem sinks any lower.

People flunk clinicals all the time. I agree with those who say to own up to your mistakes. But it's good to have a back-up plan too.

I know there is something for me out there in the health field. I have to finish out this semester and think of a new plan. First thing is to get a volunteer job so I don't sit home in my jammies all day.

Please keep me in your prayers.

Ayala

0 Votes
Specializes in critical care.

I agree with those who have suggested to lawyer up! You may not be completely blameless in this situation but your actions are not grounds for dismissal either. It seems that this instructor has intimidated you to the point that you are unable to properly defend yourself--that is what a lawyer is for. There is no chance the case would actually make it to court but a letter from your attorney would be a worthy investment. Think of all the money you have invested in school already...all that is down the drain if you aren't allowed to continue. Shell out a few hundred bucks for some professional legal advice.

0 Votes
Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

This site is great because you get a myriad of opinions on any given topic. You need to decide which ones you want to heed: many responses are from people that are thinking of going to school or still in school or flunked out of school. Take everything with a grain of salt.

I would do everything in my power to avoid lawyers and legal action. As soon as you start down that path, the repercussions will manifest. If you sue, and they let you stay, how is your education going to be? Will they look for any little excuse to drop you again? Will you get good references? Will you have any network contacts to get a job?

Try and work this out professionally.

0 Votes
This site is great because you get a myriad of opinions on any given topic. You need to decide which ones you want to heed: many responses are from people that are thinking of going to school or still in school or flunked out of school. Take everything with a grain of salt.

I would do everything in my power to avoid lawyers and legal action. As soon as you start down that path, the repercussions will manifest. If you sue, and they let you stay, how is your education going to be? Will they look for any little excuse to drop you again? Will you get good references? Will you have any network contacts to get a job?

Try and work this out professionally.

Just because some of us are still in school doesn't make our advice/opinions any ”lesser” than those who graduated. The OP is obviously still in school and if she/he is dropped entirely from the program over a misunderstanding, that merits legal assistance. Granted this is only my opinion and what I would do if I were in her situation if *all else* fails. Meaning she tried the letters, phone calls, talking to the dean/director, you name it!

In my personal experience I've never been afraid to take a legal route (being my last option.) It's probably because I felt I had to and haven't had a bad outcome yet. Once you go ”there” people don't mess with you.

0 Votes

Well said, Janellybelly. You gotta do what you gotta do especially with a school that is being extremely unfair.

I just graduated and about to start my first job!! Woo hoo!

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment