Pharmacology

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I am here to explain my situation and hopefully get some good feedback. I am currently taking pharmacology/applied drug therapy. I have studied my tail off, as have the rest of the class. But her exams are extremely difficult. So difficult in fact that half the class is failing. Of those who are passing our grades are between 77-80%.....you need a 77% in order to pass. Many of us have reached out to her regarding this. Out of 4 exams so far I have passed 2 on a nursing scale....the other two I got a 58% and a 70%. The one everyone failed and the other a majority of the class failed. Her response to the class when we all questioned her about her test coming out of left field was "That was a difficult one, seems like the class is having a hard time applying the concepts".......Anyways, I have used Pharmacology success, the study exams that come with my pharm book, practice pharm tests I find on ******* or quizlet. I study her powerpoint and practice using HESI pharm. PS....we have to take two HESI pharm exams throughout the course which I have scored 950 and over 1000 on! But cannot pass her exams? This isn't just me, I sent out an email regarding my concerns to the entire class and they all agreed. What should I do? I am in a bridge program- this is frustrating because I have maintained 93 or above in all my other nursing courses.

Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

If you're scoring 950+ on HESI, had a 3.8 GPA from your ADN and 3.76 so far, you should not be borderline-failing a pharm course. If the ones who are passing the class are averaging 77-80%, I think there's an issue with this professor.

The good thing is that you're already a nurse and failing a course isn't going to ruin your career completely (like it would if you're pre-license). But you still deserve fair and consistent grading policy. Honestly, if I were you I would gather the other students and collectively write an email to the Dean and skip the chain of command (you already had 4 exams and she might be a contract teacher). Demand extra help so you can pass.

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I am going to call Monday and ask to speak to the program director. How should I approach the conversation? I think her biggest problem is she attempts to write her own questions which are poorly worded or have errors and they become difficult to follow or just plain understand. This is about 50-60% of her exam questions and about 15% on information not even covered. For example, we will cover the information the next week and I'll be like "wow that would have been nice to know for last weeks exam!" I am at the very end of the BSN program and this has me extremely overwhelmed. I had a 3.8 in my associate program and a 3.76 in my BSN program thus far.

How are you taking pharm at the end of your program. Pharm is a weed out course, and its essential information to have throughout the program. You don't just learn about how drugs work at the end?

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"A couple more tests to go, then I'll get grades out, but it was tough! We're really having a hard time getting from knowledge to application of knowledge." - My instructors response when people from class started emailing her regarding how to study for her exams because a majority of her class is failing. ----Just got results today.... 75% of class is failing.

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Because, they either didn't accept our pharm class from the ADN program(not enough credits or level) or our pharm was built into our med/surg courses and wasn't a stand alone class. I don't know how the Bridge programs work for other areas but here you have to "test out" of retaking any of nursing courses you took for your ADN using NLN exams. There are differences between schools on what you need to score in order to get "credit" for your previous class. For example....one university requires scores between 60-70% depending on subject. Whereas my school requires 80%. If you do not pass the NLN exam with an 80% or higher you need to take the class. So for example, lets say you have already taken maternal/child health nursing in your ADN but fail the NLN exam you will be required to retake the course through their program. So essentially if you fail on the NLN's with less than 80% you would end up doing a traditional BSN program. Except for my school does not offer NLN for pharmacology or nutrition. So I have to retake both classes.

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It's still discouraging. I've asked so many of the BSN Rn's what they did to be successful in pharm and they all look at me crazy because their pharm was built into their med/surg classes.

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Yes, we are still required to take these HESI exams. 100 points of our class is based on these HESI exams which are NCLEX style questions-and typically you can narrow NCLEX questions if you absolutely have no idea. That is the point of HESI is what I was referring to. For her class I assume it is to see how much we are actually learning. We take three HESI pharm exams....have passed all with a 950 or greater. The highest I have got on any of her exams is 83%, lowest 58%-this is the one nobody passed.

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Yes, you can buy a membership to the practice exams on the Elsevier/hesi website for the book she is using. Which I have also incorporated into my studying along with her slides. This is useful because if I don't get something right it provides a rational. Again, doing well on these. She told us to use pharmacology success....which I also use. I study the chapters that correlate with the class of medications or diseases we are studying. The problem is she is testing us on things not covered in the book. Hmmm....the best example of this would be our book covers lets say 5 of the important medications from a class or disease process. When you would expect to use it and what effect you could expect and contraindications and such. You get the jist. But then her exam will test on medications that were not even mentioned anywhere in her slides or book???

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

First of all, use the QUOTE button so we know to whom you are replying. Second, it does sound like you have a crappy instructor. Yes, you do need to approach someone higher up. Do not, however, circulate a petition. Those never work.

Request a meeting with whomever you can get a meeting with. Take a classmate or two with you, if they can be relied upon to be assertive and stay on topic. Some people get easily derailed in situations like this. Can you take along examples of the exams to show how the questions are confusing because they are poorly worded? This instructor might know her stuff, but she is not doing a good job of conveying it.

Tell the person everything you have done to work around her particular teaching style and that the entire class is struggling. You might not get instant results, but if people are failing unfairly, they may have some recourse if the situation was already brought to someone's attention.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.

IF truly 75% of the class is failing I'd suggest going to the Program Director and/or Dean. I would not suggest going alone. If others are truly concerned about this then they need to fight for this as well, not just you. Don't end up being the sacrificial lamb when everyone else isn't willing to commit.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Moved to nursing student forum

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IF truly 75% of the class is failing I'd suggest going to the Program Director and/or Dean. I would not suggest going alone. If others are truly concerned about this then they need to fight for this as well, not just you. Don't end up being the sacrificial lamb when everyone else isn't willing to commit.

Yes, this is what I'm scared of. Being the only one that is going to stand up to her and even if she does plan on curving that she will fail me just for standing up.

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Specializes in Adult Nurse Practitioner.

I would not go alone. Try to get some of your classmates who are in the same boat. There is safety as well support and reinforcement in numbers. If you go by yourself and relate the same info...you will be noted as a troublemaker. Nursing has some real problem with handling "criticism" real or perceived. If no one will join you, then you may want to rethink this method. Tread carefully. I have been on the back side of many "attacks" and it is not pleasant.

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