So I might have just failed my first nursing class

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 13, 2015

The first thing to do is take a deep breath and tell yourself that things will get better. Then, contact your teacher and see if you can do some extra credit to bring your grade up 0.6%. If that doesn't work, try to see if there are any questions on the final which were unfair questions or questions that didn't make sense.

I know that it's hard to pick yourself up after this, especially when you're afraid of what people might think. Just keep your eye on the prize and move forward. There were a couple students who stayed back one semester when I was in nursing school and integrated very well with the class that graduated one semester behind me. One girl kept up with her group of friends from my cohort and they are still friends today. I would focus more on motivating yourself to study well for your other finals and focus less on what other people will think. You have to live your life for yourself and your goals.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2015

You want to die? Over a class? You need help now. Call a suicide hotline please. Get yourself some help. I mean this sincerely.

LPNtoRNin2016OH, LPN · Dec 13, 2015

Honey you didn't just rob a bank or commit murder, you failed a test. I say this as a mother, if my child failed a semester of nursing school and felt as terrible as you do, I would do nothing to make her feel worse about it. I know it seems like the end of the world right now but I swear it isn't. It's one more semester compared to the rest of your life - it's just a blip of time in your whole life time. Learn from where you went wrong studying, apply it when you start the next program, and be prepared to fly through it with ease because you already have the foundation for it.

Zyprexa_Ho · Dec 13, 2015

You want to die? Over a class? You need help now. Call a suicide hotline please. Get yourself some help. I mean this sincerely.

She never said she wanted to die..........

klone, MSN, RN · Dec 13, 2015

She never said she wanted to die..........

She edited her OP.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2015

She edited her OP.

Thank you. I knew I saw that which put up a red flag for me. Any time somebody says that I think they should get help immediately. I've dealt with several suicides in my life and so I always tell somebody to get help.

alie46 · Dec 13, 2015

Sorry y'all! Bad choice of wording I used. So I emailed my advisor to see if I can at least still continue with HCC2 while taking HCC1 at the other campus next semester. I'm willing to do ANYTHING to make this work, even if that means driving 36 minutes to and fro' every tuesdays lol. And luckily I still have my HOPE scholarship (THANK GOD) I think losing HOPE or any financial aid was my biggest concern, but anyway I'm already ready to put in even more work next semester (not like i haven't already). The only reason I want to graduate April 2017 and not December 2017 is that my parent's are trying to divorce like right after I graduate college and I feel like if I graduate a semester late it will only hold them back and yeah...But bless y'all! this will be quite a journey and a testimony to other people who feel like giving up.

missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2015

It's a class. It's going to suck to see your friends graduate before you do, but they'll probably be your ticket to that perfect job. I sincerely hope that you get the points you need, figure out where it went wrong, and study harder the next semester so you're not in this predicament again. But it's a class, a test, a wrong answer. It's not like you've got some debilitating disease where you've learned that you won't walk again, or you've been in a car vs man accident (spoiler...car wins), or you've just found out you have cancer.

To be fair, everyone feels this way in nursing school, but providing nursing care to good people in bad situations puts everything into perspective. I would feel the same way you do now if it were a year ago. On the bright side, if you do repeat, you'll have some networking abilities that your other classmates lack because of your friends in the previous class.

It's a test, a question, and honestly......It's not that important in the grand scheme of life. I promise.

I hope the outcome is what you wished for and that you'll understand what I mean in a few semesters when you're a nurse. Best of luck to you.

alie46 · Dec 13, 2015

Sorry y'all! Bad choice of wording I used. So I emailed my advisor to see if I can at least still continue with HCC2 while taking HCC1 at the other campus next semester. I'm willing to do ANYTHING to make this work, even if that means driving 36 minutes to and fro' every tuesdays lol. And luckily I still have my HOPE scholarship (THANK GOD) I think losing HOPE or any financial aid was my biggest concern, but anyway I'm already ready to put in even more work next semester (not like i haven't already). The only reason I want to graduate April 2017 and not December 2017 is that my parent's are trying to divorce like right after I graduate college and I feel like if I graduate a semester late it will only hold them back and yeah...But bless y'all! this will be quite a journey and a testimony to other people who feel like giving up.

RAndaRoo · Dec 14, 2015

I don't know how your school is, but just going off my school's experience most will not let you retake something and the next level of that course at the same time. So your HCC2 and HCC1....because even though you just took it they are probably thinking if you couldn't pass it the first time how are you going to pass it the second time while learning new information. And let me just tell you I 100% understand what you're going through. I failed two classes...two separate semesters so I ended up being a year behind my friends. But you know what you make new friends, and other people probably failed the same course if not another. And you end up having friends in classes ahead of you which can be very helpful. And like someone else said having friends that work before you can be a ticket to your job, I had friends at nearly every hospital when applying to jobs and although it may not always get you something, friends can talk to their managers.

Not to delve into my own story too much but I literally just failed out of my program in my last semester, a week before pinning/graduation. And it completely, no doubt about it, sucks. However, I had a pity party for about a day and decided if this is what I want I will find a way to accomplish it. I suggest you do the same, you are still in your program girl you got this! Repeating one class will not be the death of you, if anything you will probably be thankful for it after you have completed it. Cliche but everything happens for a reason, even if we don't know why. Just remember, this too shall pass.

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." -Thomas Edison

alie46 · Dec 14, 2015

You are so right! idk I just want to convince them that I'm capable of handling both HCC1&2 at the same time if they let me... like I will put in so much work like i've never done before if they just give me the chance. Plus for HCC1 I'll already have like a better understanding beforehand, but we'll see! Thank you for your words! I'm starting to feel a little optimistic about everything after nights of crying lol