Feel I was wrongfully dismissed

Nurses Disabilities

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Hi all,

last year I was accepted to a nursing school across the country. I am 35 and wanted to finish. The program is an accelerated program. 12 months to be exact. I filed for disability services one month before school began in January. The first semester I had a number of incidences occur just like other students. First semester was 19 units. My mom had a stroke and my roomate situation was a hostile relationship to say the least. I did not end up receiving the accommodations until a month and a half of school and had already taken numerous tests. I passed everything but pharmacology. The next semester I took just pharm and passed the Hesi with a 96 percentile and a 98 in the class. When I started the next semester we were taking 21 units. I passed everything and did pretty well, however, I did not pass med surg 2 by 5 questions. The rule at my school is if you get anything under 75 it is a fail. 2 fails and your out is the policy. Now here is the kicker they said on my disability papers I am to get a note taker, a reader for tests, a reduced distraction zone for tests. I never got the note taker, didn't get a reader, and for my med surg 2 Hesi I was put in a hallway with three distracting rooms next to it with students and facilty going in and out. They did give me the time and a half. I spoke to the dean she stated that it is my responsibility to wear a noise canceling head set. I did wear a noise cancelling headset. She also stated how she is now going to speak to the committee about having any student with disabilities sign a waiver of discretion that it is up to them to take this very rigorous academic journey. My question is why did they not do this for me. Anyhow, I had 5 classes left. I owe $70,000 and lost a year of my life. I don't think anything transfers and I have a dismissal on my record. I feel I have been wronged and set up to fail. Any suggestions? By the way my disability is ADD and kerataconus.

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People, especially adults, are supposed to take charge of making decisions regarding higher education. Yes, there are nursing schools that will take a student's money. You applied for disability in conjunction with starting school. It was not the school's responsibility to accommodate "maybes". One might ask, " How can this person navigate the workplace environments found in nursing if they have to have peace and quiet?"

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

What you are asking is not really a nursing question -- it is a legal one. If you think you have not been treated in accordance with the laws, then you should speak with an attorney who specializes in such issues. Find out if you have a reasonable case against the school and if you do, perhaps you can get your money back.

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Thank you for your input. However, I applied for disability services not in conjunction with starting. I submitted my paperwork when I was first accepted which was a month prior to starting. I don't understand your comment about "maybes". My paperwork clearly states I have kerataconus and ADD. The disabilities office also clearly states on their paperwork that I get a note taker, time and a half, a distraction reduced environment, and a reader. The only thing I received was time and a half. llg is correct this is less about nursing and more about legality. As for your comment about real life situations I agree with you. That is why I do not foresee myself working on a hospital unit or in er. Something quieter suites me like a smaller clinic. It is also tough to compair school to real world application but I do appreciate your honesty.

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Specializes in NICU.

If I am following this correctly, you did not file for accommodation until a month before the Spring semester. The first semester you passed all classes without accommodation except pharmacology. The next semester you took pharmacology and passed without the accommodation. The last semester you got minimal accommodation and passed all classes except Med Surg 2. While I am not denying that you have a disability and did not receive the accommodations that were suppose to be provided, you chose not to demand that they enforce the accommodations during the semester, took the tests without the reader and quiet setting, and chose to enter a fast paced ABSN program. You could have chosen a traditional BSN program and went at a slower pace that better suited your disabilities. It is only after you failed your second class that you chose to say something. You passed all of your previous classes with little or no accommodation and yet you feel that the sole reason for not passing Med Surg 2 was their fault for not providing the accommodations.

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It partly is a nursing question because I am asking if there is any schools that would take some of the credits or if i have to start all over. I have done some research and it seems as if nothing counts and I would have to start from square one.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
It partly is a nursing question because I am asking if there is any schools that would take some of the credits or if i have to start all over. I have done some research and it seems as if nothing counts and I would have to start from square one.

You're right about that. Because each school is different and the content of the courses varies from school to school, it is uncommon for nursing credits to transfer. However, you might be able to get credit for some of the non-nursing courses such as any prerequisite classes.

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llg I appreciate your comments. I believe everything happens for a reason. It is a shame that I did not take the time to research myself and my learning style prior to starting. I am partly to blame and I take some of the responsibility. Before applying, I was working full time and taking prereqs slowly. I was receiving A's in all my classes and got a bit cocky. However, this program was something else. I never worked so hard in my life at anything (no sleep, no extracurriculars, no life). I guess that is the price you pay for a 12 month program. I don't like to speak bad about anyone or anything. Nevertheless, I state what I see for myself. Out of 80 students 55 to 60 students graduated. I heard this is common and some schools it is about half (survival of the fittest). School is a business and my school wants to keep a 98% NCLEX rate so they make it very tough to pass. It is just hard for me to believe that no classes transfer even though my school is one of the top in the nation.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
I guess that is the price you pay for a 12 month program. I don't like to speak bad about anyone or anything. Nevertheless, I state what I see for myself. Out of 80 students 55 to 60 students graduated. I heard this is common and some schools it is about half (survival of the fittest).

It's great that you can acknowledge reality -- and you are not living in a fantasy world. Yes, that is one of the prices you pay for an accelerated program -- too much content squeezed into a short time frame for most people to grasp. Anyone entering such a program needs to be aware of that up front -- and be aware that many students who enter such a program don't graduate from it. They are not an appropriate choice for most people.

Good luck to you. I wish you well.

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Thank You!

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

I went into a Medical Assistant program and I have ADD as well. I always had accommodations for my regular classes, but for this program my teacher (and director of the program), said she wasn't going to accept them that if I was going to be a MA, I won't get accommodations outside in the real world. So I took her challenge, and I passed my classes with good grades. But it was hard, and I'm not sure if Nursing school will be the same, accept the accommodations or will they deny them like my teacher did?

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I am currently in the EXACT same situation. I am taking legal action because I cannot lose $40,000 with nothing to show for it. I've been working in different aspects of healthcare (all patient contact, not registration or the like) for more than 12 years. Getting reasonable accommodations for school is absolutely nothing like the "real world." I am actually sick and tired of professors, deans, and even peers comparing the two. So, I feel you. But I look at it from the standpoint of $40,000 down the drain, what's another $10,000 in legal fees. Which, by the way, is not close to what I've actually spent and they're very close to settling!

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