Students who fail

Specialties Educators

Published

That time of year again. Where I teach students must have an exam average of 79.5 or higher to pass the class, otherwise it is a D. I have 7/100 students fail this class this year. That is a pretty good pass rate for a first year nursing class, and I'm pround of the passing students. They did well. Yes, they all earned their grade. I don't take blame or credit for bad or good grades. But it REALLY HAS TO SUCK to fail with a 79.4 as in one of my student's cases. It literally came down to missing one too many questions on the final. She earned it herself, but I feel sorry for her just the same. I'm sure there are a few students who passed because they guessed an answer right. But if she hadn't been on the fence all semester, she could have done better. It is still sad.

It just seems to me that if the students aren't putting forth real effort in class or clinicals then they don't really understand what being a nurse is. It isn't the same as graphic design or auto mechanics: no one will die if they don't come to work or are hung over. Nope, I tell my students that I intend to help them be the kind of nurse I want taking care of my mother, that adequacy is not a standard I care to promote in nursing. Call me tough, I don't care. I will not encourage the "warm body syndrome". I've seen too many nurses who should have gone into some other field, but somehow they passed boards.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Educator/ICU/ER.

It is hard to fail a student. We meet as a team (sophomore year in an ADN program) and work on final grades together. Then the ones we had counseled a month or 2 before come in, bemoaning their grade and wondering why they did not pass. And I am so excited when the ones we worry about study, prioritize and pull their grades up to a passing grade!

Now that is a great day!

Educating future nurses can be challenging and rewarding. We remind our students they will be responsible for someones life and we are responsible to make sure they will be safe and well trained!

They sometimes agree!! LOL :smilecoffeecup:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

puggymae

we review all of our exam with students except the final exam. we used to have students hanging around waiting for their grades while we educators reviewed their exams. it was difficult leaving the room just to use the restroom because the students would all hold their breaths waiting for any kind of news. now we tell students to leave the nursing building after their exams and return about 2 hours later. life is much easier now.

you're so right about students not understanding what one percent score means. we total scores based on points, then compute their percent score. as with you, one percent score could mean about 10 points away.

nurse_educate

i feel as you do about reading the cards students have written. i tell them that their notes mean more to me than the actual gift. i save those cards and read them when i am feeling sub-par. those special words always raise my spirits.

goodoldnurse

i totally agree with what you have said. what a great day when the student who had problems concentrating early on and been counseled, realize what it takes to be in the nursing program, and then make it through the semester. the students can't see us, but we are behind closed doors cheering for those students! (we can be pretty loud - so who knows, maybe they hear us!)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.
Whew - can you educators tell me if the positives of teaching outweigh the negatives?

I have only an MSN and don't want to go back to school for a PhD or a DNP and have considered teaching. I am clinically competent and do like patient care.

Yes, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Teaching adults is often very difficult (as you will note from the frequent venting on this forum), but it is a privilege and honor to help mentor the next generation of nurses. It is definitely not for everyone. I have teaching "in my blood" so to speak - My mom was a gifted teacher and I inherited her love for teaching. I would even teach a sign post if there were no one else available :lol2:

I love seeing nursing again through the idealistic eyes of beginning students and catching that fresh wave of enthusiasm. I love taking advantage of those fleeting "teachable moments," and helping students make critical connections between the textbook and real life. I love seeing the growth in individual students from the start of the semester to the finish. And, not only do my students learn from me, but I learn so much from them.

Prospective nurse educators need to be very choosy about job responsibilities and the overall climate of learning in an institution. New instructors, in particular, need much support, guidance, and affirmation. In many instructional settings, the workload can be overwhelming and can quickly lead to burn-out. Seek out institutions of learning in which each instructor is valued and there is a positive, nurturing learning environment (for both students and faculty) :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.

How many students failed your courses this past semester, quarter? I taught one class and lost four out of 94.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

:loveya: It is really encouraging and a great honor to be taught for nurses as the ones posting here, though none of you as been my instructor, I have noticed how worried and sometimes sad our teachers have been when they see many of us (students), failing or not doing enough work.

It is true and so sad that many students find easier to say that they failed because "that teacher is so strict", or "those tests are so hard"; however, there are also many of us who really appreciate your job and the long hours you spend preparing class, reviewing papers and making grades.

Thanks!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
How many students failed your courses this past semester, quarter? I taught one class and lost four out of 94.

I taught 1 course in a BSN completion program. 6 students out of 42 failed the course -- and I think I was pretty generous with the grading.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
What mystifies me (and makes me angry) are those students who don't put forth much effort throughout the entire semester and receive bad grade after bad grade on assignment after assignment. They "assume" that a good grade on the final exam or final paper or whatever will "save them." Then, at the end of the semester when they haven't done well on the final project to bring up their failing grade, they argue that one score to death, saying, "But that one grade prevents me from passing the course ... and I don't deserve to fail!" If they had been so concerned about their grade back in October, they wouldn't have put themselves in such a position in the first place. I had 2 students like that this semester. At some point, you just don't know what to say them. They missed classes: they didn't follow directions on assignments: etc. and received several failing grades throughout the semester. Yet they never sought help nor took the advice I tried to offer. Now that they have failed the course, it's my fault for not allowing them to re-do the final paper.

IMHO, teachers should not feel bad about students who fail.

I'm a recent grad and I can't tell you how many times I and other students have warned fellow students not to put things off to the end of the semester, but they just don't listen. We helped them any way we could with notes and such but, if they don't do the work ... there's nothing you can do.

With this one girl I told her: if you don't apply yourself now, you're going to fail, and it's probably going to be by only a couple of points, and you're going to remember what I said and really regret it. This was midway through the semester when there was plenty of time for her to get her act together.

Naturally, she didn't want to do what had to be done and failed anyway. Then she tried to blame it on faculty and complained to the BRN. She asked me to back her up but, I refused. It was ridiculous.

Quite frankly, it really upset me because she ended up making a big stink which alienated the faculty, and that makes it more difficult for all of the other students because the teachers feel like they can't trust anyone.

This isn't frustrating just for the instructors, but for students also.

:typing

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Educator/ICU/ER.

As our numbers dropped, I was amazed how many wanted to place blame. We made the math quiz too hard (even with remediation), the tests too difficult ( those with English as a second language made better that a 90%) and we were just too hard. We are charged with educating future nurses, those who will hold someones life in their hands. We must take it seriously and not worry about pleasing everyone. Keeps me up some nights, but in the end, I can live with myself.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, NP, Nurse Educator.

I teach first level Pharmacology - I lost 12 out of 40. I lose 10-15 out of this course every semester. I find it interesting that I offer group and one on one tutoring starting from the first day of class - and that NONE of the 12 people who failed EVER came to one tutoring session. (And that is common - sometimes they come at the end of the semester but they are beyond the point where their grade can be salvaged). However 3 people made a 100% on the comprehensive and they had wore me out with tutoring. In fact 9 people made A's in the course and they all participated in tutoring. Go figure. Four additional students in that level did not pass one thing or another and will not be progressing, so that class is down to 24.

In my second semester classes nobody failed OB or Pharmacology. I also offer tutoring for these courses as well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment