Need Opinion: 2 Nursing Schools on Resume?

Nurses Job Hunt

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Specializes in Surgical/Trauma ICU.

Hey all,

Let me preface this by saying I have not graduated yet... but I like to stay ahead of the game when it comes to preparing for employment after graduation.

Here is my situation:

I attended a 2-year ADN program from 2012-2013 in the LA area. During the first term of my second year, approximately half of our class failed the course. I got 75% and need 76% to pass. There was cheating going on by some students (for years, they discovered), the instructors found out and changed all of the tests so students started getting 30-40% on exams (it was in attempt to find out who was cheating, based on the discrepancy from getting As on the first exams, but failing the new exams... it backfired and those of us who weren't cheating but hanging on to a passing grade, suffered). Due to the small nature of the program, there was only 4 slots available to get back into the program, based on a lottery, and I did not get a spot.

That whole experience was terrible, and I'm glad to be out of that school and in a new program that is much more supportive of their students. I basically had to start over. I got Funds transferred but that was it. I even had to retake some sciences that had started to expire.

Anyway, now I am in a BSN program with a 3.8+ GPA and I will be graduating next summer. Finally!

Here is my question:

During the interview process/regarding my resume... do I mention my experience with the other program? In a non-bitter, I have so much more experience than other new-grads, kind of way? :)

The reason I ask is because at my previous program I got to do clinicals at the more prestigious hospitals in the area: UCLA, Kaiser, St. Johns... and it seems like such a bummer to withhold that information about those experiences because of the fact that I failed out of a nursing program, which on one hand might make me look bad, but on the other hand, might make me look more determined and resilient.

I don't know... what are your thoughts on this situation? I just want to make myself look as appealing as possible when I start applying to jobs - I have volunteer, tutoring, home health experience... but as far as this topic goes, I'm just not sure how to approach it.

Thanks everyone!!

I have found that it is not to my advantage to bring up anything that is not a 'stellar success'. All your resume need say, and should say, is that you graduated from School B. I went to different schools and find that there is room on the resume for the schools that I received degrees from.

Specializes in Critical Care.

Just create a section on your resume for clinical rotation sites and then list the hospital / unit type.

I don't see any need to express that one clinical took place at another school.

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