PLEASE HELP Before they kick me out!

[FutureRNKat]

I am in my 2nd semester of nursing school. My school has never been big on strictly enforcing attendance rules. So imagine my surprise when I get called into the DON's office to be told that they are failing me for missing 2 days in this term! Come to find out, they are also doing this to 4 other students. No warning, or anything.

I have 3 kids so things come up and I may miss a day here and there but I put in MORE than enough study time to make sure I do not fall behind. I am a straight A student and I do not think this is right! Two of the other students they are doing this to had doctors notes for being absent, but they were told that absences are not excused under any circumstances.

I don't know what to do. I have put so much time, energy, and money into this program and I am not ready to give up.

Is there any advice anyone can give to help me out??

[Needles McGee, RN]

At my school, the attendance policy was referred to time and again, though not strictly enforced through the first two terms. But third term and beyond, the policy IS strictly enforced, to the minute. Starting in our third term, you can only miss 2 days...one lab/one clinical or whatever, and you MUST make up the time, even though you still have the absences counted against you. People are still hung up in their attendance habits from the first two terms...to include being late to class. I work 40+ hours, three kids, I live 45 minutes from school and I am NEVER late. You are responsible for your attendance and it IS your responsibility to know the attendance policy. Do you routinely show up late or miss work? That's unacceptable and school is no different.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Doesn't your school have a handbook? Mine did, and everything you needed to know was in it. It was considered a binding contract, and the handbook you started at that school with, was the one that mattered to you. Meaning, they couldn't just change the rules on you half-way; whatever rules were in the handbook when you started were enforceable until you graduated. Never expect to be spoon-fed; read everything and know the rules. At my college, a nursing student could only miss 2 days thru-out their entire program, period.

[manusko]

Time to get busy and look up policy and procedure related to this matter. My guess is (since you had no clue) that you weren't warned or asked for an excuse letter from a doc. So, there's basically no documentation. Get a journal book and write down everything you remember about the absences and then anytime there's a conversation or contact about the matter, keep good notes.

If you're borrowing money, check that out to in reference to attendance; you never know.

Let the school know you are serious. Talk to the nursing counselor and if that fails and there's no policy stating expulsion type stuff in the p/p get a lawyer. I missed a few days when I went to school; life happens. Think about it...you are paying them.

Talk to the other students about their situations if they're willing. A class action suit may really get the school to rescind but you need to know how bad the other student's attendance was. Either way seek legal counsel if all else fails.

Good luck to you.

Unless they signed a letter o understanding when they started school. My nursing school and anesthesia school both had us sign letters that said we read and understood the rule book.

[Guttercat, ASN, RN]

I remember a classmate friend of mine who was pregnant in the last semester. For the final, it was clearly stated that no excuse would be entertained for missing it. She had her baby the night before the final, came in for the exam the next morning, and then went back to the hospital. I thought that was a bit overkill on "the rules."

Sometimes "the rules" are more about power plays.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Wait let me get this straight....

You are mad that you knowingly broke the rules and are being punished for it? Thats like people being mad that they got a speeding ticket when they know they speed everywhere because "Its not enforced well".

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

Wait let me get this straight....

You are mad that you knowingly broke the rules and are being punished for it? Thats like people being mad that they got a speeding ticket when they know they speed everywhere because "Its not enforced well".

I agree. Why is fair to those who DO show up everyday to those who miss 2-3-4 days? There is a difference and there obviously is consequences.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I don't think that people mature enough and smart enough to have made it into nursing school should have to be told more than once about what the expectations are. If it's important to them, they'll remember it. Evidently the attendance rule was not one of those things for the OP, and now there are consequences. Reminds me a lot of how things work out here in the real world, which does not care one whit about a worker's domestic issues.

I know whereof I speak, for I've been written up and "counseled" for excessive absenteeism during exacerbations of my own chronic illness. But when I was in school, I was raising four kids and working nights as a hospital CNA, and I never missed clinical---not even during a bout of pneumonia late in winter term of my last year (I was on antibiotics and wore a mask the whole time). I'm not judging the OP, I don't know her situation, but I honestly don't get how some folks can actually be surprised when instructors/supervisors lay out the rules in the beginning, then enforce them without advance warning.

[ComeTogether, LPN]

Yep, pretty much what everyone else said. If the attendance policy states you can only miss one class and you missed two, you're in trouble. When you're accepted into the program you're expected to make arrangements for when your kids get sick or things come up. I know it sucks, and I know its hard. Same thing will apply when you are working in a hospital. You can't just call in sick because you're kids are home sick. Yeah, of course if its something serious that's why most places allow for 2 or so in a 6 month period, but kids get sick a lot more than that often times and you just have to come up with a backup plan.

In the future, (and I don't know if perhaps you already did this) I would email/call your professors if you are going to be absent and figure out a plan to try to make the hours up or just see what they have to say about it.

I am about to have surgery, relatively emergent, and am going to have to withdraw from my AP class because I won't be able to keep up or attend classes the few days after the surgery. Is it my fault? No, not really, but its not theirs either and I know they cant make exceptions for me.

I would ask for a meeting, and I would be very apologetic and offer to make up your hours if there is any way that you can. I would not use the "the policy isn't enforced" excuse....

[ARTFILM]

My school was stringent in their policy, 1 day OK but 2 days not at clinical you'd better be on your death bed and dying! When students had family issues that interfered with class time, that semester and/or the next semester can be put on hold... with a letter of explanation etc.

[LoriRNCM, ADN, ASN, RN]

Our school has a handbook acknowledgment that you have to sign stating you have read and understand the policies. You can miss days but after a certain number you can't sit for the Boards, even if you don't get kicked out, because our director said she would send a letter recommending you not be allowed to sit for your boards. They mean business, and people have been missing a lot. I missed 2 hours of a clinical day due to a kidney infection, which I saw the dr for and got on meds, but you can be sure I won't miss another minute after the letter my director fired off to our class for repeated absences by my cohorts. No siree. I don't have little kids but I have ailing parents and my sister who lives an hour away has had to step up and handle things. That's the way it is for the next 15 months. I pray no major catastrophe happens, but school is my priority right now.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I remember when I was in nursing school they had to pull on student aside & had a meeting with her because she missed too many days. They ended up letting her stay but I was soo mad. Why? The rest of us are busting our behinds, showing up every day & she isn't. I think it happened again another semester & they let her go. Yes, she has kids but so did like more than half of the people in the class. If they could get coverage for their kids & show up, she should've.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

I can say from the other side of the equation:

The rules are always there and are rarely enforced UNLESS it becomes a problem; once it is a problem, the rules are enforced and all the broke them are stuck. This usually only applies to unexcused absences.

If you missed classes but had dialogue with your instructors prior you should be ok, especially if you are a straight A student.

In the end you likely had valid reasons for excuses but you also knew the rules and knew the risks with not going. Sadly it came home to roost.