Am I a failure?

[Redstudent]

In my current situation, I am a nursing student who failed "common concepts" last semester. I am currently taking "common concepts" but I am currently failing. My class is only pass/fail based on test grades only. I got 78, 66, and 54 respectively for each exam. I just got a 54 on my exam. I currently feeling angry, frustrated, suicidal and depressed.

I feel like I wasted time and money here. I thought I could learn to be a good nurse but this is how my class works. We take a 50 question exam over the material. We get graded at the end. If you attend testing remediation on what you got wrong, then you review it but you cannot write anything like subject or the missed question. I do not understand how we can learn if we cannot write what we missed. My professor's response was that they are trying to teach you critical thinking and they are tired of making new questions. Is this what nurses do for learning? They reuse the same questions. There is no bonus or extra credit. We do not even get to see pass/fail statistics of our class or concurrent class.

My second excuse is that my class is 3 hours for 2 days. In other words, I am in a flex program where the class is 8 weeks. Sometimes we go over the time limit and stay in class for an extra 30 minutes. A red flag signals to me that this class was not meant to be 8 weeks. It should be 16 weeks. I also cannot stand hearing lecture for more than 1.5 hours. I cannot see how one student can pay attention for more than that.

My third excuse is when I asked how some other students study for the exam. They pay someone who was a former teacher and basically goes over a "blue print" of the final exam. That is how they are passing and I am not. I did not want to bring it up because I did not want my friends to fail. It ends up being a ethical issue to me. Would you rather cheat and succeed or fail with honor?

My last issue is having the same exam as the other teachers. We have 6 professors. 2 in the morning, afternoon and evening. They all teach differently but we all get the same test. How does that work and evaluate on our performance? I remember one class got 4 bonus points while the other 2 classes did not for exam 2.

Yes, I am venting my frustrations. All this bad politics and grades can change a person's attitude of life. I have a chance to pass but I need an 82 on the final. My passion for nursing is down on the floor. I spent my weekend studying for exam 3 only to see a 54 as a result. My final exam is in one week. I apparently do not have a thought process of a nurse.

My question now is am I a failure as a student and a human being? Should I take the final exam for a chance to pass or is that wasting hope on the hopeless? Where do failures go after this? Am I going to find out the hard way after this?

[runsalot]

I did not fully read your post. As you kept saying 'excuse'. What are you dong to pass.

[kaydensmom01]

I do not see anything different about your school than most. We certainly get to review our test but do not get to write down what was missed. That is part of being in college; I couldn't do that in any of my college classes.

Second, I'm in my last semester where we have a 5 and a half hour lecture one day a week for 9 weeks and often stay over, and most of us are doing fine. it is hard to pay attention, but you have to do it, and go home and read to fully understand the material.

Third, just because other students cheat doesn't mean the whole class that is passing is. You are only looking at "some" of the other students, and I really doubt that most are "cheating", even though I don't see how getting a tutor is cheating.

In our first semester we had 3 different teachers and all the same tests, which did not matter as long as you read and did the homework that you were supposed to.

I know that you are venting, but these are exactly what you said they are... "excuses".

No one can tell you what to do, but if you really want to be a nurse then study, study , study.

[Stephalump]

I was about to respond the same way as above. Your school doesn't seem abnormal in any way. If you were passing, none of tha would bother you, I'm guessing.

If at first you not succeed, you'd better change something.

[StudentOfHealing]

Please stop making excuses. I'm a second semester nursing student and I was recently upset because I received a 79.99 on my final average and it will stay a C.

I've done my venting and now I am ready to move on.

Your excuse attitude is scary if you plan to be a nurse.... no offense. ):

Nurses have thick skin.

Nurses don't make excuses.

Nurses make solutions.

and btw my program is the exact same way.

If you need study tips message me. I will gladly help but accept your own failure.

[blackvans1234]

The duration of your classes actually seem shorter than most.

for example, my lecture is 5 hours on tuesday, with a two hour break. So we sit and listen from 9-12, then 2-4, same instructor, same course.

I just told another user, your grade will not depict if you are a good nurse or not.

Also- when in doubt, learn from the textbook.

Does your college offer tutoring?

[Mewsin]

This is what our instructor told us.

Nursing school is hard. It is supposed to be hard. You're going into a profession, not just a job, a profession, you need to work for it.

My CCA class the questions were critical thinking questions, I'm used to them now but they take practice and a different type of mindset.

[Hygiene Queen]

I currently feeling angry, frustrated, suicidal and depressed

If you truly feel this way, then you really need to seek counseling.

Please get yourself some help.

[pookyp, LPN]

I can't believe a of the responses so far has not addressed that you are suicidal. Maybe you should speak to a counselor

As for your grades, study differently than what you've been doing. Can you do a study group?

[Hygiene Queen]

I can't believe a of the responses so far has not addressed that you are suicidal. Maybe you should speak to a counselor

I couldn't believe it either!

[csoultz]

Are you only studying on the weekends. While in nursing school you need to study every single day, and not just cram on the weekends. I find taking several hours at the first two days of the weeks to get my notes all made up and done and then just read them once maybe twice everyday after that is sufficient enough. After the notes are all made up it only takes about an hour or so to read them. By the end of the week you will find yourself finishing your sentences before even getting there. Worked for me.

[Itspossible]

Please talk to somebody who can help, as someone had already mention above may be a counselor. Not passing a nursing class is very up-setting. I know this because I'm in the same boat but I know all hope is not lost.