Are there any acceptable absences?

sparklie.lady · Jul 5, 2010

This is just my opinion, but a family cruise would not be an excused absence, especially from a clinical day. There's just no way to make those experiences up.

In my program, we are "allowed" two excused absence days per semester. But you have to have a pretty darn good excuse--babysitter cancel? Too bad. Car trouble? Call a cab. It's an ABSN program, so missing one lecture is essentially missing a week of class.

I hope you get in to nursing school. But if you do, canceling this trip will be the first of many sacrifices you will have to make. But keep your eye on the prize and it will be worth it!

DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN · Jul 5, 2010

Wait to see if you get accepted. Then deal with the two days. It will depend on the school but sometimes on the individual instructor. Two instructors at my school actually had students into the clinical sites for "make-up" clinical time. This was during the instructors' free time. We were extremely fortunate to have such kind instructors. I must say that they only did this for people who had been sick and could prove that they had been sick.

Most schools seem incredibly strict about clinical time.

If your school has been running a waiting list they will have encountered this stuff before. We had someone jet off to Europe in the first few weeks of school -- they didn't miss clinicals though.

VioletKaliLPN, LPN · Jul 5, 2010

we had our orientation for fall 2010 nursing school back in may, and this subject was discussed.

we were told that we could miss no more than 2 clinicals or we fail, do not pass go, do not collect 200$. (unless you had a true illness or hospital stay that could be easily verified) you could not miss more than 4 classes, unless the above exceptions were your situation.

family cruises are fun, but school is more important.

clinicals are mandatory. you fail 2 your are out, in my program. a missed day counts as one f.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 5, 2010

Discuss it with the school, emphasizing that you arranged the trip based on the OLD school chedule. They might cut you a break because they switched the schedule on you, but maybe not. Every school is different.

Who knows? Maybe you won't even be scheduled for clinicals those days. You'll just have to ask them to find out.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Jul 5, 2010

2 missed clinical days was the max you were allowed per semester. The 3rd resulted in you being dismissed from the program..no ifs, ands or buts. No matter what the reason was (death in family, surgery, being hospitalized, etc) nothing would stop the dismissal. Oh and if you were not to clinical at the time it was set for..5 minutes late..off you go, back home..considered an absence.

We had 2 girls who commuted together, on their way to clinicals, they were in a major accident, car they were in flipped..they were injuried but not seriously. One of the instructor was caught in the traffic backup from the accident and came to clinicals late. The 2 girls in the accident obviously didn't make it to clinicals..both were dismissed..it was the 3rd absence for both..no amount of begging, pleading, threatening etc changed the fact that they were dismissed.

JUPITER19 · Jul 5, 2010

Maybe a little OT but if you are sick (flu, hacking cough etc.) Do they want you to show up for clinical's? I would have no problem doing so, but wonder about the risk of getting other patients sick.

sparklie.lady · Jul 5, 2010

Maybe a little OT but if you are sick (flu, hacking cough etc.) Do they want you to show up for clinical's? I would have no problem doing so, but wonder about the risk of getting other patients sick.

Well, the two clinical instructors I've had have told people to stay at home or sent them home if they had fevers or had emesis/ diarrhea. These were part of the two "allowed" absences. If we are just sniffling and sneezing, we stay and wear a mask.

I would hate to get kicked out of school because I got sick and had already used my absences for something else.

dallet6 · Jul 5, 2010

Some of that is completely based on your instructor. Our teachers don't take roll in theory class. If you only want to show up for tests, that's your choice and your loss (including missed popquizes). However, you can only miss one clinical per quarter, and some teachers can choose to fail you if you miss even one. My friend is having a baby this quarter. She has a planned c-section and is arranging her schedule around that. She will miss a couple lecture days and one clinical. If she can plan a birth and newborn care around school, you should be able to figure out your schedule and if you think your cruise is important enough to miss.

One1, BSN, RN · Jul 5, 2010

Also consider that a make-up clinical might cost you $. Talk to the school once you find out that you got accepted.

notmanydaysoff · Jul 5, 2010

:bugeyes:

A few months ago, I experienced what I thought was a detached retina (little lightning bolts in the periphery, floaters, fuzzy vision). This happened on a weekend and I had a major midterm on Monday.

I called my eye doctor, made an appointment for first thing Monday AM.

I called my prof, told her what was going on - that my eyes would be dilated, my vision would be compromised for a few hrs, and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to make the 45 mile drive, or even finish studying for the test.

I thought for sure that this would give me at least a ONE day reprieve. I was dreaming!

No, "OMG, notmany, I hope you don't lose the vision in your right eye,"

or,

"Go ahead and take all of Monday off and come in first thing Tuesday and take the test...oh, and I hope everything is okay and you don't go blind...."

No, none of that kinda stuff. That's for wimps!

Her response, "Well if you miss the test you'll have to take it as a makeup and the best you can score is 75%." (School policy, no >75% on a makeup even if you score a perfect 100%).

I am in an accelerated program. We are not allowed any clinical absences (they have to be made up w/in a certain timeframe, no exceptions), and only 1 class absence per qtr.

People have come to school w/food poisoning (N,V,D), severe colds, migraines, walking pneumonia, with masks, blankies, red eyes, tissue boxes on the desk - but they were there. The fact that they had their heads on their desks or slumped in their chairs, and otherwise looked like $#^!, was okay. They were there!

One gal has missed several clinical/classes this year and was given a contract to sign that says she will not miss any more, period. She has little kids and has taken time off when they have gotten ill.

If I told the director I was taking off because I was going on a cruise, she would flip. I have pretty much written this year off for any family/fun/vacation plans. Like someone mentioned earlier, you will probably be faced with more of these kind of dilemmas/sacrifices while you are in NS.

parrothead36 · Jul 6, 2010

To all, I thank you for all your input and advice on how to handle the situation.I pray that I get into the program, but if all else fails after I finish school I will have the opportunity to go on many more cruises!!Again thanks!!