Clinical failed petition

Sour Lemon · May 5, 2018

I'm really bummed out.
I'm a second semester nursing student at a CC RN program and I received a clinical fail. I was beyond distraught/ devastated. I had a lot of personal things going on and I was overwhelmed in med surge clinicals.
The clinical fail was because I already had a clinical warning because I didn't pass my drug calculation test. Then, I wasn't supposed to give meds w/o my instructor there. I did it anyway with insulin.
It was the right patient, but I didn't even scan the MAR. There was just so many wrongs of what I did.
I had to withdrawal from the class. Now I'm just so worried about not getting in to repeat for next semester. I've been asking around and I haven't met anyone who got a clinical fail and still was able to get n the program.
I have GAD and MDD. I was doing really well on theory, but I don't even know why I did that. I had so much going on.
I've decided to get on the student disability, get a new psychiatrist referral, and go to therapy once a week. I have 3 months to get better for fall. Has anyone came back from a clinical fail and was able to repeat the class? Has anyone experienced this? I'm still bummed out...although I kinda feel a relief I can do some self care now.

I "failed" a clinical due to absences and was able to repeat it and move on through the program. The rules are different for every program, though. You will need to talk to a representative of your own program to see what options you have.

Good luck!

AnnieNP, MSN, NP · May 5, 2018

You gave insulin to a patient without an instructor or the RN assigned to the patient??? How does this even happen?

Sour Lemon · May 6, 2018

You gave insulin to a patient without an instructor or the RN assigned to the patient??? How does this even happen?

I don't see that the RN for the patient was absent, just the clinical instructor. Some students don't seem to be clear on what they can and cannot do without their instructor being present. I don't know how nothing was scanned, though...

Rionoir, ADN, RN · May 6, 2018

If you're saying your mental health is so bad you can't remember any of the proper steps involved in giving meds as a student, then you have no business being around patients.

broughden · May 6, 2018

If you're saying your mental health is so bad you can't remember any of the proper steps involved in giving meds as a student, then you have no business being around patients.

This. Not everyone is cut out for nursing.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · May 7, 2018

Then, I wasn't supposed to give meds w/o my instructor there. I did it anyway with insulin.
It was the right patient, but I didn't even scan the MAR. There was just so many wrongs of what I did.[/Quote]
Why??
Hopefully you've learned from this. Getting your mental health in order is wise regardless of your future in nursing school, although I honestly wouldn't bring it up in your future re-entry application -- not because you have anything to be ashamed of, but because it should have no bearing on your ability to abide by your school's policies. The presence of a mental health dx doesn't excuse your error.
I do hope they give you another chance though. Wishing you the best!

cjprenurse · May 17, 2018

No. The nurse was there. I would never give meds w/o a nurse present. It was because I had a clinical warning from an unfinished drug calculation test first, wasn't organized, I didn't scan his bracelet Mar and did not document it.

I would have had a clinical probation if I had documented it. but I didn't. The patient wasn't harmed at all and was given the correct dose. It was the way of how I handled the situation.

I was asking if anyone has experienced this. I can be nurse, I'm not giving up.

lehaley1989, ADN, RN · May 18, 2018

I would have had a clinical probation if I had documented it. but I didn't. The patient wasn't harmed at all and was given the correct dose. It was the way of how I handled the situation.

Yikes. Not documenting a med administration is a pretty big error. It is lucky that your patient was not harmed, but they most certainly could have been. What if another nurse had given a second dose of insulin because it was showing up as not being administered in the chart? Not properly verifying a patient's identity is also extremely negligent. Personally, I think you should really stop focusing on how you would have only been placed on probation if it weren't for this drug dosage exam. The fact is, you made a series of decisions that could have seriously harmed your patient. In my program, a single one of these errors would result in dismissal from clinical.

There are several students in my program with mental health diagnoses (myself included) and a lot of things going on outside of school. This may sound harsh, but you really can't use these things as excuses for bad decision making. Not when you hold other people's lives in your hands. I'm glad to hear that you're planning to spend more time on self-care in the coming months. However when the time comes to re-enroll, I I hope that you pause and examine your mental health status. Really think about whether or not you are ready to go back. Is it the right thing for you? What about your patients?