Clinical lesson learned

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Apr 7, 2015

First and foremost, I am sorry that this happened to you. Secondly, I find it interesting that the school chose to drop you from the program with one semester left, and I assume with no refund on your tuition monies that you already paid to the school. And I can imagine that this is a for profit school. And taking advantage of your devastation, perhaps you would "take a break" come back in the fall, where yet again, you would need to pay tuition monies. Cut throat business in action right there.

First off, I would just not keep replaying this in your mind. Easier said than done, however, it is your soul you are crushing and they are happy that they made 20 grand off you for this semester. A business. Much like a great deal of hospitals are, a business. We can argue what you did/didn't do/how you felt you did/what the instructor said. Ok, I get it. But time to bust off your bootstraps and move on. It is ok. It is highly unlikely that you have cause to beat yourself up over what occurred, as you were well into your last semester of a bachelors program. I sooooo call BS on the part of the school.

Going forward, make an appointment with your academic advisor, and your guidance counselor. Look at the credits that you currently have, and see what kind of degree that would make. If you are in your fourth year, you may have more than enough credits for an associates degree, as well as enough clinical time for an associates in nursing. You won't know until you ask. Even if you have to do a summer online course to receive a bachelors in biology, see if what you have paid to them already can be transferred to a summer online course to complete a bachelor's degree.

Then take your credits, your degree (and even if it is a bachelors in liberal arts/sciences--take it) (and make sure you get an official transcript of your grades) bring all of this information to another school. If you decide to take it to a state school, you may find they would be willing to give you financial aid and the tuition is lower. In any event, see their admissions counselor. See if you can do one semester of clinicals. See if you can take your degree and make it masters. Even if it is a master's of education, or perhaps a MBA. (So you have the option of teaching or facilities love managers with MBA's).

You need to turn this around for yourself. It will be OK. Some schools are ruthless, what is done is done, and you can only go forward from here. I would shut your brain off now as to how unfair this is, who did what to who and got away with it....I bet the farm and all the animals on it that if you offered to pay for fall of 2015's tuition for a chance to do it all again, they would have GLADLY taken your money for that "chance". Or other mind games...."well, pick out something else, and in another year you can apply again". For another year, and some more money. And I may be bold, but that you are a minority opens you up to scholarship monies that the school knows is a slam dunk--so why not keep you hanging for a couple more years?

Take all your dolls and dishes, present them to your academic advisor, and let them give you options. Because with one semester left or less, there ARE options. If there are not, ask for a complete record of your time at the school, and go elsewhere.

And just a little side note. If there is money in your tuition account, I would take an EMT course if it is offered at your school. That way, you would be able to work to start paying off some of your debt.

Again, I am sorry this has happened to you!

Cruz.Cookie, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2015

It was a state university not an technical school.

pixiestudent2 · Apr 7, 2015

(((Hugs))) â¤ï¸

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Apr 7, 2015

I know you're suffering, and I'm sorry you're feeling that. I know that you are wondering how this all came about, you're actually asking for feedback, so....this is what I'm thinking.

There are things you have said that just don't make any sense to me. You said a friend of yours failed because "a nurse didn't like how she looked". Sorry, but I absolutely have never heard of this happening. What ELSE was going on with your friend, that made the decision to get rid of her an appealing one? Your friend didn't take the blame for getting bumped out, and you aren't seeing any blame either.

You have another friend who "almost failed" because of oversleeping once. Again, I have yet to hear of this causing anyone to fail, or "almost fail", whatever that means, if they are otherwise on top of their game. IF, however, they are barely borderline.....it's the cumulative thing that gets someone outed, not one instance that in and of itself isn't a tragedy.

And then you are saying that the reason you are being removed in your fourth semester is because you "didn't do cna tasks for a nurse". Were you told specifically to do something that you did not....and was this not the first time? Was there an expectation that you would be able, by the fourth semester, to recognize the tasks that needed to be done but were not keeping up? Were you given total care of a patient but could not perform up to standards?

I don't want you to feel attacked, that's NOT my intention, but the one theme I see throughout your post is "why me" and no recognition that you might actually be to blame. Taking ownership of the problem is the ONLY way you are going to succeed in future nursing programs, otherwise, how do you know you won't be repeating the same mistakes that got you removed from the program you've just been in? If you don't learn how to avoid them....you are likely doomed to repeat them.

Just some food for thought. I have no stake in your future, I am not your friend nor relative, I'm just taking what you've written at face value and posted my thoughts on it.

Best of luck to you.

JoseQuinones · Apr 7, 2015

I am so sorry this happened. How awful.

And from one "minority" to another, no. We are all human beings. Cut me and I bleed the same as you. Take a DNA sample from me, you, an Asian, and ten other "minorities" and a geneticist couldn't tell you what color we all are. I am a dark chocolate color of Hispanic origin, with a heavy accent in English. So? If we want to be treated like everyone else, we have to stop sabotaging ourselves by thinking that the bad things that happen to us have a racial animus. Bad things happen and as you said, they happen for a reason. Everyone fails sometimes. Everyone gets chewed out sometimes. Most people fail a class or lose a job sometime. Only the weak let these things defeat them. Get back up!

I refuse to be part of discussions or entertain race as part of ANYTHING on my job, school, or home life. There is one race: the human race. As Morgan Freeman says, "the best way to solve the problem with racism is to stop talking about it."

Cruz.Cookie, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2015

I know you're suffering, and I'm sorry you're feeling that. I know that you are wondering how this all came about, you're actually asking for feedback, so....this is what I'm thinking.
There are things you have said that just don't make any sense to me. You said a friend of yours failed because "a nurse didn't like how she looked". Sorry, but I absolutely have never heard of this happening. What ELSE was going on with your friend, that made the decision to get rid of her an appealing one? Your friend didn't take the blame for getting bumped out, and you aren't seeing any blame either.
You have another friend who "almost failed" because of oversleeping once. Again, I have yet to hear of this causing anyone to fail, or "almost fail", whatever that means, if they are otherwise on top of their game. IF, however, they are barely borderline.....it's the cumulative thing that gets someone outed, not one instance that in and of itself isn't a tragedy.
And then you are saying that the reason you are being removed in your fourth semester is because you "didn't do cna tasks for a nurse". Were you told specifically to do something that you did not....and was this not the first time? Was there an expectation that you would be able, by the fourth semester, to recognize the tasks that needed to be done but were not keeping up? Were you given total care of a patient but could not perform up to standards?
I don't want you to feel attacked, that's NOT my intention, but the one theme I see throughout your post is "why me" and no recognition that you might actually be to blame. Taking ownership of the problem is the ONLY way you are going to succeed in future nursing programs, otherwise, how do you know you won't be repeating the same mistakes that got you removed from the program you've just been in? If you don't learn how to avoid them....you are likely doomed to repeat them.
Just some food for thought. I have no stake in your future, I am not your friend nor relative, I'm just taking what you've written at face value and posted my thoughts on it.
Best of luck to you.

My friend had a look on her face where the nurse felt like she didn't want to be there is what I'm saying. She called my friend incompetent yet never seen her once in clinical. The school took the nurses side because the nurse reported her. The other instance, my friend was never late to a clinical ever. She has good grades and good clinical standing. Yet, She over slept on her alarm on accident and begged the nurse if she can makeup the clinical time ...the nurse said no. However, She had her clinical team and past instructors back her up and she got in...that's what I mean by she "almost failed".

As far as the race., I'm in the minority and ihave faced discrimination before. I do not pull the race card just to pull it. Being in the minority, I don't care what no one says, unfortunately race will always be in the back of your mind. I'm not saying I failed because I'm black. I'm saying that I have seen plenty of other students who have done worse than me yet they get a second chance. How do I know? Because I have heard it through their own mouths.

This post wasn't meant for me not to own up to my own mistakes. Truthfully, I agree with them ...I was not ready for preceptorship. I did need more time...but allow me that don't just kick me

To the curb. After all that i have invested in this program are you serious?? What I'm more angry about is the fact that they have let me pass through five semesters without acknowledging that I need to be set back or some type of action. If you pass me each clinical,I'm going to think that I did well. Last semester, I had clinical anxiety, and there was remediation action taken to set up for me to pass through that clinical anxiety. Although, i passed the remediation, They used the fact that I had to remediate my clinical anxiety as a factor of me not progressing through clinical against me. It's not fair. But life is not fair huh?

It was the clinical anxiety and critical thinking deficit that failed me yet I was never given a second chance to prove myself. 97% done and nothing to show for it. I will look into switching majors and meanwhile try to get into an ADN program. I have to start from scratch and that's what f sucks ..but you know what ...what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Maybe God put me through this program so that when I go into another program I can glide through much easier. I acknowledge my mistakes and I have already taken action towards correcting it. I stated all of this in my appeal letter ...yet still got denied. I have great academic standing but clinical is what did me in.

This is really painful, I feel like I have wasted my time and money. But I won't sulk for long..I'm picking up the pieces and moving on with my life. I will be an RN --this is just a detour.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Apr 7, 2015

What I'm more angry about is the fact that they have let me pass through five semesters without acknowledging that I need to be set back or some type of action.

Last semester, I had clinical anxiety, and there was remediation action taken to set up for me to pass through that clinical anxiety.

It was the clinical anxiety and critical thinking deficit that failed me yet I was never given a second chance to prove myself.

Cookie, I want to help you. In doing so, I want you to take a look at the statements of yours I quoted, and see why they are contradictory. It is CRUCIAL you see what's going on here, with you, before you go into another program.

You're angry, you're frustrated, I totally get that. NO ONE likes to fail, and no one likes to be dismissed from a program when they are near the end, as you were. I get that!

However, it does look like you aren't really 'getting' what was going on. From where I am (admittedly, on the outside, only seeing what you're presenting here), it looks like you were a student who was NOT doing well, and was told as much. You were given remediation chances. You were told you had a critical thinking deficit, and that's something that absolutely can get you removed. It's subjective, SO MUCH of clinical grading is, which is why it doesn't always seem fair.

I remember being a student and railing against the instructors when we (the students) felt they were unfairly judging one or more of our cohorts, removing them from the program after failing clinicals. The argument "but they did great academically" fell on deaf ears---as it should have---because academics are NOT the only requirements of a good nurse. A good nurse needs to think on his/her feet, NEEDS to have good critical thinking skills, CANNOT be crippled by anxiety.

It stinks when you find yourself where you are, no doubt. But I do understand why your appeal failed: doing well academically does not equate to doing well clinically. Without doing well academically, you won't graduate.....and without doing well clinically, you won't either. It's that latter piece that's so very tough to swallow, because it IS so subjective.

You're stinging from the experience, and should take a bit of time to lick your wounds. Then, see what you can take away from this (not just "I have to persevere, G-d might be testing me") but rather see where and how you can improve in CLINICALS in a future program.

I do wish you well.....and hopefully with luck and determination, you will do well :)

Cruz.Cookie, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2015

@RNSRWE I see what you are definitely saying. I understand that I've had problems ..not doing well because of the lack of additional healthcare experience I've had outside of clinical. I'm the type of person that needs frequent exposure and practice with hands on clinical skills more than others. I realized I have to fight twice as hard to get what I want. I know that I have purchased books to aid in my critical thinkin and my job in the cardiac Icu should help me improve as well. Thank you for your advice and help :). It just stings because it was four semesters I just wish I had a second chance is all or was prevented from going further. Thank you again.

Cruz.Cookie, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2015

Does anyone know of alternative options I can look at to progress from this situation ...anyone who has been through this?

mrsboots87 · Apr 7, 2015

You are still pointing fingers and that probably makes this sting more. I can see that you have found your faults. But at the same time are still pointing fingers. The reason others have been given second chances while you havent is not due to the single infraction that finally got them removed in the first place. The appeals process looks at the student as a whole, not just the current semester. The others who were re admitted for what you perceived as similar or worse situations then yours, likely were either doing well or good enough in previous semesters. So based on the ENTIRE program history, were allowed to try again. You admittedly have struggled for a while and were already given remediation. You also admit that you are not as quick with critical thinking and need more time to learn then others. You also mention that you are struggling due to having no healthcare experience outside of clinical, however many students are not CNAs or techs or have any other healthcare related experience and do just fine. All of these things, plus anything you havent told us, are taken into consideration when you appeal. They apparently felt that you arent catching on and have a poor clinical and/or academic history so you were denied. You were not denied solely for this semesters performance. But rather your entire program performance. So comparing your denial to others being granted a second chance is like comparing apples to oranges.

Does this mean you should give up. We can't answer that for you. But if this is what you want, and if your are capable, then you will find another route. Even though is sucks right now. GL

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Apr 7, 2015

I sympathize with you. Many years ago, I was dismissed from an ASN program in the final semester. I had passed all classes except for one. This was my second failure and was dismissed from the program. It was devastating, but I picked myself up and continued working in the healthcare field. A couple years ago, I decided to give nursing school another try. The school I attended no longer had an ASN program, only traditional BSN and ABSN programs. I attended their ABSN program and graduated last August with a high GPA. Having more maturity and more healthcare knowledge made the second attempt far less stressful.