I started my BSN nursing program in Aug. 2007 (fall semester) right after my father died in June things were going well. Nevertheless, the day before the spring classes started I was told by the dean (through email) not to come to my nursing classes and to change my schedule. I immediately, left home went to her office. I told her I did not want a change my schedule due to my age (38) and scholarships (time limits). She told me I would have to speak to the president of the Health Dept. I did and she told me to go to my nursing classes.
I later began to notice that the professors that had admired me the semester before were acting short & rude with me. Students began to notice and started to stay away from me. She later substituted for one professor and walked up to me while I was taking notes during a film and proceeded to scold me in front of the class. I went to her after class and tried to explain to her that I was just taking notes; which I offered to show to her. She rudely, said she was not interested. Yet, she still did not let up. Her secretary began to bother me making rude remarks whenever & wherever she saw me. One day she cornered me off in the hallway and told me if I had a problem come see her, she'll solve it, in a very cynical way. I got so tired I soon reported the secretary to human resources. During this same semester another professor (her best friend) gave me a B on a written assignment, later changed the grade to a C-. So, I went to her to talk about it she told me her colleagues said that she could do that is the class avg. was better than she thought it was going to be when she graded my paper.
With all this being said, I was already coming to class in below 0 weather in a car with no heat, my husband had just had a stroke, I was sleeping in the hospital every night while taking 17 credits, not to mention again my father had died a few months earlier. Nevertheless, I ended the semester with A's and B's. Lastly, summer came and because students knew I had problems with the faculty it opened doors to chaos with them. So, I withdrew from my classes that fall with 95 Cr. and only needed 120 Cr. She wrote me a couple of days later to tell me I was out of the nursing program. Believe me, to this day I have been trying to figure out why! What could I have done to her to make her go after me with a vengence.
I have now found other colleges and I do not get credit for none of my nursing credits. I am now accepted at Oral Roberts University and Bethune Cookman College but, I am scared. Now, I need to do 3 yrs at either college. And I owe 40 thousand dollars already. And these colleges are expensive. Do anyone have any advice. This is the first time I ever put this on paper and I feel the pain as I type. If anybody know anything about these colleges please advise. What should I do. Help, I feel disgraced!
One thing I can assure you as a 43 year old nursing student is those three professors will not confront you about anything even when pressed. Nobody likes controversy and will run, not walk away from it, whether or not you are right or wrong.
Every day at the end of class there was a group of students that would approach the instructors and have some sort of personal dihlema that they had going at any given moment. I would bet my first born that word begins to spread around the faculty halls about which students are a "challenging" and which students quietly and deliberately go about thier work and strive to improve thier skills and knowledge.
The fact that there was even a need to approach instructors for a conflict based issue is a sign that there is a breakdown somewhere. Very few people will challeng a dean and risk employment for a student that will be gone in 12 months or so.
One piece of advice for the future would be to make sure no matter what, that there is no drama between you and any authority figure. You may not be the cause of it, but you do have the power to be the end of it. End of story. Nobody has time for drama. There are too many students struggling with the material and waiting to take your seat. The best attitude to have is being grateful that you have the seat and never forget that. That has been my attitude and it has gifted me with positive relationships with all my instructors.
It is encouraging that you have been accepted at Oral Roberts! Don't give up but rather than fight you might want to let it go and start over. I see students around me in their 50's. Don't give up!!
Again I'm not judging, just trying to give you a perspective that others might not be here. I am very sorry for your loss and the difficulty you are having. Take away all the best lessons from your experience and you'll be all the better for it!
Specializes in Case Mgmt, Anesthesia, ICU, ER, Dialysis.
Can I take a dissenting point of view?
I completely get what Steve's trying to say here, but I also know when wrong is wrong and should not be tolerated.
You're documenting it right here. Just start writing. Clean it up later for spelling, etc, but just start writing.
You do not want to go to the NY Dept of Education alone. You will/would need an attorney. Additionally, is this an accredited nursing program? Nothing makes a program quake in their boots like an attorney calling the accrediting authorities.
As for not being able to get an attorney to take your case...well, no, not if they're local. Go talk to someone in the next county or two. There are usually too many personal politics at play (golf buddies, goes to church with someone's sister/brother/neighbor, etc etc etc) for you to get a fair shake. You need someone who doesn't have a dog in the fight, and can objectively and aggressively represent you.
If I sound like a litigious nutcase, I don't mean to...but organizations like this do not get the message until they are slapped hard with monetary damages. I get it that it's not about the money...but you *are* 40K in debt, and not an RN, thanks to their BS. You may not get a dime, but I guarantee a suit alleging mental anguish and suffering, along with discriminatory academic practices, seeking damages in the significant range will get someone's attention at a higher level, and earn this program the scrutiny it obviously needs.
I won't say much about my own situation, other than I was forced to this end by the State Board of Nursing - took 'em on and won, big. There was no monetary award, but I did get a judgement strongly in my favor.
Before you do anything of this nature, however, make sure your attorney helps you ensure that you're already in another nursing program, and anything you do here will have no bearing on your treatment in their program.
They can know about it...hell, they will probably steer a wide berth around you for knowing you are not a pushover and not afraid to stand up for yourself. Get in there, kill them with kindness, take Steve's advice and AVOID DRAMA LIKE THE PLAGUE, and knock 'em dead!
Dreamist, I have read your post. I am just wondering if you are back to college again. I hope you are doing a lot better and feeling much stronger than before. I got accepted at ORU and planning to move to OK. I am pretty sure you are still attending the program.. See you then
Diver Dude
37 Posts
One thing I can assure you as a 43 year old nursing student is those three professors will not confront you about anything even when pressed. Nobody likes controversy and will run, not walk away from it, whether or not you are right or wrong.
Every day at the end of class there was a group of students that would approach the instructors and have some sort of personal dihlema that they had going at any given moment. I would bet my first born that word begins to spread around the faculty halls about which students are a "challenging" and which students quietly and deliberately go about thier work and strive to improve thier skills and knowledge.
The fact that there was even a need to approach instructors for a conflict based issue is a sign that there is a breakdown somewhere. Very few people will challeng a dean and risk employment for a student that will be gone in 12 months or so.
One piece of advice for the future would be to make sure no matter what, that there is no drama between you and any authority figure. You may not be the cause of it, but you do have the power to be the end of it. End of story. Nobody has time for drama. There are too many students struggling with the material and waiting to take your seat. The best attitude to have is being grateful that you have the seat and never forget that. That has been my attitude and it has gifted me with positive relationships with all my instructors.
It is encouraging that you have been accepted at Oral Roberts! Don't give up but rather than fight you might want to let it go and start over. I see students around me in their 50's. Don't give up!!
Again I'm not judging, just trying to give you a perspective that others might not be here. I am very sorry for your loss and the difficulty you are having. Take away all the best lessons from your experience and you'll be all the better for it!
Best
Steve