as a student nurse, I was assigned to a confuse pt and started pulling, pressing and biting the call light. the family was at the bedside and asked to unplugged the call light bec. she may get electrocuted so I did after I talked to the primary care nurse about the situation and she was find w/ the idea. Also,r instructed family to notify the staff when they leave. then the next issue was, I had a 350 lbs pt w/ R AV shunt and L Mastectomy 5 yrs ago. she has a Left anterior chest wall perma cath and Left IV inserted in the hand. phebotomist was drawing blood on the L arm as well. there was a note posted on the wall " Do not take BP on the R arm". So the staffs had been taking BP on the Left and so I did too since no signs of edema on that arm..then the instructor deemed me unsafe for taking the BP on the L bec. of the risk of lymphedema. the instructor said I should be taking BP on the leg
the pt was on anti-hypertensive meds. with Hx of DVT and Clot and hypertension is leg the best place to get an accurate BP prior to medicating? So........... I was deemed clinically unsafe.... thats my :twocents:story:mad:
Evaluation/comment by the instructor
"This information is based on the Fundamental level of nursing and information that you should know. My concern at this time is that you have forgotten basic nursing knowledge that affects patient safety.
This is information that I am not truly responsible for teaching a 5th term student. Your knowledge base regarding the basics concerns me and I am responsible for the safety of the patients as well as myself.You should ask yourself, How would I feel if a nurse disconnected my husband's call light and left the room?How would you feel if your mother had a mastectomy and the nurse decided that she could take her blood pressure on that arm when she should have known not to?
At this time it is unfortunate but you made these decisions. These decisions were detrimental within the profession of nursing and could cost the patient as well as myself. Your decisions are not based on my approval. I am unable to confidently say that you are able to provide safe and competent care as a Registered Nurse.
This lack of knowledge will require your understanding of the Fundamentals of nursing."
I feel very sorry for you, it sounds that you are very committed to nursing.
Fact is that you repeated this course, you should have been getting A's in both clinical and theory. The issue is that you left a patient without a call light, the patient should have not been left alone ( not a family member). You should have another student get the instructor ASAP. If this was your first strike, a clinical warning should have been done, but the fact is you were repeating a course, that was strike one.
If you contest this review, the instructors have the upper hand- the fact is the you failed the course once before. You are not contesting the fact the patient did not have a call light. Unless this instructor is unstable or has poor reviews, the school has to support the instructor.
The Board of Nursing looks at students who repeat courses very carefully, in my opinion the instructor had no choice. Stats show that unless a student who repeats a course is stellar they often have trouble passing the NCLEX.
Your options in my home state, if you are in a RN program, you would have to drop down to a PN program. Students who go the PN route do very well and come back to RN program do very well
I wish you best of luck, learn from you mistake and move forward.
Since it appears your hands are tied, even after all of this hard work. I would consider talking to the Dean, or whoever is about your Nurse Instructor's head, about reinstatement into the class.
I do realize it's a long shot - and to be successful you would need documentation from the nurse who allowed you to disconnect the call signal.
I don't really see any other options here, even though it's a harsh punishment (usually instructors are overly critical to get nursing students to perform at 100% - not to get them kicked out of class). I hope there's a possibility of you being allowed this route.
If there is not - I would still get any and all documentation possible about this, including letters from fellow students, the nurse instructor, the nurses on duty during that clinical, and anyone else you can think of to help support your case - if these things come into question when applying for a different college.
I wouldn't even put this college down if I were applying to another program.......unless the science and nursing courses are through the same college........some nursing programs have a nursing program seperate from the other classes all together even though they go together...........I have taken classes at other colleges that had nothing to do with nursing and never included them when applying to school........and it was never mentioned ever........
I also have never ever heard of a nursing board looking at students grades etc........ all that matters is you passed.....usually if you are going for higher degrees the school you will be going to wants to see your credentials........and most people probably could pass the nclex by luck as it is multiple choice questions....so if someone were correctly guessing, they could easily pass........ I have seen several "book smart" students in nursing school but just were terrible at basic things such as making a bed, positioning a pt etc.......don't ever think a grade makes a nurse good.......just like the old LPN vs. RN garbage.......I know several LPNs that could run circles around any RN with any level of a degree from BSN to PhD......
I actually can tell you one person I know personally of .....my daughters pediatrician whose wife is a NP........she went to a very well known nursing program at a hospital near where I am oriiginally from.....the instructors were absolutely terrible....and one who was known for degrading and demeaning students actually told this woman she is terrible and should not even think of being a nurse because she "doesn't have what it takes"......well she is a phenomenal nurse...and NP to boot and is in practice with her husband in his office .....and people rave about her ......so do not ever let someone crush your dreams.........it may take you longer to do it but do not give up.......and if you have to begin from scratch all over again so be it.......... if you don't you will one day regret it and ask why you didn't............just be determined and remember now you have an advantage over some as you know some of what you need to do vs. someone coming in brand new knowing nothing............ everything will work out in the end......good luck!
I wouldn't even put this college down if I were applying to another program.......unless the science and nursing courses are through the same college........some nursing programs have a nursing program seperate from the other classes all together even though they go together...........I have taken classes at other colleges that had nothing to do with nursing and never included them when applying to school........and it was never mentioned ever........
Unfortunately, most places are pretty rigid when it comes to supplying transcripts from previous schools. If a prospective student doesn't have the correct transcripts, a school can either deny admission or kick one the student out of the program for not supplying all the information from previous schools. Some schools aren't terribly interested in non-nursing classes but they do want to know if a student has had academic trouble, including academic suspension or being dropped from another nursing program. I know quite a few students who have sweated out applying to nursing school because of poor academic records from many years earlier.
I wouldn't even put this college down if I were applying to another program.......unless the science and nursing courses are through the same college........some nursing programs have a nursing program seperate from the other classes all together even though they go together...........I have taken classes at other colleges that had nothing to do with nursing and never included them when applying to school........and it was never mentioned ever........
most people probably could pass the nclex by luck as it is multiple choice questions....so if someone were correctly guessing, they could easily pass........
I don't think it's smart to recommend academic dishonesty, which is what omitting these transcripts would equate to. In addition, it's rather ridiculous to think NCLEX can be passed by "luck" - multiplying 0.25 to the power of 75 would give you a rather slim chance of guessing the correct answer that many times. Don't forget when you get one wrong you get another on the same topic etc.. it's not a simple multiple choice exam.
I don't think it's smart to recommend academic dishonesty, which is what omitting these transcripts would equate to. In addition, it's rather ridiculous to think NCLEX can be passed by "luck" - multiplying 0.25 to the power of 75 would give you a rather slim chance of guessing the correct answer that many times. Don't forget when you get one wrong you get another on the same topic etc.. it's not a simple multiple choice exam.
So, when I took my nclex I must of been hallucinating then and I know for a fact some of the students I graduated with never had one math question on their nclex......You could absolutely pass nclex "by luck" if you have common sense .....I also did not "recommend" academic dishonesty......... give me a break! I had math questions that were basic dosage calculations...actually I think I had 3 on my entire nclex test......so know what you're talking about.
fact is that you repeated this course, you should have been getting a's in both clinical and theory. the issue is that you left a patient without a call light, the patient should have not been left alone ( not a family member). you should have another student get the instructor asap. if this was your first strike, a clinical warning should have been done, but the fact is you were repeating a course, that was strike one.
if you contest this review, the instructors have the upper hand- the fact is the you failed the course once before. you are not contesting the fact the patient did not have a call light. unless this instructor is unstable or has poor reviews, the school has to support the instructor.
the board of nursing looks at students who repeat courses very carefully, in my opinion the instructor had no choice. stats show that unless a student who repeats a course is stellar they often have trouble passing the nclex.
i don't know where you have gotten your information about the bon, but getting your att (authorization to test) has nothing to do with one's grades! one has to complete the required courses with a passing grade and pass the background check. as far as statistics for who passes the nclex and who doesn't, there are probably more "statistical studies" on pass rates for the nursing boards, than there are people taking the actual test. i did great in school and passed boards with the minimum amount of questions, and when i got to the floor, i realized how much i did not know about nursing! the op asked the primary nurse what to do. she is the one who should have known better!!
I also did not "recommend" academic dishonesty......... give me a break!
There are a lot of people who would not think that omitting a transcript would be academic dishonesty, but what matters is how the school might view such an omission. Depending on how long ago the courses were taken or how relevant they were to nursing, an admissions committee might view an omission as simply the result of ignorance or sheer forgetfulness---or it might view an omission as dishonesty and bar the applicant from admission to the program---or drop the student after he/she has started.
I speak from experience here. I had an application to an academic program that was held up for months, partly because the admissions office told me not to worry about getting a transcript from a school at which I took one course about thirty years ago. When it came time for my application to be reviewed, I was told that I needed that transcript immediately or I would not be considered for admission. Wasn't trying to hide anything as I got an "A" because it appeared as a transfer credit on another transcript---but I was told that I could not be considered for admission until I could supply an official transcript from the original school. Enjoyable experience---not. I had gotten married, changed my name, taken the course through an extension program and did not have a current student account number, so I wasn't sure if the school could even find my information after so many years. Oh, and I had to pay, not only for the transcript, but for Fed Ex overnight---because someone gave me wrong information and I was naive enough not to question it---and the whole matter should have been settled months earlier, as soon as I had sent in my application---but I ended up with a tremendous hassle that I did not need---and a waste of valuable time and effort.
So, when I took my nclex I must of been hallucinating then and I know for a fact some of the students I graduated with never had one math question on their nclex......You could absolutely pass nclex "by luck" if you have common sense .....I also did not "recommend" academic dishonesty......... give me a break! I had math questions that were basic dosage calculations...actually I think I had 3 on my entire nclex test......so know what you're talking about.
Yes, you did recommend academic dishonesty. An omission = a lie when you are leaving it out to give a false impression of yourself.
And I don't know what you're rambling about, because I didn't make any reference to mathematics questions on NCLEX. I was commenting on the statistical likelihood of guessing at least 75 questions correctly, a point which you apparently missed.
i don't know where you have gotten your information about the bon, but getting your att (authorization to test) has nothing to do with one's grades! one has to complete the required courses with a passing grade and pass the background check. as far as statistics for who passes the nclex and who doesn't, there are probably more "statistical studies" on pass rates for the nursing boards, than there are people taking the actual test. i did great in school and passed boards with the minimum amount of questions, and when i got to the floor, i realized how much i did not know about nursing! the op asked the primary nurse what to do. she is the one who should have known better!!
you are absolutely correct about the att.
i know my information( about student retaking policies from my state's bon and the fact they audit schools to see if they comply. they do not review each candidate's at time of att but the state and nln wil review student files.
the primary nurse did not give the student the right answer, but the primary nurse is not in school. the instructor held the student accountable to the nursing standards that the student was taught in school. the student was held accountable
i agree that passing the nclex can be no reflection of a nurses's ability , the nclex test is being revised.
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Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN
3,181 Posts
I feel very sorry for you, it sounds that you are very committed to nursing.
Fact is that you repeated this course, you should have been getting A's in both clinical and theory. The issue is that you left a patient without a call light, the patient should have not been left alone ( not a family member). You should have another student get the instructor ASAP. If this was your first strike, a clinical warning should have been done, but the fact is you were repeating a course, that was strike one.
If you contest this review, the instructors have the upper hand- the fact is the you failed the course once before. You are not contesting the fact the patient did not have a call light. Unless this instructor is unstable or has poor reviews, the school has to support the instructor.
The Board of Nursing looks at students who repeat courses very carefully, in my opinion the instructor had no choice. Stats show that unless a student who repeats a course is stellar they often have trouble passing the NCLEX.
Your options in my home state, if you are in a RN program, you would have to drop down to a PN program. Students who go the PN route do very well and come back to RN program do very well
I wish you best of luck, learn from you mistake and move forward.