Didn't Pass Human Physiology and not I am not sure what to do now!

MiladyMalarkey, ASN, BSN · Dec 27, 2015

You failed a single class, this is no reason to give up your aspirations. Don't listen to anyone else, if it's what you want to do, dust yourself off & try again. A&P is a tough class & a reality check for those of us who never really had to study hard before. Take it from me, I did not pass it the first time because frankly I was used to just flying through my courses without much effort. I took it again & passed with flying colors. What they say about the hours you need to put in is true, take it seriously. Wait till nursing school starts, we'll probably think A&P is easy after we get in there. Keep your head up & do it, if it's truly what you want you'll get through this, if it isn't what you want you'll find an excuse.

joanesp · Dec 27, 2015

Keep your head up & dust yourself off. Physiology can be a challenging class and it sounds like your interest is up there so don't give up! Rethink a few things:

1. Did you allocate enough time for Physio? Some schools don't allow concurrent registrations/enrollments with heavy classes because they know that its a core class and getting good marks can ensure competitiveness in a program.

2. Were you working? If this is a class that is competing with your bills being paid, it would mean tightening belts if at all possible. Its a practice of delayed gratification that most RN students, if not all, are all too familiar with.

3. Study groups and study habits. Did you align yourself with your "herd"? Some students are great studying with others and some are great on their own. Figure out your studying style, and keep at it! Its applicable with all other classes in the future.

4. Resources: did you utilize your school's tutoring center? Or your professor's office hours? This could be a goldmine and sadly, some students don't use them enough.

5. Is there anything you experience that made you not pass? My girlfriend found out she was terrible at test taking due to anxiety. Another found out she had adult on-set ADHD. Whatever it maybe, it took honesty and self-reflection on their part, and got help to get to their goals. The one with test anxiety practiced taking tests daily and with perseverance, she is actually in a BSN program now :)

Good luck with everything and hope you find your process. Breathe. Wishing you all the best!

OcMurse93 · Dec 27, 2015

Something you're going to have to learn about plans is that they're just that, plans. They dont always work out. Very few people actually finish in 4 years because of crowded classes and just life happening. Its actually good that you failed the class. In my school, if you get a C- then that's perminant. However, if you fail you can improve your grade.

Things happen, just try to not stress too much about it.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Dec 27, 2015

Perhaps you should reconsider. Failing a core science more than once (the chemistry statement) and then another core science may be an indicator that nursing is not for you.

Honey Clover · Dec 27, 2015

I don't think you should give up right away. Assess why you failed the class and try again. We all fail sometimes but if we give up after that one failure, we wouldn't be where we are right now in life. Heck, humans would have been stuck back in the stone age if that was the case. The only downside is that you'll have to wait longer if you aren't accepted into the class again and it'll take longer to get your nursing degree. If you aren't worried about time, then just take the class over again and find a better way to study IF you really do indeed want to hold onto your goals of being a NP. Nursing school will be much tougher than this. At my friends pinning ceremony, my SON director said that the number one factor in determining who succeeds and pass nursing school to become a nurse are those with the most grit--that no matter how much they fail and cry and stress, they always pick themselves back up and try even harder to realize their goals. If you give up now, obviously then you aren't meant to be in this field.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grit_(personality_trait)

adairfletch · Dec 27, 2015

I agree that it's way too soon for you to give up on any life trajectory - it's just one class - but I also think that if you're a sophomore in college, it's way too soon for you to be committing yourself to just one life trajectory already.

I'm 30 years-old, with 3 degrees behind me, and I'm just getting into nursing now. I've changed paths many times, because life does just happen, and all the plans I had charted out turned out to be the wrong ones for me.

If nursing is truly right for you, it'll happen - retake the course however you can (have you considered taking it at a local community college and transferring the credit?), and do your best in your first degree. Focus on getting your BA with high grades, because that will open more doors than anything else, and don't focus solely on becoming a nurse practitioner. If you stick with nursing, worry about becoming an RN first and foremost, and then see where your studies and career take you.

Also, perhaps you could take this winter break to think hard about what made you decide to become an NP in the first place. Speaking from experience, when I was in law school in England (and I really thought I wanted to be a lawyer), I found it difficult to involve myself in my studies, because I didn't enjoy the law. But I've absolutely loved my nursing pre-reqs, and they've been easier because of it. Figure out why you didn't do well in Physiology this past semester (for instance, was it due to outside circumstances, not knowing your learning style, or because you didn't enjoy the subject?), and go from there.

And also explore some other subjects, for your own erudition, if nothing else. University should be a time of academic discovery and learning how to think critically, not a time of pigeon-holing yourself into one career only.

All that being said, I wish you the best of luck!! :)

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Dec 28, 2015

Why did you fail is m question? Did you not devote the time, dos you party too much, did you not grasp the concepts? You need to evaluate why you failed.

Many people on here can be your rah-rah cheerleaders and say never give up, but you failed a very important class and getting into nursing school is competitive. Very. A&P is the foundation of nursing. If you don't get how the body works normally, you won't get how it is when it doesn't work properly.

Evaluate why you failed and meet with your advisor to see what your options are.

BeachsideRN, ASN · Dec 28, 2015

I would take a back and reevaluate your study methods. If it were just the one class, one time I'd tell you to take it again and not beat yourself up. However in the end of the OP s/he states that she failed chemistry MULTIPLE times. This needs to be a point to step back. Is it the material? Is it the study patterns? Core sciences are very important and I'd be cautious investing time and money into something that is not likely to pan out. Other than failing physiology and chemistry how is the OPs GPA? Are you scraping by in all class or just struggling with core sciences? Sit down and talk with an advisor in the nursing program.

Honey Clover · Dec 28, 2015

Let's not immediately assume that OP is incapable based on a few words of needing to repeat some classes. I know a few people that had to repeat classes. They would become excellent nurses imo because they are very caring and outspoken on what is right and wrong. These people also work ten times harder to make up for their weak points; a trait that not a lot of people have... But just because they fail a few classes does not mean they can't realize their goals. Most of the time, it's just they have a hard time choosing what to study and end up studying the wrong material. There may be other potential reasons too. I don't know OP's real reasons why he/she failed but I think it's not right to immediately assume of this situation.

AlisonReed · Dec 28, 2015

Don't be too discouraged. A&P surprises most students. When I started A&P I was shocked by the amount and type of information thrown at me. I worked really hard and completely changed my study habits with enough force to get an A. It is not impossible to go from complete panic to getting a great grade.

Unfortunately, you need to consider what it will take to get in now that you've not done well in a class. I hope your school will replace your old grade with your new one if you are on a point system but your GPA will still be lowered. A&P is the most important and basic class before nursing school. Talk to your adviser right away because they will know way more about your situation that anyone here will. I wish you the best of luck!

AlwaysLearning247, BSN · Dec 28, 2015

Dust yourself off and try again, don't give up on your dreams! I almost failed anatomy the first time I took it and I am now a nurse. I almost let that determine my fate in nursing school. Good luck!