dismissed from my ADN program HELP

[Laura77598]

Hello allnurses,

I'm still in a state of SHOCK right now...

I was just recently told that I should withdraw from the program because I would not pass clinical. I (at the time ) was told that I could reapply to the school and perhaps be readmitted. So I dropped. I have been having CONTINUOUS issues with this program and its instructors, and I had many complaints from hospital staff, but I have tried to address the issues. I have received complaints of unsafe clinical behavior, but it has been something like a one time incident of forgetting to remove my gloves before stepping out of a pt's room. I also was told I am not performing an acceptable physical health assessment when I examine my patient. I took Health Assessment in the fall of 2006, and haven't had any of it since. I reapplied to the program and took the tests and everything and submitted my application to re-enter the program the next year. My plans were to retake health assessment since my instructors have pointed out deficiencies in my physical assessment while in clinical, then I would go back and retake common concepts of adult health (med-surge 1) and be delayed for a year. It sounds like a good plan on paper so far, huh?

Skip ahead another couple of weeks to a week after my reapplication... I got a letter in the mail from the director of our nursing program stating that I would not be readmitted to the program due to "unsafe clinical behavior". Now I don't know what to do... Personally, I don't see my clinical behavior any different than the majority of the students in the program, I seem to get more difficult patients with more critical issues such as morbid obesity, inability to move, and such. I now have to apply to another program. However, one of the problems I face with that is previous program dismissal.

I can apply to another program, and I will more than likely get in, but so many of the other programs around here want you to be able to return to your previous program. What to do...

I really don't want to go to the Nursing Department and rehash all of this again, as the staff there (all 4 of them) are of the opinion that I shouldn't ever BE a NURSE! I am mad, tired, discouraged, and doubtful at this point. FORGET all the accolades I have had previous to this program, but now, the Nursing Department doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with me. They don't even want to entertain the idea of me being back in their program. Our director is a REAL BIGWIG she is the former president of the Texas Nursing Association, and she is like a nursing God or something.

My current plan of action is to apply to another nearby program that is in a separate college nearby. I just feel like I should have had a second chance with this first program. And What about the Clinically unsafe opinions? That frightens me b/c I haven't been any different than any of the other students I have been on the unit with. I sort of feel like I have been hung out to twist in the wind by my instructors. I don't feel supported or taught or encouraged by any of them. I feel that I was judged harshly, and I am HUGELY DISSAPOINTED by my nursing instructors. I feel that I have only been criticized for my errors, and NOT shown a better way of anything. I am undecided about how to handle this dismissal.

Now I am actually close personal friends with the Dean of Students at this school. Should I involve her? Should I complain to the Dean of Students about this dismissal/denial of readmission, or should I just move on and reapply to this next program?

Currently I am just so let down by my level of instruction and I am really disheartened by the whole experience.

Here are my courses and grades so far:

Fall 2004: Lifespan Growth and Dev. 2314- A

Sp 2005: A&P1 - A

Summer 2005: Psych 2301 (intro) - A

Spring 2006: A & P 2 - B

Summer2006: English 1301 - A

Fall 2006: Health Assessment - A

Spring 2007: Microbiology - A

Fall 2007: Dosage Calculation - A

Spring 2008: Medical Spanish - A

Fall 2008: Foundations of Nursing - B

Fall 2008: Clinical for Foundations - B

Spring 2009: Med Surge 1 (Common Concepts of Adult Health) Withdrew - W

Spring 2009: Clinical for Med Surge 1 - Withdrew - W

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,

Laura

[WInurse]

Laura:

Sorry to hear about your situation, but it seems you are passing the buck and blaming others for what are your short falls. Just because you are a great student in the classroom does not translate to great performance in clinicals and as a nurse. Situations like those you discussed will happen and you need to learn to deal with them.Nursing is not for everyone. I think you need to reassess your situation and see if nursing is really for you.

[calledtodo]

I am seriously greatfull to have gotten started with CNA skills not that it leaves me exempt from any possible issues in my nursing student clinical but the CNA taught me what the real nursing floor/clinical is like. It taught me how to work with nurses and patients. I still have alot to learn but I feel good knowing the basics. I am not as fearful of my nursing clinical and I understand when I am corrected, why I am. I understand the importance of getting It. Often times when nursing student walk into a clincal setting, nurses and doctors are worn out from there day and have very little patience for mistakes. I remember when I first started out as a CNA, I made mistakes, nurses and doctors would comment about it, some of the comments I took personal and others I didn't. The comments I took personal, I learned to shake them off real quick because taking things personal hendered my learning experience and purpose for the job.

[CandyGyrl1985]

in my experience, it is the students that have a bad attitude or are generally clueless that get picked on by the nursing instructors. c'mon ladies & gents--we have all had them in our clinical group--they blather on and on during pre and post conference, ask stupid questions that they should know or could easily look up, they want all info handed to them, they dont accept advice readily. some people try to show the instructor how much they know by talking about it instead of just demonstrating it in their practice. i am not saying the op is one of these people but she should ask herself if she is one of these people. if you are a quiet, pleasant person, many mistakes can be overlooked, however, if you get on the instructors nerves in some way because of your personality, they will hone in on you like a vulture. jmo

that is so true! i had an instructor that 75% of the class hated! i loved her! it was the part of the class that hated her that really struggled - and it seemed they misplaced her advice and stern guidance as her being mean. anytime, they were caught doing something wrong - they would whine about what a blankity blank she was. but the reality of it was - they just had no idea what they were doing and the teacher was upset that they weren't learning.

[biblepoet]

I just got done with a difficult instructor. She told me I was not up to 3rd semester a month into the class. I got so mad at her that I was determined to prove to her that I was capable to the material. She noticed my effort and I ended up getting a B from her. I earned it BTW it was like getting an A to me. I learned much. As far as getting hard patients on the clinical floor, I am glad when I do because I would rather have a hard patient and learn stuff like doing a catheter or g-tube or ng-tube with the instructor there than to have my first experience be after graduation. BTW I had all of that 3rd semester. I took her advice and improved myself rather than continue not being a competent nurse. Take what they said and try to improve. Their job is to make us competent nurses not to hold our hands.

[meluhn]

I am seriously greatfull to have gotten started with CNA skills not that it leaves me exempt from any possible issues in my nursing student clinical but the CNA taught me what the real nursing floor/clinical is like. It taught me how to work with nurses and patients. I still have alot to learn but I feel good knowing the basics. I am not as fearful of my nursing clinical and I understand when I am corrected, why I am. I understand the importance of getting It. Often times when nursing student walk into a clincal setting, nurses and doctors are worn out from there day and have very little patience for mistakes. I remember when I first started out as a CNA, I made mistakes, nurses and doctors would comment about it, some of the comments I took personal and others I didn't. The comments I took personal, I learned to shake them off real quick because taking things personal hendered my learning experience and purpose for the job.

I agree that CNA experience is very helpful--I think everyone should work as a cna before NS. We should know what the cnas job is like if we are going to be overseeing them while they do it.

[cmercadorn]

I'm really sorry for what you are going through and I can say I understand. When I first started ADN program I didn't make the GPA cut off I got a 2.9 average not counting the fact that I was working full time at the time. My counselor told me to find another career path that I will never be a nurse. Well as you can imagine I was devistated and very upset. I cried for days. I took a semester off and applied to a different school. Well I now work in the ICU and I'm currently 4 semesters away from graduating from a CNS/NP graduate program. My advice is if nursing is really what you want, don't give up you can do anything your heart and mind is set out to do.