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Discussion

Dismissed from FNP program

Hi everyone,

I was dismissed from my FNP program on account of "academic misconduct" a few days before graduating. Long story short, I had a lot going on in my personal life that distracted my attention from my final clinical, and I did not get all the hours in that I needed to. Instead of asking for an extension and admitting defeat (at least that's how I saw it at the time), I forged some of the hours. I was so close to being done that I just wanted it to be over and wasn't thinking straight.

I met with my instructor and tried to explain the situation, but at that point it was too late. I appealed my instructor's decision, asking if I could retake that course, but was denied.

I was of course devastated. I seriously questioned whether or not I should pursue an FNP elsewhere. I worked so hard and came so close it seemed silly to throw it all away. I was a good student, I got good grades, I enjoyed my clinicals and working with patients. It took me a while to work up the courage but I eventually applied to another FNP program. I was denied on account of being dismissed from another program.

So my question is, have any of you gone through something similar? Any advice on applying to other programs? Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks!

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    Ouch. That is a tough problem to fix. Good luck.

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    I won't waste time beating up on you because you are doing that yourself. I also won't get self righteous and preachy. I am sorry that this happened to you. If you cannot appeal it up the ladder have you thought of simply starting over from scratch at a new school ? You would have to complete another program but you should coast through considering your past success. As long as there are no rules against it I would do exactly that. Sometimes a fresh start is the only answer. Thank you for being honest and not whining. Hang in there.

    I'm not sure about the possibility of starting fresh at another school. Part of applying to any program requires divulging all credits taken from all schools attended (nursing or otherwise) regardless of whether a degree is conferred or not. By withholding the truth about this chapter in your education when you apply at a new institution, would you again be held liable for academic dishonesty if they find out about it later?

    That maybe is why I was proposing having the school continue to deny you the degree yet erase the record so that you can move on somewhere else. But I really think it is far fecthed. This is the epitome of academic suicide, I'm afraid.

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    Ugh that sucks. When all else fails call a lawyer. This is America after all.

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    Ugh that sucks. When all else fails call a lawyer. This is America after all.

    What is the lawyer going to argue?

    It is a case of admitted academic dishonesty and had the OP graduated and applied for certification and licensure it would be fraud.

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    What is the lawyer going to argue? It is a case of admitted academic dishonesty and had the OP graduated and applied for certification and licensure it would be fraud.

    This! If you had enough gumption to forge clinical hours, this speaks to your ethics or lack thereof. Would you trust an FNP that forged insurance docs to get paid? Same thing.

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    It's odd that had the OP emptied out the narcotics drawer and took them she would be given a second chance and help. I am not excusing the behavior but pointing out that we can be so hard nosed about one thing and completely lax about things far more dangerous. Let the lawyer tell you they can't help you. A consult may be free.

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    I know that what the OP did is inexcusable but I think everyone deserves a second change to redeem themselves if they are trully sorry for what they did. Maybe not at her institution but somewhere else perhaps?

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    Character is doing the right thing when nobody is looking. This phrase runs through my head when I find myself in ethical situations.

    ^^^This.

    We all fall short at some point or another, but we must retain integrity. Integrity is especially tried when life's poo hits the fan. The OP, even though under personal stress, had another choice and he/she chose poorly. My heart hurts for him/her.

    If only congress was held to as high of standards....

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    I thank you all for your comments. I wanted to post something to all since I'm unable to respond to the private messages I received given that I'm a fairly new member.

    I figured I would get berated and that's fine. I feel like I needed a reality check. I'm still coming to terms with everything that happened, and of course the natural reaction is one of desperation and anger. I made myself the victim. The negative posts here helped me balance my feelings out and realize that most people would feel the way some of you have expressed; this helped me come to terms with the severity of what I've done. That was the main reason I posted what I did. Otherwise, I could have kept it to myself and ignored it. I used this as an opportunity for healing and gaining closure. Might sound silly, but it makes sense to me :)

    It's actually been quite some time since I was dismissed. I've pretty much decided at this point that completing an FNP isn't an option. I just wanted to hear what others had to say. So to all of you that responded, both positively and negatively, I thank you.

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    Thanks for sharing. Good luck in your future endeavors.

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    So what's your plan now?

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    Online schools have pretty strict rules about academic misconduct. This includes rules about fudging hours, documentation, and plagiarism. The problem is these policies are in small print in the college handbook, and who reads the whole handbook? Not only that the policies are usually very broad and vague, and leave a lot of room for misinterpretation.

    I wish online schools would make it mandatory to complete an online module and take a test to make sure all students understand the academic integrity policies. When I was in an online program, we had issues with plagiarism with a couple students and I myself received a verbal warning about helping another student. Even proofreading someone else's work and making suggestions can get you disciplined or kicked out of a program. Never provide anyone an old assignment to provide them with an example of how to do it correctly. Never work on an assignment with another student. NEVER fudge any documentation ever! Know also that the academic integrity policies are up to the interpretation of the instructor, and it is the individual instructor who will decide if you have done something wrong, not the college!

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