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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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    Good luck. It takes a high degree of emotional intelligence and integrity. To put this out on the public board takes a lot of guts. Take care

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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.

    Really? I can understand that some of the issues, like reusing old papers or working together on assignments, may be new information for students, but do you really think schools should (need to) explain to graduate students (to anyone) that forging clinical hours is not okay??

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    I agree with Juan's comments. You should definitely appeal at the university level in an attempt to remove the dismissal from your record. If not, you surely facing a uphill battle trying to gain admission into any NP program. I had a friend who was dismissed for clinical issues and she hasn't yet gain admission to any NP program so far. Have you considered looking into CNS or Education? Good Luck.

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    • Experts
    I agree with Juan's comments. You should definitely appeal at the university level in an attempt to remove the dismissal from your record. If not, you surely facing a uphill battle trying to gain admission into any NP program. I had a friend who was dismissed for clinical issues and she hasn't yet gain admission to any NP program so far. Have you considered looking into CNS or Education? Good Luck.

    I doubt any nursing graduate program in any specialty will be interested in accepting someone previously dismissed from a program for academic dishonesty (esp. under the OP's circumstances). Why would CNS or education be different?

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    I'm not going to bash the OP. That is a tough way to learn a lesson; I agree your shot at an advanced practice nursing career is probably over, and I am not sure that you could be accepted into any graduate program anywhere under the circumstances. Juan's suggestion is your best bet to try to reboot your future.

    To those who think that in situations such as this the offender deserves another chance, I say, raise your standards. Demand honesty and integrity from all members of your profession and do not ever give cheating and lying a pass due to circumstances. How many times has it been said that ANP education requires too few clinical hours, and some would allow candidates to get away with even less because life is hard?! Balderdash. The OP made a mistake and is going to suffer the natural consequences of that mistake. S/he may be a wonderful person, but in this case, deserves those consequences. Accepting unethical behavior makes you complicit in the crime. Hold yourself and your colleagues to he very highest of professional and ethical standards.

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    I agree with BlueDevilRN. Honesty and integrity are essential in this profession. I feel for the OP but regardless of circumstance, ethics were violated and as such the deserved punishment was the result. There would be no code of ethics if cheating an dishonesty were never a problem to begin with. To those who say appeal the decision or get a lawyer I say reconsider this idea. We are free to make our choices and must live with the consequences whether we like them or not.

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    To those who think that in situations such as this the offender deserves another chance, I say, raise your standards. Demand honesty and integrity from all members of your profession and do not ever give cheating and lying a pass due to circumstances. How many times has it been said that ANP education requires too few clinical hours, and some would allow candidates to get away with even less because life is hard?! Balderdash. The OP made a mistake and is going to suffer the natural consequences of that mistake. S/he may be a wonderful person, but in this case, deserves those consequences. Accepting unethical behavior makes you complicit in the crime. Hold yourself and your colleagues to he very highest of professional and ethical standards.

    Deserves reposting. Second chances for these kind of infractions are not fair to those of us in the profession that strictly abide to the ethics society has entrusted in us.

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    Hi, just wondering what the outcome of your situation was? Have you been able to go somewhere else for NP school?

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    Do you have to report this to board of nursing? 
    will this keep you from ever becoming a FNP?

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    I want to ask about someone who recently got dismissed from school due to violation of honor code during clinicals. 
    will that affect with board of nursing? Does it need to get reported? And will he ever be able to become an NP in future? 
     

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    Shisa2222 said:


    Did you have to report this dismissal to board of nursing? 

     

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    It may be a longshot, but I see nothing for you to lose if you were to reapply to your original FNP program. You state that your dismissal happened a long time ago. Given the passage of time, emotions probably have cooled. It is obvious to all you have suffered substantial economic, reputational, and emotional. On this forum, you sound mature, with good insight; I imagine you can communicate that effectively to your former educational institution. At the same time you apply, reach out to a prior professor that liked/respected you, and solicit their internal support of your reapplication. In your reapplication, include an abject letter of apology and explanation of how much you have grown in the interim. The worst that happens is they say no.  

    substantial economic, reputational, and emotional punishment.

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