Do you know of anyone who has been thrown of of nursing school/program? And why?

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Did you believe it to be fair or justified? I'm just wondering how often it really happens and what the reason would be..... :uhoh3:

Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
Did you believe it to be fair or justified? I'm just wondering how often it really happens and what the reason would be..... :uhoh3:

A couple of examples from my class:

A couple in my class dropped out due to non-passing test scores. One was dropped because she failed a dosage calculation test 3 times. She was an LPN doing one year with us (ADN) and it was in our last semester. Ouch.

One kept freaking out in lab and clinical and was finally dropped.

It's rare and they do let you know the requirements up front.

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We started with 28 and are now 15 of the originals.

Lost one before classes even started due to the fact her husband had a job transfer and she had to move out of state suddenly or he would lose the job.

Lost another due to pass a class the first semester. (If you don't get a 70 your out...no second chances, no going on til you've passed the problem class). She decided on a career change.

Lost a few more due to not passing clinical portion of our classes. Some didn't get that the paperwork, although daunting at times is important and that you needed a passing grade on that ALONE before it would be added to your overall clinical grade. Anyone who said the paperwork "was only such and such percent of our grade" and didn't put forth the effort to do it and get it in on time is no longer in our program.

We too have had two different med calculation tests...we got 3 tries or we would be dropped. Passing was 90% I think. I struggled w/ the first one..took all 3 tries...I think I just psyched myself out about it being 'hard' but it wasn't really even though I really made it that way. the second I passed on the 1st try. :)

One girl couldn't pass the lab portion of the clinical competencies. I heard she was trying to sue for discrimination or something. She was a rerun from the previous year who didn't pass a class but she was older I believe and from check 0ffs (she was my partner some of the time) she had a signifigant hearing loss (my guess, not fact). Because she couldn't get a manual b/p, apical hbeat or anything else that involved hearing acuity. It was too bad. We rooted for her. But then again... I'd love to be a firefighter but know I can't carry 80 lbs of equipment so does that mean I should sue because I physically can't meet the requirements to do the job? nope.

we just took the Hesi Exit. Alittle less than half didn't pass it. those who didn't will still graduate but are ineligible to take the NCLEX until they do.

so in reality I guess we have about 8-10 actual students left eligible to take NCLEX.

We have two girls who are pregnant. Both had to provide a letter from their care provider that they were okay to finish the program from their Dr.

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prettymica, how did your class become so small?? Were they not able to Pass the course?

Virgo, student nurse- what is academic UNHONESTY??? You mean dishonesty? Like cheated on tests?

I have only had a few students in my program that were unable to pass the course with the appropriate grade percent.. It was sad, but they were able to re-take it if they could get in.

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I couldn't imagine being kicked out of school for being pregnant. That's inappropriate. By all means, ask for a physician to give to the go-ahead for clinicals, but to terminate someone from a program?! That's ridiculous. I would be talking to a lawyer. I see plenty of pregnant nurses at the hospitals we've been at for clinicals.

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Yes she was pregnant.

I couldn't imagine being kicked out of school for being pregnant. That's inappropriate. By all means, ask for a physician to give to the go-ahead for clinicals, but to terminate someone from a program?! That's ridiculous. I would be talking to a lawyer. I see plenty of pregnant nurses at the hospitals we've been at for clinicals.

I can't imagine that, either. I'm guessing that the situation would be that a pregnant student had accumulated too many clinical absences (to be allowed to continue in the program, same as anyone else), or had to withdraw for health reasons, but not that someone just got kicked out for being pregnant.

Unless kelly is referring to many years ago, when nursing students did routinely get kicked out of school for being pregnant (or, for that matter, getting married).

All I've ever seen over the years is students getting dropped from a program because they've failed too many classes (however many "too many" may be in a particular program; often, just one is enough). These were all cases where the students had been counseled and offered assistance prior to flunking, and failed to take advantage of the assistance offered them Even in the situations I've seen of academic dishonesty, the students didn't automatically get kicked out because they cheated (although I, personally, consider that the appropriate consequence); they just got a 0 on the assignment(s) or test(s) they cheated on and then failed the course because the 0 blew their average for the class.

I see references all the time on this site to all the nursing schools "out there" that just arbitrarily kick people out of programs for no good reason, just to weed people out, just because the instructors are on some kind of "power trip," etc., etc., but, in the few different programs in which I've taught over the years (or the schools I've attended), I've never personally seen anything like that happen -- if anything, the schools bend over backwards (too far in some cases, IMO) to help every student succeed and to avoid having to kick anyone out.

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in my LPN class 4 yrs ago a gal was dropped cause she didnt pass her med pass part after 3 attempts...she was so mad the teachers thought she would come back with a gun....they were really worried...a few were dropped because of grades...

THE COMMUTER.......we had a doasge test that we had 3 attempts....it was like 7-10 dosage questions....and i passed on my 2nd attempt....did you have that in LPN school as well as RN....how do they differ?

I am so bad at math and calculations...this was one of the biggest reasons for me not going for nursing....i just cant "see" the correct math to use like others...it is a mental block or something...whenever i read post about math and how hard it is my stomach gets all in knots and i ask myself can i really do this??...liek right now...i feel my HR elevate and have to go to the bathroom.....that is how nervous i get....:eek:

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

We had one that was charged with a violent crime and she wasn't allowed to come back to clinical (she could attend class) until it was resolved.

She was ultimately convicted, dropped out of the program and will probably never be a nurse...b/c she had previously had a felony expunged...and the judge agreed to the expungement so she could attend nursing school.

No loss to the nursing profession...that's for sure.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
in my LPN class 4 yrs ago a gal was dropped cause she didnt pass her med pass part after 3 attempts...she was so mad the teachers thought she would come back with a gun....they were really worried...a few were dropped because of grades...

THE COMMUTER.......we had a doasge test that we had 3 attempts....it was like 7-10 dosage questions....and i passed on my 2nd attempt....did you have that in LPN school as well as RN....how do they differ?

I am so bad at math and calculations...this was one of the biggest reasons for me not going for nursing....i just cant "see" the correct math to use like others...it is a mental block or something...whenever i read post about math and how hard it is my stomach gets all in knots and i ask myself can i really do this??...liek right now...i feel my HR elevate and have to go to the bathroom.....that is how nervous i get....:eek:

It is a lack of practice.

Seriously....this is probably the #1 mistake that people make in math...they rush through their homework, don't do enough of it, etc.

I am not a strong math student, however, I have never seen math that I cannot eventually master if I practice at a particular problem enough times.

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I see references all the time on this site to all the nursing schools "out there" that just arbitrarily kick people out of programs for no good reason, just to weed people out, just because the instructors are on some kind of "power trip," etc., etc., but, in the few different programs in which I've taught over the years (or the schools I've attended), I've never personally seen anything like that happen -- if anything, the schools bend over backwards (too far in some cases, IMO) to help every student succeed and to avoid having to kick anyone out.

I too have seen that on this site and it's always seemed weird to me. I go to a publicly-funded community college and I can imagine that it would not bode well for them if they started arbitrarily kicking students out for being "socially inept," as one poster mentioned. Maybe these schools being referenced are private schools, I don't know.

I had an incident last semester during a clinical that I'm sure would have gotten me kicked out or close to it at some other schools. I had a strep throat infection that I wasn't aware of (I just assumed I had a cold/"sore throat") and hadn't been treating. At that time I was also taking Xanax for an anxiety disorder. I had also been staying up late studying and not sleeping well, etc... Anyway, due to some combination of being medicated, sick, and under-rested I fainted on the floor of the hospital we were on. Luckily no one was hurt. I was absolutely convinced that my career as a nursing student was over and was absolutely inconsolable. It was probably one of the lowest points of my life.

Luckily, the department heads were very understanding and considerate. When I passed out I was taken to the ER of the hospital and given a drug/tox screen and there was nothing in my system besides the alprazolam that I was prescribed, so any suspicions of drug diversion were ruled out. The nursing department let me withdraw from the clinical and complete it during the summer semester. I just finished up with the clinical about a month ago and I passed with an 'A.'

They also requested that I be looked at by a psychiatrist and my PCP to rule out any medical or psychological problems that may have caused me to pass out. I have since found a new medication to treat my anxiety that doesn't have the same side effect profile as Xanax does and it has worked out a lot better - it just wasn't the right drug for me. I was too sensitive to the sedative effects. And obviously I got my strep throat infx cleared up.

Anyway... My point is, in retrospect I think that this was a very sane and reasonable way to deal with what happened to me. I'm a great nursing student and I think that the department must have known that. They seemed legitimately concerned about my well-being and worked with me rather than just kicking me to the curb. Obviously when glaring patient safety errors are committed by students they need to be dealt with appropriately, but from what I've read on this board it sounds like program directors and being a little too trigger-happy when it comes to dismissing students.

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I too have seen that on this site and it's always seemed weird to me. I go to a publicly-funded community college and I can imagine that it would not bode well for them if they started arbitrarily kicking students out for being "socially inept," as one poster mentioned. Maybe these schools being referenced are private school.

Hi, I have friends in a community college program and they told me of many students who have been kicked out for "socially inept" behavior. The women were not comfortable with holding babies and did not pass peds. I am in a private school BSN program and I believe the chances are WAY less likely to be thrown out of here, because we pay SO MUCH $$$ on tuition and they profit off us. I posted this question to see if my friends story happens often, or if it is just this one school.

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Specializes in 10.
prettymica, how did your class become so small?? Were they not able to Pass the course?

Virgo, student nurse- what is academic UNHONESTY??? You mean dishonesty? Like cheated on tests?

I have only had a few students in my program that were unable to pass the course with the appropriate grade percent.. It was sad, but they were able to re-take it if they could get in.

Yes. You are correct dishonesty, a group was caught giving answers, to the others in their group, who did not pass the first test.

They got caught because one of them had their ringer on during the test. The teacher took the phone, and saw the answers on the phone. They were all questioned about it until someone told.

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We had a few leave the program due to academic failure. This was kind of sad because this program, at that time, did not have high standards, with the exception of one course. To fail, one had to be slacking in their work ethic. One older lady, complained, and told people she was going to an attorney to sue the school. She planned to play the race card. We never saw her again, so I doubt she won any law suits against the school.

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