I go to a small school and I recently failed a clinical class. I currently have two more semesters (6 more classes) left to take. I am also worried i will fail my preceptorship in the last semester because of school doesn't adequately prepare students and i have no additional health care experience. Does anyone know of a student who has failed on course but completed the nursing program? Are there any preceptors out there that can give me advice? Have any instructors ever failed a student in clinical, if so on what grounds?
I am hoping to gain a sense of hope by writing to all of you. Thank You!
If you want to be a nurse, you will be. Plain and simple. For those who want it bad enough, and for the RIGHT reasons, they do npt place blame on others. Instead, they figure out what they did wrong, fix it, learn from it, and move on. Obviously you failed for a reason. Your attitude shows a lot about your character. Good luck with that and your future. In the real nursing world, you must learn from your mistakes and realize when you were wrong. I am a single mother of three children. I have been a cna for nine years. I wanted the degree so badly, I am a 4.0 student. I wish you luck, but an attitude like yours is not going to get you far. Just keeping it real.
I am also worried i will fail my preceptorship in the last semester because of school doesn't adequately prepare students and i have no additional health care experience.
I didn't read through any comments beyond this first post because I think this plainly reveals a major problem you'll encounter in trying to complete your program and build a successful career in nursing for yourself.
They don't adequately prepare you? Is this the same mentality you had when YOU didn't adequately complete your clinical? You are responsible for your success, not the school. You're supplied with the tools and it's up to you to use them. The onus is on YOU to make changes to your own study technique to ensure your own success. The school isn't going to stay on your back to make sure that you pass. This isn't high school.
YOU are responsible for utilizing the information and making sure that you have a functional understanding of the material and skills.
I hope that you learn to change your attitude because the way you're thinking now will get you exactly no where.
I know people who failed a class/clinical in nursing school and graduated and even passed the NCLEX.
I think you are missing the bigger picture though...if you are worried about having the skills necessary to pass your preceptorship, how do you expect to survive orientation as a new nurse? Orientation times are getting shorter and lateral violence still exists. I know a very well prepared new grad (graduated magna cum laude) who just was told he didn't pass his orientation...it was for a busy oncology/hospice unit and although he was very knowledgable, he wasn't "fast enough" by week 5. Never mind that this job was really supposed to be for a nurse with 3 years experience but no one would apply so they decided to interview new grads. I know I was good at my clinicals and I went home crying many times during orientation.
Nurse to the level you would want your family members to have...and don't make excuses. I still come home from work and spend time on the computer looking up things I don't know before returning to work that night. This isn't about "being fair", it is about being "safe" and giving your patients the care they deserve.
To improve your clincial skills, go get a nurses aid job and get better exposure to how the units work, become more organized, and learn from the patients.
I know people who failed a class/clinical in nursing school and graduated and even passed the NCLEX.
I think you are missing the bigger picture though...if you are worried about having the skills necessary to pass your preceptorship, how do you expect to survive orientation as a new nurse? Orientation times are getting shorter and lateral violence still exists. I know a very well prepared new grad (graduated magna cum laude) who just was told he didn't pass his orientation...it was for a busy oncology/hospice unit and although he was very knowledgable, he wasn't "fast enough" by week 5. Never mind that this job was really supposed to be for a nurse with 3 years experience but no one would apply so they decided to interview new grads. I know I was good at my clinicals and I went home crying many times during orientation.
Nurse to the level you would want your family members to have...and don't make excuses. I still come home from work and spend time on the computer looking up things I don't know before returning to work that night. This isn't about "being fair", it is about being "safe" and giving your patients the care they deserve.
To improve your clincial skills, go get a nurses aid job and get better exposure to how the units work, become more organized, and learn from the patients.
She failed two classes and is trying to get into another program, it's not about orientation or being concerned about skills for the OP. Read the other pages
Does anyone know of a student who has failed on course but completed the nursing program?
Of course. So many people fail. Many or most of them go back and finish. I personally know at least ten.
Are there any preceptors out there that can give me advice?
Of course. This is where you will gain a good majority of your skills. They don't just hand out the preceptor role to anyone.
Have any instructors ever failed a student in clinical, if so on what grounds?
Of course. Failure to do paperwork/EHR correctly. Failure to follow direction. Failure to practice/achieve time management. Putting patients at risk. etc etc etc
I'm kind of appalled these are actual questions. Good luck OP.
Specializes in Med-Surg, OB, ICU, Public Health Nursing.
I think you have heard the message about looking at your shortcomings and not blaming others. That being said, we don't know your specific situation. I attended a bachelor's program at a great university. I was concerned that I did not have enough hands on patient care, prior to graduating. Therefore, I worked as a nursing assistant every summer. I learned a lot by observing and interacting with CNAs, LVNs and RNs. As a new grad, I learned an incredible amount from the LVN in the newborn nursery. I had an RN, she had years of experience which I totally respected. Years later she went on to get her RN and BS. If I hadn't been open to her LVN knowledge, I would have short changed myself. There are hospitals that will hire nursing students to work and that might be very beneficial.
Clinicals that then passed the course usually failing the clinicals mean you failed the course and have to retake the class. Maybe try getting some healthcare experince so you are more comfortable in clinical next time.
Well, don't lose hope. You can do it. it happened to me. I did my pre-requisites with a 3.874 GPA and then I failed for foundations in my first semester. Then I failed in clinicals and Advanced adult nursing in my final semester- the night before my pinning. Almost one year I waited w/o loosing hope. I spent this time in prayer and trusting God.I used this time applying in other schools and did couple nursing entrance exams etc. Most of them rejected and finally I got accepted in a school. They were kind enough to let me finish the course with 2 semesters. Since you mentioned about clinicals, I passed all my clinicals with A's by God's grace. My school really supported me and I had the greatest clinical instructors unlike the previous school. I think you need to change the school and find a school which is very supportive and help students with their clinicals. In the mean time, try to get a job as a CNA. I never worked when I was in school but I heard from others that working as a CNA would be helpful.
Don't give up on the dream. If you need to take extra time, give it a shot. Here in our country, if you have failed the clinicals, you can definitely make-up for it. Not sure with your setting there.
annaliese1
3 Posts
If you want to be a nurse, you will be. Plain and simple. For those who want it bad enough, and for the RIGHT reasons, they do npt place blame on others. Instead, they figure out what they did wrong, fix it, learn from it, and move on. Obviously you failed for a reason. Your attitude shows a lot about your character. Good luck with that and your future. In the real nursing world, you must learn from your mistakes and realize when you were wrong. I am a single mother of three children. I have been a cna for nine years. I wanted the degree so badly, I am a 4.0 student. I wish you luck, but an attitude like yours is not going to get you far. Just keeping it real.