Failed a class by 3% my last semester of nursing school

[Trisherrz]

So it's taken me quite some time to accept that I've failed adults 3 by 3%. My school already sets us up at such a high standard and just how we, the students, feel on a day-to-day basis is ridiculous. For a school that claims to be the best due to its high pass rate and student satisfaction....I totally disagree. I used to think it was great but now with a new dean and new teacher (who doesn't even have a masters) who has to be supervised by not only the dean, but the assistant dean. That means three people wrote our exams all semester and the new teacher doesn't have any room to stand up for her students no matter how much we complain and point out what's wrong with the new changes.

I've been really depressed, cried my eyes out, and at one point even thought about completely giving up because I felt like a failure. Am I wrong to think this? I know the material if you ask me verbally, but give me the same question in word form and I will answer it wrong, even if I know the answer and just previously answered it verbally a few minutes ago. This has always been a struggle for me. I would like to think that I am somewhat smart, but lately all I feel is failure and sadness slowly eating my motivation and self esteem.

What are some advise to better spend my time, study, and to digest questions. I would like to thank you all in advance. Thank You for taking the time out to read my really long post. I'm sorry!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Sounds like if you can answer verbally but have issues with written formats that you may benefit by being evaluated for a learning disability and also brushing up on test taking skills.

[Trisherrz]

I do have ADHD but I'm medicated. Our school is "supposed" to write questions in NCLEX format but I find that hard to believe. Most of the time I'm reading the questions over and over because there are grammar issues, or a word missing in the sentence. I also second guess myself but typically, my gut instincts are always correct. I also dislike examsoft very much.

[klone, MSN, RN]

How many other students failed the class?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Klone makes a valid point. You seem to be doing a lot of projection onto the faculty for this failure, and not really taking ownership of this. Perhaps some work with your student assistance department in the area of test-taking skills is in order.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Klone makes a valid point.

Well, I wasn't going to make a point until after I heard the answer. :) If many others failed, then I think it's worth pursuing a grievance.

[Trisherrz]

6 others

[Trisherrz]

I admit. I did fail. I studied whenever possible. I have gone in and talked to all the faculty whoever taught the course that I was reviewing. My class is also the "test subjects" because we are going through changes as in the program itself. For example, they took two elective classes and combined them into a core class, teachers are lecturing over materials that are all new (new book, content is different than old book not just because of edition changes but new material and layout/requirements from out new dean), there is no more extra credit even though we really didn't get that many chances for EC but it still helped. Trust me. I've done everything I can to try to improve. I've never struggled this much with an adults class until this last semester when everything changed. I'm not saying I'm no where at fault. And yes, I do put a lot of blame on the faculty. There was one point when many classmates were very close to taking legal actions against the school. It's hard to explain but I've never been so miserable as I have been in this final semester.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I do put a lot of blame on the faculty.

Externalizing the failure will not get you anywhere closer to becoming a nurse, regardless of how the faculty played a role in delivering the education.

[AliNajaCat]

It's always hard, but in every program there are people who somehow passed their first two semesters (of a two-year program), squeaked through third semester, and then just could not make the leap to integrate everything enough to pass their last semester. They fell below that line. Alas, having passed in the past does not entitle anybody to expect to pass the rest of it.