Failed my clinical practice evaluation, failed the class, failed the program...

Nursing Students General Students

Published

What a day, I had to take my first CPE over again because I missed some critical points in my assessment. This is my first nursing 100 clinical practice exam, basically a full assessment on a patient including vitals and range of motion exercises.

It is a pass or fail exam and you get one chance to take it over so this morning I had a lecture exam and CPE re-take. First of all, at the end of seminar my instructor announced to my class that I had to take the exam again and asked if someone would volunteer to be my patient (a little humiliating thanks).

Anyway, I took my exam and thought for sure that I passed. After it was over my instructor told me that my blood pressure was way off, I got 112/60 and she checked it 20 MINUTES LATER and got 120/68...way off??? She also said that I was a little sketchy on the breath sounds and she didn't know what she was going to do, she then instructed me to come back for clinical and go to the hospital tomorrow...we would discuss it on Wednesday. I returned to class for clinical and was asked to come out and talk to the professors (in front of all of my classmates)...they brought me to their office to go over the exam.

When we discussed the breath sounds I said that I had a hard time because she was fully clothed, and they agreed that that was understandable. However, they could not pass me because they are not confident in the fact that I can take a blood pressure.

Failure of this exam means that I fail the class, and even though the student handbook clearly states that one nursing class may be taken over if you fail, they said I would need to re-apply to the program and write a letter to the board if I wanted to be considered to take the class again.

Basically...I just failed out of the nursing program because my blood pressure reading was 8mm/Hg different than my instructors (20 minutes apart)...REALLY??? Does anyone else see anything wrong with this???

Happy Ending: I had applies to this program 5 TIMES, was put on a waitlist every time and finally offered a spot a week before classes started this summer. I also had applied to another school, it's a 45 minute drive instead of 4 minute drive, but it is a much better school in my opinion. Anyway, I also received a letter from them offering me a spot for the fall but had called them last week to tell them I wasn't going to take it. Anyway...I called them on my way home from being kicked out of the program, crying hysterically, and they said someone called today to back out...I GOT IN!!!

Specializes in ICU, ER.

Feel free to blast me for saying this.... but I seriously doubt that the blood pressure was the only reason that you failed the exam- thus failing out of school. The BP could, however, be the only reason that the professors shared with you.

Let's take a step back... you were wait listed 5 times for this program. You have only been in the program for 3 weeks. Perhaps the school realized that you are not a strong candidate for their program. It's been only three weeks, so they decide to cut their loss. It happens.

Here is my suggestion.... don't take the easy road. Don't just leave. Go through the hoops, write a letter to the board explaining the reasons that they should take you back. Tell them that you can do the hard work to pass in the program. If you run, you have proven the point that you are not willing to do what it takes to become a good nurse - regardless of the program.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

When I had checkoffs for BP in school the instructors used those dual earpiece stethoscopes to verify so at least they were verifying what you ACTUALLY heard. That seems unfair but maybe there were other things they saw. Assessment is one of those things that gets better the longer you do it. I thought I was good at assessment in school and relatively I was but compared to now I was a noob.

I really sorry you had this experience but I know it will make you stronger and better and you had a backup plan to catch you. You'll be fine I promise and even if your not fine you'll still be fine.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Brush it off and move on. Since you got into another program for the fall you can only move forward from here.

If I were you I'd run down to Wal-mart or something and buy a manual BP cuff and practice on everyone that will let you. Practice those lung sounds and anything else you were weak on.

Vital signs are VITAL for a reason and being able to perform a thorough assessment is a HUGE part of being an RN.

Good luck in the Fall!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

we have dual stethoscopes...she didn't use one though???

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
we have dual stethoscopes...she didn't use one though???

Looking back at this I am wondering if there is more to the story that caused her to go back at the end and check the BP and ?ling sounds? How were you sketchy in lung sounds in a PE demo?

How did the rest of the exam go? Did things get missed?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Room.

An 8mm change after TWENTY MINUTES??? Was this on an actual person?? Blood pressures are constantly changing. If you had a dual stethescope and you were off by 8mm while the instructor was listening at the same time I could understand them failing you (they would only allow a 2mm difference when we did our BP lab skill demonstration) but 8mm after 20 minutes is quite possible. But they really should have been listening along with you while you were taking the blood pressure with a dual stethoscope. If anything it doesn't sound like your instructors knew what they were doing. And announcing that you didn't pass in front of the entire class?? They also sound unprofessional. Glad you got into another program. Good luck (and in the meantime practice your BPs until you know with 100% certainty you're doing them right just to be on the safe side.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I did have a rough start, was late to 2 classes...but I spoke with my instructor and she agreed to put it behind us and gave me a chance to move forward. When we went over the exam the one thing that she questioned was the BP and she kept telling me that if she could be sure I could do it than she would pass me...but she wouldn't give me a chance to re-do it. Everyone told me that during their exams they were being stopped and asked to do things over. I am very confident about taking BP's and told her I would take everyone in the class's if she wanted.

I know these programs are competitive, believe me I do. They have recently made a lot of changes with this program and people are really struggling. Several students have filed complaints because they feel that the instructors have been unfair or unavailable to help students succeed.

This experience was a blessing. I was blown away when I called the other school and she said that a spot had opened up and she would give it to me!!! (I called and turned the spot down last week!!!) I think they had over 300 hundred applicants for the fall and only accept 30. The school I was at would never do that, they would make you re-apply. It is policy at the school I was just at that you can re-take 1 nursing class if you fail, however, they told me that I couldn't re-take the class and that I would have to re-apply as well as write a letter and go in front of the entire department. I don't know, I just don't get it. Maybe they wanted to make an example of me...now the rest of my class is scared to death.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Wow!!! I am happy for you!! I think the new program is the one that you are meant to be in!!! It sounds like the professor in the old program had something very personal against you and that is the last thing you need while trying to learn!! So congrats to you hun for being accepted to the new program!! I hope it all works out! Keep me posted!! :yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

If you are cutting the mustard, then it is to your great advantage to have a school that is interested in your success.

It doesn't sound like the school you left had any interest in your success.

merlee's post hit all my other thoughts spot on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Feel free to blast me for saying this.... but I seriously doubt that the blood pressure was the only reason that you failed the exam- thus failing out of school. The BP could, however, be the only reason that the professors shared with you.

Let's take a step back... you were wait listed 5 times for this program. You have only been in the program for 3 weeks. Perhaps the school realized that you are not a strong candidate for their program. It's been only three weeks, so they decide to cut their loss. It happens.

Here is my suggestion.... don't take the easy road. Don't just leave. Go through the hoops, write a letter to the board explaining the reasons that they should take you back. Tell them that you can do the hard work to pass in the program. If you run, you have proven the point that you are not willing to do what it takes to become a good nurse - regardless of the program.

I'm not going to blast you for saying this...I went over and over and over all of it. What it came down to on the exam was the blood pressure. Why I was waitlisted 5 times for this program was something that I never understood. I watched people get in before me who's grades weren't as good as mine, and grades were all they really looked at. I wracked my brain over and over for such a long time about this, there must have been something else. This is a pretty small town, who knows why the deck was stacked against me but after this exam I talked it over with several students in my class and most of them missed things that were crucial but they were asked to stop and re-do it...I never once was asked to stop and re-do it. My other grades were decent so far, better than a lot of students, and yes this program is very competitive but I got into the other school on my first attempt and that school is much more competitive, it is in a much larger city and is a small hospital-based school. They only take 30 students each semester and this semester they had over 300 applicants. I am so excited about the program that I got into it, I think it's a waste of time to try and prove myself to these people. A friend of mine had written an appeal when she failed a class by 0.6 points and they told her that they were not even going to review it because to many people wanted to get into their program. Also, the handbook clearly states that we can take one nursing class over...however they told me that I can't take this class over, that it is at their discretion, and that I would have to go in front of the department. I don't get it, but yes, something else was definitely going on here.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you, I have a BP cuff and will be practicing assessments all summer lol. I thought I had it down pretty good but I really cracked a little under pressure. This woman made me so freakin nervous, especially after she announced to the class that I was taking the test over! Patients, I can handle...Instructors, not so much :) live & learn, right???

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Looking back at this I am wondering if there is more to the story that caused her to go back at the end and check the BP and ?ling sounds? How were you sketchy in lung sounds in a PE demo?

How did the rest of the exam go? Did things get missed?

"Patient" was fully clothed, and I was a nervous wreck so when doing lung sounds I would be off a little, then correct myself. Then there was a couple of range of motion exercises that she said I missed, I said I did them, and she would say "oh yeah, yeah you did, sorry". At this point in my life I think I'm pretty good about owning up to my mistakes and taking responsibilities for my actions. I wasn't perfect on this exam, but a lot of other people weren't either. I have played it over and over in my head and it still seems like the whole thing was messed up and I was not given the same chances that everyone else was. But, that's life...it's not fair, but everything does happen for a reason and I couldn't be happier about the whole situation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment