Failed Med/Surg by 3/10 point

RNsRNotOut · Dec 14, 2011

And I've known nurses to get through nursing school after having failed.

boushie87 · Dec 14, 2011

I am surprised to hear that people's med math tests are only an 80% pass rate! Ours was 90% the first semester of nursing classes and from now on (just finishing 2nd semester and 3 more to go) it's 100%. You get three tries and if you don't get 100% you fail the course, and it put you a year behind.

As far as the OP I am sorry you failed but you need to take a good look at study habits, what you really want, etc. It does stink you failed by so little but like others said if you had psased by that much there is not much of a difference in grade/knowledge.. which means there is a reason you failed. You need the time to learn the material more, regardless of grade. GL next time around.

Ciale · Dec 14, 2011

It's not the school's problem that you missed the question.
Repeat- remember- pass the next time :)

Yeah, I didn't mean it was the school's fault. My original post sounds so whiney. All I meant is that I'm fairly intelligent and my instructors know this. I excelled in clinical skills and am quick to learn new things. When reviewing my final exam, my teacher even said to me "I can tell by your rationales that you have a higher level understanding of disease processes..." so that's why this is very frustrating. If you know I'm capable and have a good understanding of material, then why put me through the heart-ache, extra time and money to repeat the course? The tests are designed to screw you and so is the grading system. I won't get into detail, and I'm not making excuses because ultimately I'm the one that couldn't pass. I think the rn cirriculum has changed quite a bit from the time that some of you went to school. In other words, it's a lot more competitive to get into a program and a lot more challenging hence why the "target passing score is so low". Anyway, I appreciate the feedback.

Ciale · Dec 14, 2011

This situation has never happened to me but I know people that it has happened to; some of them dropped out of nursing school and others retook the course, finished the rest of their coursework, went on to graduate and passed NCLEX. I used to be (and still am) a professional nursing tutor. What I consistently hear from my students is that they do all the reading, get into the exam and cannot remember what they read, which breeds anxiety and anxiety breeds hasty and often incorrect answers. This is the advice I always give my students:
1. Make notes on 3 x 5 index cards as you do your reading. Even if you can buy them, don't. Make them yourself as the info will stick better if you handwrite them. The reason I stress 3 x 5 index cards is that their size will limit the amount you can copy. This will force you to look for only the most important points. You can write on back and front of the cards but I would say use no more than 3 for any particular topic.
2. Using 3 x 5 cards provides a small field which your brain can easily recall on a test. These cards have defined borders which will help your brain to frame them like a picture and remember. It is no wonder that students cannot remember 190 pages of text in a faceless book without landmarks suitable for the brain to latch onto.
3. Once made, take these cards with you everywhere you go in your pocket. Whenever you have a few moments, take them out and review. Your brain will more easily be able to summon up their contents the more you look at them. So, when the exam comes and the topic is cardio meds, your brain will mentally pop up those little index cards and you will have the info you need. This method of carrying the cards with you is called "capturing moments of time" and is a time management technique. For example, if you are in the laundromat waiting for the laundry to get done, take that time to review your cards and not an old People Magazine.
4. Test Taking Anxiety: When you get your test paper with the questions, turn it over and IMMEDIATELY COVER THE ANSWER WITH YOUR ANSWER SHEET SO THAT ALL YOU CAN SEE IS THE QUESTION. This is vital! Many people scan the answers quickly, see something that they think they recall from the reading and pick that answer. However, it may not even be what the question is asking, such as "the nurse should avoid..." Always be sure you know what the question is asking and do not ever leap at an answer just because it looks familiar. I tell my students to look for keywords or key phrases and underline them in pencil on your question paper. Once you have done that, what the question is asking should pop right out at you.
5. Most nursing schools recommend a book for students to use to help them develop test taking skills, but I have yet to see any of them actually buy it and use it. It will help you learn the different types of questions you will see on exams and how to go about answering them. This book is worth its weight in gold. I used it when I was in nursing school and have used it with my students. The name of the book is, Test for Success: Test Taking Techniques for Beginning Nursing Students by Patricia Nugent and Barbara Vitale.
Hope the above helps.

YOU ROCK. Thank you SO much. I've never seen anyone use notecards but I will try this method. Test anxiety is a real beast and I will use these methods. :redpinkhe

Ciale · Dec 14, 2011

Yeah, lets pretend a unicorn passes all our meds and gives free pony rides to difficult family members.

Lmao. Thank you, I needed a laugh after crying all day. I gotta get that thick skin you're talkin about...

Ciale · Dec 14, 2011

In the end, I can still be very bitter about it at times... especially because the drama did not end there, unfortunately. To this day, I don't necessarily recommend my nursing program. BUT... it helped mold me into who I am today, and I don't think I'm too bad :) Plus because of my school, I was able to get the job I have today, which I absolutely love.
Double edged sword, I guess. I always suggest have a pitty party for yourself, get over it, get ready to eat some humble pie, pull your big girl panties on and deal with it. I am so glad, now that I am passed school, boards, finding a job, etc. that I continued on my way. Really rough and bumpy road, but the end result is worth it.

Thanks for sharing your story. I look forward to getting my RN and coming back to tell them what I really think about it all.

Ciale · Dec 14, 2011

Thanks!

DookieMeisterRN · Dec 14, 2011

Not tryin' to be mean or snarky, but would you want a nurse with your life in her hands who'd just barely passed nursing school. You've received EXCELLENT advice. You need to re-examine your goals and think about your future patients and get over your *poor me* syndrome.

PediLove2147, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2011

My friend failed med-surg by a few points as well. It was devastating at first but then she rearranged her schedule, took the class again, and graduated on time.

Don't let this stop you, if you want to be a nurse - keep going :)

RNsRNotOut · Dec 14, 2011

Not tryin' to be mean or snarky, but would you want a nurse with your life in her hands who'd just barely passed nursing school. You've received EXCELLENT advice. You need to re-examine your goals and think about your future patients and get over your *poor me* syndrome.

How one passes nursing school does not dictate the kind of nurse one will be. I know nurses from my class who struggled and barely passed but make d@mn good nurses and nurses who passed A's and a couple B's yet have no clinical sense. Nursing school is tough, no matter where you go. Just to pass it means you have discipline and are able to learn new and complex things. These principles transfer to the practice field where not everything you once read in a book applies.

Ciale · Dec 15, 2011

Not tryin' to be mean or snarky, but would you want a nurse with your life in her hands who'd just barely passed nursing school. You've received EXCELLENT advice. You need to re-examine your goals and think about your future patients and get over your *poor me* syndrome.

Listen, I come from a family of professors and they will tell you that academia is sometimes complete bull. Grades get you degrees, not quality nursing skills. If you read my posts, I said that my teacher told me she knew I had a higher level comprehension of the semester's material (not to mention I had a great clinical review). Some people blow it on the tests because of anxiety. I ran out of time and had to bubble in random answers for the last 10-15 questions. Anyway, I don't know why I'm explaining myself to you. Your post was of no help. Just annoying really

momof2and3 · Dec 15, 2011

i struggled with nursing school.....i never failed a class but a few were down to the wire...i say that as a 13 year veteran in the nursing profession....i have my BSN, work in a cardiac intensive care unit recovering open heart pts and have obtained my CCRN...i am often introduced by our cardiac surgeons as "the nurse who would take care of me or any of my family" to our pts and their families....i dont say that to brag but to show that some people struggle in school and make excellent nurses while some of my classmates who got straight A's do not enjoy the profession and are not the go to nurse for things....i struggled with tests but if you asked me the question straight out i would be able to give the correct answer.....you must decide what you want but dont let one failed class make that decision