Failed nursing class 6 months away from graduation, need Advice

[Nurse Lizzy]

So here I am 6 months away from graduation being told I have to drop the class and retake it because I failed my foley critical element 3x. I kept breaking sterility by touching the draping. I practiced it so many times, I don't know what happened. I truly believe my nerves got the best of me. I feel as if my world just crashed down around me. Never in a million years did I think this could have happened. I have been working towards my Associates nursing degree for 6 years because I work full time. I am so mad at myself, I should have gotten more help from the practice lab. My average in the class was good too! ugh and the worst part is my school only offers this class in evenings again next fall so I can't even take it for the upcoming spring semester. I have to wait almost a year to take it again. So here I am going on year 7 for a 2 year degree. The only option I have is to take a pharmacology class this spring needed for my bachelors so I don't waste a semester. I have met with the chairperson of my nursing department at school after this happened for a meeting. I pleaded with them that I would take any help and do whatever it takes to stay in the course since my grades are good. They said they have heard nothing but wonderful things about me from my clinical professors but they are sorry and feel terrible but there is nothing they can do since it is their policy to dismiss a student if a critical element is failed 3x. I am contemplating going into another field because I feel so bitter and discouraged. Maybe I don't have what it takes to be a nurse. I just don't know anymore. I am tired and burnt out. Nursing school has been my life for the past 6 years of my life. I feel totally lost right now. I would really appreciate and helpful advice. No discouraging comments please this is a very hard time for me.

[CautiouslyOptimystic]

I am not one to admit defeat or tell someone to quit but perhaps nursing just isn't for you. I say this with the best intentions because there are those who have passed who should've had a career change years ago. Anyhow, I worked with a lady who oddly enough had a similar circumstance as yours. She had completed the nursing program but could not pass her boards. After four unsuccessful attempts, she had a 'coming to Jesus meeting' with herself and now she is a Respiratory Therapist at the same hospital working with the same patients. See where I'm going with this....You will find your calling and when you see the rest of us running around like chickens with our heads cut off you'll be glad everything worked out the way they did.

[Nurse Lizzy, BSN, RN]

Im sorry but I don't see at all how this is the same circumstance at all. I am having an issue with a skill not the actual nursing material. This has nothing to do with my boards since I am still in school. So you are saying I should give up my passion for nursing and just cut my losses instead of working harder next time? Im must respectfully say this is terrible advice.

[Skippingtowork]

Nursing school is brutal.. I can only encourage you to continue on, continue to practice.. Don't give up.. The same thing happened to me last year, my Med Surg instructor got word of cheating and changed the entire final. My final grade was 74.6 (75 was needed to pass) and I was to graduate in 6weeks.. I cried and thought my life was over, I too questioned was this really what I was to do.. I put my big girl panties on and retook the class,because it was offered again and I passed with an A and graduated last December... You can do it, be encoraged, hugs...

I really question the instructor who would give a student a 74.6 in a class that required 75 to pass. I congratulate you for sticking in there and graduating. May you be the kind of mentor other students need.

[Skippingtowork]

My heart breaks for OP. To be failed on a clinical skill like catheter insertion is awful. What you need is the general idea of how a catheter is put in and how to maintain sterility. As an experienced nurse, you will break sterility and then go get another set-up. It's that simple. You won't get dinged for it. To have you fail a class over that is mind boggling. This is especially worrisome because not all instructors or all nursing schools are so harsh. I got through nursing school (years ago) without ever inserting a foley catheter. In my experience, I have never seen a new grad sent to insert a foley. Your preceptor is there with you.

Yes, catheter infections may be a problem for hospitals, but it was because they were leaving them in for too long. Same situation applies to central lines.

You may be sad now, but please do not quit. Press on. Adversity might threaten to kill you but, if you persevere, will strengtnen you. When you graduate, be the excellent nurse you're destined to be.

Lots of hugs to you.

[BedsideNurse]

...What a bummer. As others have said, don't throw in the towel over this one skill test. You might feel like the world has crashed down, but later this will be a distant memory and not matter at all (really, it won't). Just make up your mind that you are going to push through this, grieve it a little, then resolve to let it go emotionally, and move on. Then get your book out, and find some good nursing education video online, and read it through and watch the video a few times. Use your book to compare to make sure the video is showing you the correct way to do it (we've all seen instructional videos online that don't get things quite right). Anyway, once you think you've got it down, go step by step and "practice the procedure in your mind" saying it out loud, thinking through and stating each step, kind of pretending you're doing it as you go along (probably want to be alone in the house doing this, lol). Also, make sure down the line you look over the "what to do if" scenarios involving Foley catheter insertion, like what to do if you contaminate the catheter, etc...Once you have practiced and feel it is etched in your memory, practice again, but this time as though the teacher is there and you are testing. Do this start to finish; from walking into the room, explaining the procedure to the patient, figuring out where you'd stand, where the bedside table would be, opening the pack, the whole nine yards. Incidentally, talking through the steps and why you are doing what you are doing during the test itself might be helpful. I talk through a lot of scenarios in ACLS and I find it helps keep nerves at bay, helps me think through what I know, and the instructors seem to appreciate the engagement--and seem more forgiving/willing to give a little guidance if need be, if they see you have a thorough understanding of the material. You might not have a skills lab at home but you can certainly go through the steps as if you are doing it for real. Do that over and over and over until you can do it in your sleep. That way, when the time comes, you will be totally good, motor skill wise and mentally. You got this far, you certainly can get through this! All it is is practice, practice and then mind over matter.

I had an anxiety attack during a physical exam test in my junior year of nursing school and I had to re take and pass or they were going to fail me in clinical. I was devastated. I cried so hard it was ridiculous. It also made me feel "lesser" amongst my peers. Like everyone else was doing great and here I am on the brink of failure. I was consumed with what ifs and worry and my (already lacking) confidence plummeted. It totally sucked. Then, realizing I had to get myself together, I dried the tears and got determined, and practiced my fool head off. I did the test again, but on the second try I felt very confident I could do it and did great. It was a huge relief to say the least. So... I do have an appreciation of what you are going through. Best wishes and hang in there.

[TxNrse]

Do not quit nursing school!!! Take pharmacology next semester. You will need it anyway and taking it now by itself will be a great review and allow you to focus on the difficult concepts. Make an appointment with your lab instructor and find out when you can practice the skill, check to see if a faculty member can observe you, etc. You are not the first student nor the last who has had to retake a class due to a "mis-performance" of a skill. Notice I do not say "failure". To me, failure is giving up on your dream due to a bump in the road. What's one more year? Have a good cry, pull your britches up and keep moving forward! The semester will pass quickly and you will find yourself re-enrolling in your final semester. The fact that you are doing well in lecture says a lot to the faculty and I am sure they do not think less of you, so you need to cut yourself some slack. For most of us, it is not easy to "fail" a student, it affects us too! Big Hug:geek:

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

I know it's probably not much help to you right now, but please know that you are not alone. One of my favorite nurses to work with took seven years to finish her ADN but finish she did. As long as your end goal is a BSN anyway, you are still on track to finish. Take the pharmacology course next semester and continue on your ADN path the following semester when the course you need to retake is offered. Just look at the delay as a detour, you might be delayed but you will get there eventually.

[Aby&Noah'sMom]

Hi MsLizzy:) I am currently going into my 4th and final semester of my ADN and I also have been working on it for 9 years so I understand. Over the course of a year and a half we have lost 12 people due to grades. They have to wait a full year to return at the time they were dismissed. These are very smart and amazing students as well, one of them being one of my best friends. I also came close this last semester, and I had to have those thoughts of "what am I gonna do, I've put in so much time!" It absolutely does not mean you will be a bad nurse! I say stick it out! You have put so much time in (I understand!!!) and it would be a shame to lose all that momentum!

Just my thoughts.