Failed nursing school but didn't give up!

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HI all! I wanted to share my experience of how I finally became an RN after going through tough obstacles. It all started back in 2002. I did my CNA but never practiced as I wanted to go back to get a bachelors degree in pych.

After I graduated with my BA, I applied to a BSN program in Chicago (1/2006). Got accepted and that was the first school I had applied to. I was so happy, excited, and felt this was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I didn't know at the time that the school was going on probation due to low NCLEX passing rates (85%).

Nursing school was a whole different experience and MUCH MUCH harder than I ever thought it would be. I was constantly falling behind as I was in the accelerated BSN program, and just couldn't keep up with taking 4 classes, clinicals, care-plans, labs, and writing papers. Mind you learning all the nursing terms/concepts was completely new to me--I came from a university where you had to READ chapters in textbooks.

I had picked up that bad habit of reading everything in my nursing books. Well, to make a long story short. I had failed out. I failed because I didn't pass two classes at the same time. The counselor for the school had told me,"I don't think nursing is for you, you should look into another career." Felt so incompetent after hearing those words. I didn't know HOW to study, what to study, and I sure as heck didn't know what I was doing in clinicals. Everyday was a question mark to me.

When I failed, I was so depressed. Didn't know what I was going to do. Thought my life was officially over. All I had ever wanted to be was a nurse and felt so alone.

I sat down and told myself maybe going at a fast pace wasn't for me..I should start slow. So I did. I enrolled in a LPN program and it was a great program. It was a private school so yes I did pay massive $$ but the quality of education was great. I graduated with high honors and learned MORE in the LPN program of 1.5 years (graduated 12/2009) than the 1 semester of BSN program. I didn't stop there. I applied to a LPN-RN bridge program at a Community College. Once again, very hard, very strenuous but not at an impossible pace. Teachers explained what they expected...and this time I DID NOT read everything single page of each chapter...I recorded lectures, wrote out my own notes, and studied what the teacher emphasized on and that made a huge difference. Went through the bridge program for 1.5 years and now graduated with my RN (5/2012). Just took my NCLEX-RN and passed with 75 questions.

My point of posting this story is to inform others NOT TO GIVE UP...if this is your dream, you must go through it and you only live once. I love being a nurse as I love taking care of people. If this is your passion, keep going. Don't let one failure drag you down!

im so happy I was able to motivate people with my story. i just want people to realize that nursing school is not easy and it takes so much effort and drains you out! But that's ok because once you start actually working, it's just as tough or even worse with the patient load and the amount of work that's required. That's why it's very important for you to love what you do...so that you can tolerate lots of the mess that comes with this awesome profession. This is about helping people get better and giving back to society...if your a positive person and you care, don't give up this dream...it's all worth it in the end!

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Specializes in Case Management.

Congrats to your accomplishments, its truely inspirational and if I weree you I would bring documentation to that nurse or instructor that told you that you should change careers proving to them that your a RN...jk but you should be very proud of yourself!

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Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was starting to wonder how the heck I was gonna read 8 chapters in a week!

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hey im in a similar situation as you are, i just wanted to know how did you go about applying to take your nclex pn?

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Supervisory, HEDIS, IT.
You are truly an inspiration! I started a bridge program in January but failed one class so I couldn't continue. Im praying I get back in for this January. I'm not giving up. I can't blame anyone but myself for this failure. But I know for a fact that next time I will be 100% focused on school. Good luck to everyone that is or has gone through this. I know how you feel. Keep going and don't give up. We can do it!!!!

GOOD LUCK TARA!! :)

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Thanks for your story! I'm a 1st semester nursing student and your drive is very motivating!

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Thank you so much for sharing your story, you are very inspiring to me. I am going thru the same thing that happened to you. Currently I am in a BSN accelerated program and this is my last chance to stay in school;if I dont pass my class I will be kick out. I am thinking that my problem is also the pace of the school. If I don't pass my class I am thinking of enrolling myself to an LPN program and then do what you did. I don't want to give up in my dream in becoming an RN. I love nursing and I will do everything that I can to be a nurse.

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Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I really needed to read this to provide further encouragement. Like many other students, I am having some difficulties with getting into the nursing program. I refuse to give up because I know this is my dream. When I spoke to the nursing coordinator about alternatives to bringing up my GPA, she immediately said maybe I can change my major. I couldn't believe she went there. It's one thing if I suggest changing my major or something but for her to suggest that without even asking me how bad I wanted to be a nurse, was clearly a slap in the face for me. Nevertheless, I will do what I need to, to make sure I get in next year, leaving no room for anyone to suggest otherwise.

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Thank you for sharing! Congratulations on sticking it out and succeeding in your dream!

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Thank you so much. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. I have been crying and beating myself up for almost a year ever since my instructor failed me. She told me I couldn't critically think, I had no independent thought, that I made my patients uncomfortable and not trusting of me and that I was robotic in my assessments and interactions with the patients... She completely destroyed me.

I was offered a job at an ICU in the hospital I work at, by a nursing staff who wasn't aware that I failed out but was under the assumption I was a senior and would be graduating soon. I was flattered, but still terribly upset. The thought of going back is daunting, but I know Im young (21) and I have so much time. I'm extremely sad, but there is hope from reading your post.

Thank you

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
Thank you so much. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. I have been crying and beating myself up for almost a year ever since my instructor failed me. She told me I couldn't critically think, I had no independent thought, that I made my patients uncomfortable and interesting of me and that I was robotic in my assessments and interactions with the patients... She completely destroyed me.

I was offered a job at an ICU in the hospital I work at, by a nursing staff who wasn't aware that I failed out but was under the assumption I was a senior and would be graduating soon. I was flattered, but still terribly upset. The thought of going back is daunting, but I know Im young (21) and I have so much time. I extremely sad, but there is hope from reading your post.

Thank you

If you can, ask them to hold that thought because you're not going to be done quite yet. It's OK to let some personality out... just not too much. ;) IMHO, the fact that your current employer is willing to offer you a position says to me that they know you and they're willing to put you into a position where you're interacting with patients. So, there's something different in the personas you use for school and work that may be contributing to problems.

As to the rest, well, you're going to have to learn to do "critical thinking" and part of the problem may lie in relying on your instructors and professors to spoon-feed you answers to questions that they have about your patient. You have to always think "why is my patient doing this" and "what could be wrong with my patient" and "what can I do to address those problems?" You'll be developing your sense of doing nursing Dx differentials. Doing care plans is great for helping develop this sense. I completely loathe and detest doing care plans, yet I did them with much gusto because I knew what they were supposed to do...

Sometimes, if you have a couple of ideas as to what's going on and your instructor asks you, speak up. In those situations, saying something equivalent to "I have no idea" doesn't sit well with many instructors because then they're liable to think you're unprepared, can't think, and may be possibly unsafe. If you list a couple of things and they're pretty close, your instructors should see that you're trying to put things together and help you figure out things.

Yes, I too failed out of nursing school and I was offered a seat in their LVN class and was later offered a seat in the RN class. I was able to choose the latter and now I'm an RN that's looking for the elusive 1st job...

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