Failed Nursing School

Moved to the General Nursing Student Forum, as better suited to your inquiry.

I failed a RN program many moons ago. I returned to a nursing program within 4 years...I ended up in LPN school once I saw that going to an ADN program was as long as a BSN program, so I finished most of my prereq's, went into the program, worked as a LPN, got a house, paid my loans, returned to school after life got in the way, and finished my BSN program last year. I had to make sacrifices during both programs. I had a lot of bills, however, I was compelled to become a nurse. No other career interested me more than nursing. If I decided to change professions, I knew I would be perpetually unhappy and delayed more of the inevitable of becoming a nurse; I already had a step back, I wanted to go forward.

I think you have to make the best choice ultimately...is it worth the investment of becoming a nurse if you have to "start with nothing"?? In my opinion, you will have more after the journey; we all start from somewhere.

Look at your budget, your situations, etc, and see what you can do while you are in school. Most LPN programs are a little over a year, not including studying for the NCLEX and finding a job. Can you be able to handle this in your situation?? School is a HUGE investment, regardless of which route you take, and requires a great amount of attention in order to be successful. Good luck!

Hey, I also didn't do so well in nursing school. There are plenty of nurses who were in our situation and were able to become successful! If you still want to become a nurse, do not give up and do what you need to do. However, going back to another nursing program is the difficult part. There are a lot of ADN programs out there so apply to as many as you can. I am in the process of applying to five schools; one which I already finished. When you're looking for schools, make sure that you can meet the admission requirements with all the college credits and test scores (TEAS V) you already have. Don't forget to check the school's NCLEX ratings too. You can also do the LPN route like LadyFree28 did and cross the bridges towards your BSN.

Also have a plan B just in case. Is there another major you are interested in? Maybe there is a different healthcare career you'd like to do (Health Administration, Health Informatics, Dialysis Tech, EMT, Respiratory Therapy, etc.)? You'll get points from most schools for carrying a degree prior to admission or having previous healthcare experience.

No matter how long it takes, we can do this Kitchen!

Azuteor, can u share some of the schools you have been applying to?

I have an ADN, I got hired 2 weeks after I passed the NCLEX. Many of my ADN cohorts also found jobs quickly with good hospitals in the area.

Yes, a lot of hospitals prefer BSN's but you can make yourself more desirable by enrolling in a RN-BSN program immediately after receiving your ADN (you can defer starting for a semester as I did). You can work as a CNA or tech while you are in school to get experience and network. That's how I got my job. You can impress clinical instructors who will give you an edge with HR when applying.

I would suggest shadowing any area you think you might be interested in. Also of course, check job demand. There's no shortage of nursing jobs. I bet there are even less in x-ray, nuclear med, etc.

Why do you have to wait 5 years to apply t other nursing programs?