Failed nursing school(technically)

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Hi everyone,

I have been reading posts and things about students failing nursing school. Very few I have noticed win appeals or have a leg to stand on when they don’t take accountability for their own failures as well.

I failed my clinical portion of OB/Peds but passed theory. At the same time we took med/surg. 16 weeks and two courses so 8 weeks a piece. Now for clinicals you have to get a 2.0 to pass. Most of the areas they grade you in the highest you can receive is a 2. There are five areas you can receive a 3. It’s approximately 35 areas you are graded on all but 5 have the possibility of getting a 2. I failed with a 1.96.

I had a zero one day for the “appearance” portion. My stethoscope broke in clinical. Yep! And yes the instructor knew when it broke and the other students knew as well because people saw me pull it out of the case and the diaphragm just flopped off. So I borrowed another students and we agreed to share, as I wasn’t going to take the staffs because they might’ve needed it. The instructor never told me it was an issue and no feedback was given on what I was suppose to do.
We were suppose to be graded on 8 weeks but only were graded on 7. Why? I still do not know. I’ve asked and the only answer I received was “that’s the way your clinicals fell into certain dates” which still doesn’t make sense to me.

(Side note:I have adhd so I’m sorry if this is all over the place. I tend to babble and don’t put things in good order.)

After the grades were “finalized” as my teacher told me they would stand, they went in and changed it from a 1.96 to a 1.95. They were aware I had filed an appeal.
I emailed the instructor and asked why my grade had changed. She stated the other teacher forgot to add something in. She told me the approximate place and it wasn’t changed. I showed her this as I screenshot everything prior to use for my appeal. The next day my grade changed again to a 1.96 without explanation.

As of now the president has issued a recommendation to let me continue to my lpn portion along with the 6 other students that failed this semester. All the same all failed ob but they failed theory by 0.68 at lowest to 1 percent. We all have filed appeals. Our program started with 27 and technically are down to 6.

The other students submitted their appeals and I can’t speak for them but my appeal I showed emails of asking for help and to my response...nothing. We had no tutoring available, no advisor meetings when requested as well.

I will say that I created a plan of action for my appeal. To show what I did wrong and what I will approve on. It’s not just the teachers faults I get it but when covid hit I feel like it definitely prevented me from being the best student I could be. My school allows two attempts however this is my second attempt. My first attempt I didn’t fail I withdrew because of income. Which I should’ve realized that I was going to be in debt with no financial aid. So this year I did get financial aid. I passed fundamentals with a B. In my ob/peds I got level 3s on my proctors. I also showed that to the board hoping it will help me a little. I had to withdraw because I was also going to court for custody of my daughters; which is now resolved ?

I’m not really sure what to do as I haven’t heard back because it takes 10 days and it’s only been 5. I am pretty sure they will deny me. I’ve had hardships which I explained in the appeal which by the way was 47 pages long. ?

ADHD, my mother has schizophrenia and would bang on my door at 3 am but I didn’t put that, I don’t need everyone knowing my business that deeply, my step dad had 3 heart attacks, was diagnosed with kidney failure, my actual dad which is my grandpa I pay his bills which I had documentation for, plus two kids at home helping them with online, I work 2 jobs(I’m dumb) to cover my meds, my dads bills, my moms meds, and here and there expenses.

I’m just wondering, what my chances are of winning my appeal, or what other options I have. I’m done with pharmacology, fundamentals, med surg, and failed ob/peds clinical but passed theory(still a fail) and am now in the lpn(for now)

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I’ll say one thing, telling them you have two jobs was not wise on your part. While all of your problems are pertinent, they could quickly and easily take the stance of “take care of your personal problems before you again consider nursing school”. School admin does not want to hear about personal problems in general, and employment in particular. If I were you, I would also look to be denied, but I have to give you credit for at least trying to appeal. Hope you still get good news.

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Specializes in NICU.
19 hours ago, JoC12345 said:

I had a zero one day for the “appearance” portion. My stethoscope broke in clinical. Yep! And yes the instructor knew when it broke and the other students knew as well because people saw me pull it out of the case and the diaphragm just flopped off. So I borrowed another students and we agreed to share, as I wasn’t going to take the staffs because they might’ve needed it. The instructor never told me it was an issue and no feedback was given on what I was suppose to do.

It boggles my mind about the stories that students post about their clinical experiences with their clinical instructors. Most clinical instructors have a full-time job as a staff nurse. I can't imagine a scenario in which the clinical instructor goes to work and realizes that their stethoscope broke and their manager reprimands them for not being prepared for work. Your instructor should have located a spare stethoscope for you to use.

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I had to post because I felt like I was reading about myself posting this. My mom has paranoid schizophrenia and I had to have a job to support myself (including a whole family who suffers from anxiety/depression)

I hate to break it to you. Prepare for the worse and hope for the best really. I know it’s gonna be hard (trust me I have also failed) but you just need to stay strong.

My advice is awful I’m sorry but I will send positive vibes for you. Dm me anytime.

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19 hours ago, NICU Guy said:

It boggles my mind about the stories that students post about their clinical experiences with their clinical instructors. Most clinical instructors have a full-time job as a staff nurse. I can't imagine a scenario in which the clinical instructor goes to work and realizes that their stethoscope broke and their manager reprimands them for not being prepared for work. Your instructor should have located a spare stethoscope for you to use.

Thats what I’m saying. Because I did have one that Me and another student agreed to borrow. I had it when I was doing meds for g tube and I was prepared when I was suppose to be. I didn’t go cry to the teacher I solved it myself. I don’t understand what I could’ve done different.

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On 5/18/2020 at 3:49 AM, caliotter3 said:

I’ll say one thing, telling them you have two jobs was not wise on your part. While all of your problems are pertinent, they could quickly and easily take the stance of “take care of your personal problems before you again consider nursing school”. School admin does not want to hear about personal problems in general, and employment in particular. If I were you, I would also look to be denied, but I have to give you credit for at least trying to appeal. Hope you still get good news.

Actually they request to hear them in appeals!?!

On 5/19/2020 at 2:19 AM, Futurenpcm said:

I had to post because I felt like I was reading about myself posting this. My mom has paranoid schizophrenia and I had to have a job to support myself (including a whole family who suffers from anxiety/depression)

I hate to break it to you. Prepare for the worse and hope for the best really. I know it’s gonna be hard (trust me I have also failed) but you just need to stay strong.

My advice is awful I’m sorry but I will send positive vibes for you. Dm me anytime.

I’m so sorry,

It’s very hard to understand why people struggle with mental illness. She also doesn’t take her medication which doesn’t help. I have prepared myself to get denied and I hope I don’t. All the students who appealed other than myself have been denied so far. I’m just waiting for my email

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2 hours ago, JoC12345 said:

Actually they request to hear them in appeals!?!

I’m so sorry,

It’s very hard to understand why people struggle with mental illness. She also doesn’t take her medication which doesn’t help. I have prepared myself to get denied and I hope I don’t. All the students who appealed other than myself have been denied so far. I’m just waiting for my email

Let’s say if it happens, are you able to repeat the semester?

1
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On 5/18/2020 at 1:29 AM, JoC12345 said:

Hi everyone,

I have been reading posts and things about students failing nursing school. Very few I have noticed win appeals or have a leg to stand on when they don’t take accountability for their own failures as well.

I failed my clinical portion of OB/Peds but passed theory. At the same time we took med/surg. 16 weeks and two courses so 8 weeks a piece. Now for clinicals you have to get a 2.0 to pass. Most of the areas they grade you in the highest you can receive is a 2. There are five areas you can receive a 3. It’s approximately 35 areas you are graded on all but 5 have the possibility of getting a 2. I failed with a 1.96.

I had a zero one day for the “appearance” portion. My stethoscope broke in clinical. Yep! And yes the instructor knew when it broke and the other students knew as well because people saw me pull it out of the case and the diaphragm just flopped off. So I borrowed another students and we agreed to share, as I wasn’t going to take the staffs because they might’ve needed it. The instructor never told me it was an issue and no feedback was given on what I was suppose to do.
We were suppose to be graded on 8 weeks but only were graded on 7. Why? I still do not know. I’ve asked and the only answer I received was “that’s the way your clinicals fell into certain dates” which still doesn’t make sense to me.

(Side note:I have adhd so I’m sorry if this is all over the place. I tend to babble and don’t put things in good order.)

After the grades were “finalized” as my teacher told me they would stand, they went in and changed it from a 1.96 to a 1.95. They were aware I had filed an appeal.
I emailed the instructor and asked why my grade had changed. She stated the other teacher forgot to add something in. She told me the approximate place and it wasn’t changed. I showed her this as I screenshot everything prior to use for my appeal. The next day my grade changed again to a 1.96 without explanation.

As of now the president has issued a recommendation to let me continue to my lpn portion along with the 6 other students that failed this semester. All the same all failed ob but they failed theory by 0.68 at lowest to 1 percent. We all have filed appeals. Our program started with 27 and technically are down to 6.

The other students submitted their appeals and I can’t speak for them but my appeal I showed emails of asking for help and to my response...nothing. We had no tutoring available, no advisor meetings when requested as well.

I will say that I created a plan of action for my appeal. To show what I did wrong and what I will approve on. It’s not just the teachers faults I get it but when covid hit I feel like it definitely prevented me from being the best student I could be. My school allows two attempts however this is my second attempt. My first attempt I didn’t fail I withdrew because of income. Which I should’ve realized that I was going to be in debt with no financial aid. So this year I did get financial aid. I passed fundamentals with a B. In my ob/peds I got level 3s on my proctors. I also showed that to the board hoping it will help me a little. I had to withdraw because I was also going to court for custody of my daughters; which is now resolved ?

I’m not really sure what to do as I haven’t heard back because it takes 10 days and it’s only been 5. I am pretty sure they will deny me. I’ve had hardships which I explained in the appeal which by the way was 47 pages long. ?

ADHD, my mother has schizophrenia and would bang on my door at 3 am but I didn’t put that, I don’t need everyone knowing my business that deeply, my step dad had 3 heart attacks, was diagnosed with kidney failure, my actual dad which is my grandpa I pay his bills which I had documentation for, plus two kids at home helping them with online, I work 2 jobs(I’m dumb) to cover my meds, my dads bills, my moms meds, and here and there expenses.

I’m just wondering, what my chances are of winning my appeal, or what other options I have. I’m done with pharmacology, fundamentals, med surg, and failed ob/peds clinical but passed theory(still a fail) and am now in the lpn(for now)

Brace yourself, because it's probably not going to be approved. I would advise that you make things more concise, and much shorter than 47 pages, but it probably won't make difference in the end. Even if there are possibly questionable things this time around, it's already your second chance.

I am curious about the stethoscope issue. What does the “appearance” portion of grading cover? Did they actually communicate to you that the stethoscope breaking was the reason for the zero grade?

3
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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ICU.

I have no advice regarding your appeal, but I will say her response to your stethoscope breaking was awful. I wish it surprised me though.

Back when I was in nursing school, we had this new professor. She'd never worked in a hospital setting yet felt competent enough to teach acute care nursing. She was the only professor to fail students out of clinicals and completed "sock checks" every morning. Wrong type of socks? Kicked out of clinical.

Anyway, as others have said, start preparing for a plan B here. I've never heard of an appeal working out in the student's favor but good luck.

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Specializes in Community health.
On 5/20/2020 at 2:20 AM, Sour Lemon said:

Brace yourself, because it's probably not going to be approved. I would advise that you make things more concise, and much shorter than 47 pages, but it probably won't make difference in the end. Even if there are possibly questionable things this time around, it's already your second chance.

I am curious about the stethoscope issue. What does the “appearance” portion of grading cover? Did they actually communicate to you that the stethoscope breaking was the reason for the zero grade?

These were what I was coming here to say. In the future, in other circumstances, if you have to write any sort of appeal letter or argue your case for anything, ask a trusted friend to read and edit your draft. As you’ve noted, your ADHD makes it hard for you to be clear, organized, and concise.

A broken stethoscope doesn’t seem like it would fall under “appearance.” But whether the 0 was related to stethoscope or not, they should have told you clearly, in the moment, what the problem was. For the teacher to stay silent and then fail you is unconscionable.

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Specializes in Nursing Student.
On 5/22/2020 at 6:45 PM, CommunityRNBSN said:

A broken stethoscope doesn’t seem like it would fall under “appearance.” But whether the 0 was related to stethoscope or not, they should have told you clearly, in the moment, what the problem was. For the teacher to stay silent and then fail you is unconscionable.

I know a student who is in a similar situation. She was allowed to watch a surgery during one of her clinicals. For some reason the team did not have a certain instrument but the doctor was able to manage it anyway. After the surgery the teacher gave the student a hard time and told her that she would have been able to help if she had brought her own stash of instruments. Everyone was horrified. What ever happened to sterile fields? The student ended up failing for that reason despite having a passing grade on her test average. She was also dismissed from her school. I am not certain but I think they denied her appeal.

I really hope you are able to continue. I too was dismissed from my program recently for less than a point. No other failures, disagreements, warnings or absences. I have a full-time job and a serious medical condition but they did not care about that. I feel that a lot of these nursing programs treat us as if we were disposable because they are in high demand these days. It's a shame. As everyone else said, hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Good luck!

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I got the “there is no nursing shortage mantra and you are disposable” harangue 25 years ago, actually before it got this bad for students. One could get by with B grades and pretty much slide through unless some vindictive head job put one in their gun sights.

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