Failed Nursing Summer Class

[dpherzer]

I am a 4th quarter nursing student. I'm in a situation where I am one point short of passing the course and the instructor, who is the chair of the nursing department, is being a stickler.

English is not my first language. I am from the Philippines and have been here in the US only for 4 years. During the summer, the time is condensed (only 8 weeks) and there is an exam every week.

I did really bad on the first exam, only scoring 53%. However, I did not give up and have improved steadily exam by exam. I was able to achieve a 93% on the last exam, 6 percent above the class average. However, that left me at a 77.1%. All I needed to pass was a 77.5%, which the department would round it to a 78%, a passing score.

I tried to approach the chair over an issue on a previous exam. It was over a simple IV problem. The question was asking for ml/hr given 1000ml over 6 hours. Because it was so easy, I just divided the two numbers and put my answer on the scantron without showing my work (the problem did ask for the work but I was crunched with time and did not think of showing my work for an easy question.) The teacher who graded the exam gave me the point for that question. But the nursing chair looked over the exams and docked me a week later after the results were posted. If I would have gotten that point, I would be moving on to the. I have 180.5/234 and that one point would make it 181.5/234, which is 77.5%.

It hurts because I tried so hard but came one point short. If I would have got 75% or lower, I could accept it. I have always spend hours reading the whole chapter and going over the NCLEX review books.

I offered to show her right in front of her face that I know how to do those types of problems. But, she does not want to here any of it. With my limited English, I was not able to effectively argue it in front of the Dean of the Health Sciences Department.

I cried for several hours and am emotionally distressed. :cry::cry:

Any advice on how to deal with this situation,

Decelyn

[Pedi-Gree, BSN, RN]

Well, you didn't follow instructions. You were told to show your work and you didn't. You admit that the question was so simple you could do it in your head, so how much time would it have taken to show your work? A few seconds? I don't see where the language barrier comes into that. As for arguing with the nursing chair over it is concerned, I would expect that this sort of issue has come up before and been handled in the same way so arguing won't get you anywhere. Your offering to demonstrate that you know how to do those sorts of math problems after the fact would really prove very little since you didn't do it at the time of the exam. The school has a reputation and standards to uphold. If they ignored failure to follow instructions, even on something so seemingly unimportant, they could find themselves in a situation where their integrity was called into question and have to explain why they let it go. "We were trying to be nice," just doesn't work in the real world.

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

I can't possibly understand how hard this is for you. BUT, you are responsible for content...why did the chair review the test? I know that you may have been crunched for time....but that does not excuse the rule. You did not follow it...with honesty required for being a nurse, I would expect that you would have called it on yourself if you DID get the point. There were so many questions that why is just this ONE the problem.

No excuses allowed. You didn't make it. It sucks, but good luck and don't let this stop you from being a nurse. learn from it and move on.

[jodyjod]

I feel for you and I don't think this is right. I saw this sort of thing happen many times in my nursing program.

[AngelaLPN08]

I am so sorry that you are dealing with this, consider it a learning expierence and gain from it. Repeating a class won't make you less of a nurse.

In my school we need an 85% to pass. We started allowing people who got 84's during the 1st semester to continue on to 2nd semester, and they noticed that those students were struggling during the 2nd semester classes. It also lowered our percentage of passing boards as a school. The girls were angry, some never came back, but it was in the best interest of the student to make sure they knew the material before passing them. We were always told to read the test and questions carefully before answering.

Its sad but re-take the class and continue to be the best nurse you can.

Good luck

[NaomieRN]

Your English seems good to me. I do not think English is the problem, I think you failed to follow direction. At this time, the only thing you can do to wait for the next class if you can reapply. Next time, follow direction and you should be just fine. Good luck to you!