Failed two sciences and I can't get into a nursing program.....is there still any hope?

Purple_roses · May 20, 2015

Thank you for your reply. It was both A&P 1 and microbiology, I believe it may be my study habits. For my A&P 1 I had more of a better study habit than micro but was unable to pass. Repetition is what most were saying by it just didn't stick that what for me. I understand that I new career path may be in order but I will continue to at least try and pray until I receive a direct answer from God. I really appreciate the honesty Purple_roses.

Let us know what happens and what your advisor suggests. I know you're feeling crushed right now, but you will find something that will work out. You really will.

brownbook · May 20, 2015

How old are you? I honest to God know I would have failed these courses if I had taken them when I was fresh out of high school. I took them when I was 28, married with kids, more mature, better study habits, and passed fine.

Maybe work some other field, maybe work as a CNA. Put nursing school work on hold for a few years and try again.

Purple_roses · May 20, 2015

How old are you? I honest to God know I would have failed these courses if I had taken them when I was fresh out of high school. I took them when I was 28, married with kids, more mature, better study habits, and passed fine.
Maybe work some other field, maybe work as a CNA. Put nursing school work on hold for a few years and try again.

Same. Right out of high school, I would have struggled with prioritizing. I'm only 22 now, but I swear those years made a difference.

OP, in the mean time I would suggest getting a job as a CNA, maybe a phlebotomist and researching what your next steps will be as far as school is concerned.

GBRKG122 · May 20, 2015

I think it's amazing that you're reflecting on different options available to you; that's extremely resilient. If you know you want to be a nurse in your heart and mind, please don't listen to anyone doubting your ability to do so... Having been in a similar situation to yourself, I know I personally found questions about whether or not nursing was right for me to be unhelpful / hurtful versus beneficial. Granted, I'm extremely sensitive ;o) The label of "failing" classes really struck a nerve with me when I was academically dismissed from a *very prestigious nursing school* in 2008. I spent years thinking about what impacted me as a student / learner during that time. I spent every day after leaving that nursing program thinking about: is nursing right for me? I honestly wanted to do ANYTHING else instead of nursing since my journey to becoming a RN was a difficult and painful one the first time around. I ended up getting my bachelors and masters degrees in other fields, but I thought about becoming a nurse every single day. I couldn't get nursing out of my head; I knew it's what I was meant to be.

I think everyone's journey to becoming a nurse is different and you should not let "failing" classes deter you AT ALL. I use the word "failing" in quotes because... I spent years measuring my self-worth against my transcripts; I viewed myself so negatively without compassion based on that piece of paper. Nursing school in particular is very. focused. on. numerical. grades. It's really the only way you're evaluated, which is difficult because you are more than a number. A quiz on the cardiac system cannot possibly fully assess your knowledge as a learner and capabilities as a human being :) I know "failing" classes made me a much more empathetic person with hopes of becoming a teacher myself. You deserve all the support in the world in making your RN dreams come true, if that is what you think is right for you :)

Nursing schools vary program to program regarding requirements & there are so many around the United States, which means SO MANY possibilities! Researching programs is exciting, but can certainly be overwhelming, disheartening, and discouraging. Seeing certain GPA requirements, science coursework expiration dates (i.e., A&P needs to be taken within the last 5 years), interview required with the faculty, or thinking you may need to retake classes before even being considered for admission. Don't let any of this scare you! All you can do is research programs, find the ones that are the best fit for you, and apply! Then it's out of your hands. In 2012, I applied to seven nursing programs located near my home. I had already failed out of one BSN program and felt indescribably hopeless... What school would ever accept me? One program accepted me, accepted all my transfer credits, began NUR coursework in the first semester, and I will be graduating with my BSN this time next year: May 2016!

Be your own cheerleader You can do this! I wish they had blogs / online forums that were the exact prescription of encouragement needed. You know, kind of like a big hug and reassurance that it will all be okay. You write your own nursing story! For next steps, all I can recommend is look into your options & apply. There is always hope & it just takes one nursing school to say: "yes! you're admitted to our program!"

Newbie_RN17 · May 20, 2015

I failed in early undergrad. Like, a LOT. I was young, stupid, and unprepared for the real world. I took some time off, worked, took coursework to get my GPA up, took my prereqs as an older adult, and now at 30 graduated from one of the best nursing schools in my area. It's possible but you really have to put the time and effort into it. Perhaps, like others have said, taking some time off and working as a CNA would be beneficial to you while you sort things out and figure out exactly where you were going wrong in your sciences. Those two sciences really are an important part of nursing education and if you don't grasp them, nursing courses will feel that much more difficult. I wish you the best of luck in figuring out what you will do.

SweetPotatoes · May 20, 2015

I graduated from a pre med heavy school and there were students who failed some of the reqs but retook them, got As, and got into medical school. So I'm not going to say that you need to choose an entirely different career path like someone else mentioned. But there is a reason for nursing requirements...if you're never able to pass the pre reqs then nursing school will be difficult to endure, I'm sure.

A&P is very important and I would definitely look at what went wrong there. Study habits? Not understanding the material? A lot is memorization but you have to understand what you're memorizing. If you know root words, prefixes and suffixes you'll sometimes be able to kinda figure out what something means even if you've never seen it before. Were you distracted while taking the class? Waiting may be good if necessary. Getting into the field a bit then trying again. You'll be fine, wherever you end up :) Just explore all options and be honest with yourself.

wanderlust99 · May 20, 2015

I failed science courses when I was in college, but I never even went to class or opened a book at the time. This was when I was 17-19 and very immature. It took a few years but I smartened up, transferred schools and started over again.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · May 20, 2015

I want to mention that a VN program is a TON of information compressed in a short amount of time; it takes excellent study skills, a firm knowledge of ones learning style, and excellent test taking skills, and the aptitude to apply nursing theory into clinical practice-same goes for when one enters a ADN or BSN program, as well as in the pre req phase of schooling

The best thing for you to do is take a step back, and find those attributes before you make any rash decisions. Once you have a firm grasp on what fundamentals you need to succeed, research what your options are, and THEN make a decision.

Best wishes.

AngelKissed857, BSN, RN · May 21, 2015

Not to squash any hopes, because I think that if this is what you REALLY REALLY want to do, you'll find a way to make it happen! That said, just know that in California community colleges at least, if you get less than a passing grade, a D or F , you can retake it immediately. If you are talking about waiting until it is no longer "counted" as a retake, it's 5 ACADEMIC years, translation, 10 active semesters. Not just time passing, but actually semesters in which YOU have taken classes, summer semesters don't count (which is STUPID in my opinion-summer classes are a killer!) So if you took a few years out of school, the clock stops ticking. It starts again when you take another class. Your new grade will replace your D or F.

I had a C in Anatomy a million years ago. I thought coming back to school I could retake Anatomy, no harm no foul. Nope, Even though it was over 20 calender years ago, I didn't have 10 semesters between that class and current application, so I had to go with the C. Thankfully I am a far better student now, and my GPA, other science grades, and English grade saved me from that C. I am however trying to get in an Anatomy class to audit just because I know I need that refreshed. Talk to an academic advisor, but don't let anyone talk you out of pursuing your dream- you can make it happen if you it badly enough.

UCFAshley · May 21, 2015

Its more than repetition, you have to understand the material in order to be successful. Yes, some material you have to memorize, but you have to understand how things work for it to sink in. In all honesty, you may have to change a career path oorr this may not be a good path for you RIGHT NOW. I am like some of the other ladies, had I taken on these classes when I was 19 I probably wouldn't have passed them either. I was immature and for whatever reason, material just makes more sense. I also have swallowed the fact that I have to study harder than others to pass

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · May 21, 2015

Thank you for your reply. It was both A&P 1 and microbiology, I believe it may be my study habits. For my A&P 1 I had more of a better study habit than micro but was unable to pass. Repetition is what most were saying by it just didn't stick that what for me. I understand that I new career path may be in order but I will continue to at least try and pray until I receive a direct answer from God. I really appreciate the honesty.

Unfortunately, if you don't have a solid understanding of A&P, there is no way you are going to make it through nursing school. How are you going to understand pathophysiology of disease? If you don't know how blood circulates through the heart & body, how will you distinguish right-sided heart failure from left-sided? How will you understand the physiological adaptations the body goes through in response to stress or trauma? How will you understand how those adaptations affect your patient's lab values & vital signs?

There's a good reason why these courses are pre-requisites for nursing school. Time & again I saw classmates who struggled in pre-reqs also struggled and/or failed out of nursing school. You need to have a solid foundation in science to fully comprehend disease. Nursing isn't is series of implementations. You don't just blindly give injections, insert IVs, pass meds, etc. You have to know WHY you're doing these things, what to anticipate that could go wrong, what to monitor for if you do a certain procedure or administer a certain medication. Your thought process & actions will impact your patient's life. That is a HUGE responsibility.

So, while you may have your heart set on nursing or health sciences, it just may not be a realistic goal for you at this time. I don't want you to take what I'm saying in a negative light. But if you're struggling with A&P and micro, I would highly recommend working with a career counselor to assess your strengths and weaknesses to determine what might be a more suitable field.

Mavrick, BSN, RN · May 21, 2015

Maybe that's why it's called a Bachelor of SCIENCE in Nursing (BSN).