Failed out of UIW Nursing program

GuEsT78 · May 21, 2015

I'm not in a position to suggest specific schools, but I will warn you not to get desperate and go with some of the for-profit nursing schools that promise much, deliver little, and leave you deeply in debt. Such schools are so poorly regarded, you'd find getting a job afterward almost impossible.

You seem to live in Texas. According to this web site there are no less than 123 nursing schools in the Lone Star state. That's a lot of choices.

Nursing Schools in Texas | Find Programs in Your Area

Others may feel differently, but I'd suggest not getting that biology degree followed by an accelerated nursing program. That might mean more time and expense than necessary. If you want a BSN, go for a BSN.

The fact that you missed at UIW by just .2 points suggests that you should graduate without a hitch at a slightly less demanding school. In the meantime, you might want to study on your own, paying particularly attention to subjects that gave you the most trouble at UIW.

My best wishes for your plans to become a nurse. Hang in there, investigate your options, follow the best, and you will make it.

cmart112 · May 25, 2015

Thank you for your response! It's greatly appreciated and thanks for the reference.

GuEsT78 · May 26, 2015

And the best of luck to you and you begin to hunt for a school. I have a few suggestions that might help.

A few years back, I was in the unfortunate position of doing the initial screening when over 120 people applied for a single opening at a non-profit where I was working. We promised to consider all applicants and to exclude no one simply because they were currently employed. That said, we did need to come up with ways to pare that number down quickly to a reasonable number to interview.

I doubt there's a nursing school on the planet that only accepts only one out of 120 applicants, but there are lessons to be learned that apply to your situation.

1. Fit with what their requirements are. Convince them you want to be a nurse and that you have what it takes to become one.

2. Show staying power. No employer wants someone who quit in a few months. No legitimate school wants a student who isn't going to make it to graduation.

Both let us exclude a lot of the initial applicants. Nursing schools do something similar.

Now take a hard look at your situation. Those screening nursing school applications do have reason to wonder if either apply to you. You've failed out of one school. You might fail out of their's. That'll be their worry. You've got to convince them otherwise. You got to come up with ways not to put you into a discard pile.

Some suggestions:

1. Be realistic. Is late May already too late to get into next fall's class? If not, hurry to get your applications in. You don't want to be too late. If it is, then you need to think more long-term and what it will take to transform yourself into a sterling 2016 applicant. That's what follows.

2. Look for short-term training opportunities in your community. They don't need to be nursing or even courses you can transfer in an RN program. They merely need to be nursing-related and free-standing enough you need not be in any formal program. That'll show those who are evaluating your application that your interest in becoming a nurse remains high. Those might include:

* AHA certification as a CPR instructor. That'll also be a plus when you apply for a job as a nurse. I had that and it added to my enjoyment in my work.

* Red Cross courses including First Aid and Advanced First Aid. You can't know enough emergency medicine.

* EMT training such as that given firefighters. Some community colleges offer that.

* A medical vocabulary course. Even if you already had that, it can help to get all that lingo down pat.

* Anatomy and physiology courses. If you have a tablet, get an anatomy app for it and play with it. I just picked up two for my iPad on sale for 99 cents each. Act quickly and you may get the same deal:

Human Anatomy Atlas 3D Anatomical Model of the Human Body

Essential Anatomy 5 Medical

The first struck me as the best. They're normally about $25.

If you can earn good grades in the more formal courses, that'll be a plus. Don't neglect introductory online ones such as any you might find here:

https://www.coursera.org/courses?query=nursing

The key is to do anything within your resources to show you commitment and your ability. Don't be idle. Show you're fighting to become a nurse.

3. The other issue you'll face is convincing them that this time around your grades are going to be better. You missed your first time around by just 0.2 points. That is not a lot. Show them you'll be that much better and more on your second try.

One suggestion is to take advantage of the wealth of training videos posting on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nurse+training

When I ran that query, there were over 45,000 results. That is a wealth of resources, all of them free.

Set aside some time in your schedule to watch the ones that'll be most useful in your classes. If you don't have a computer, tablet or Internet access, find a way to get them, even if it means borrowing from a friend or going to the library.

When you watch, don't think in terms of tests and grades. You'll quickly tire of that since a teacher isn't pushing you on. Instead, show a curiosity in the topic and imagine yourself just about to do enter a patient's room to do what that video describes. Imagine yourself doing what is taught as you watch and perhaps watch again. Later, when you take up that topic topic in school, you'll understand better what'd involved. Remember, all you need is to be just a little bit better this time around. All that self-teaching should make a critical difference. Even if what your school teaches is slightly different, adjusting isn't as hard as starting off knowing nothing.

You might also want to keep notes on what videos you watched and what you learned from each. When you apply or interview, you might get a chance to mention that.

4. Finally, look for opportunities to volunteer in your community or to 'shadow' a nurse around in her work. Most applicants probably do that, so look for something special.

5. Oh, and I almost forgot, if you've got a smartphone, listen to nursing podcasts when you're out and about. iTunes will list many of them.

Remember, what you're trying to do is to erase the negative of not making it at one school and creating enough positives to make your application stand out from the crowd. You need to demonstrate to them that this time you're going to make it. You can do that.

Again, I wish you the best of luck.

--Mike

Sukerman2010 · May 27, 2015

I'm in the same situation. I failed 2 classes last semester and since then I'm trying to reapply to other schools. I have already sent my transcripts at different schools for evaluation. So far, it doesn't look good: one school told me since I failed 2 classes, they would never consider my application and the other one said I would have to wait 5 years. So, right now, I'm waiting for other schools to respond.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · May 27, 2015

Most schools will not consider an application of an individual who had failed a nursing course; however there are options:

1. Retake the course at a future date if allowed by policy;

2. Apply to a VN/PN program and become a vocational/practical nurse and start working as a licensed nurse and then try again in a few years;

Or

3. Wait out the 5 years and work as a tech or in another part of healthcare and try again.

Sit down with a counselor at the school and develop a plan; if you can return, then start by self studying and prepare for the coursework by developing strategies to your learning style, study style as well as learning appropriate test taking strategies.

Best wishes.

cmart112 · May 28, 2015

Thank you guys for your responses! Its appreciated, I am preparing to take the TEAS V test in 2 weeks for Baptist's ADN program. So fingers crossed. I am hoping to do well of course and I am just going to continue taking science courses just to keep things fresh in my head and I plan on doing community service at a nursing home in my neighborhood as well. I am applying for Baptist's fall program but if it doesn't work out then I am going to change my major to Biology and get a minor in education so when i get out of college i can teach but then reapply to accelerated nursing programs, because I am more than sure of myself i will get it this next time. Who knows i might apply to PA school too! I am just wanting to keep my options open but i just don't want to quit being in school so i will keep applying to nursing programs. I just don't want to be a sitting duck. I work at an Emergency Room as a patient registrar so i am very lucky to have some background in healthcare job wise and I have my CPR and First Aid health profession certifications and my job requires it so i have no worries in maintaining that. But again thank you for the feedback guys! :up: Any input is appreciated!

cmart112 · May 28, 2015

Your suggestions are awesome, thank you!