Failed... Want to transfer to a new school. Please Help!

lemonaidangel · May 7, 2008

Well, I think it really depends on exactly what those "three little incidents" were. What happened exactly?

One girl failed OB clincals this semester because she gave a medication without the instructor, she repeatedly turned in paperwork late, amongst other things. She was really mad and upset, but I can see why she was failed. She had the book smarts, but she wasn't the smartest cookie when it came to working on the floor. I think that's more important than the test grades!

If it's nothing more than a personality clash, however, I don't think that's very fair. Sorry that you didn't make it!

I don't know of any nursing schools in that area. Good luck to you!

amybethf · May 8, 2008

What were the grounds on which you were failed? Did you know that what you did was 'unprofessional,' did they take you aside and tell you? There has to be a paper trail leading up to a failure. And you have to be given time to improve on your skills. They can't at the end just fail you without any written documentation. I made a med error once, I had one pill instead of 3 at med admin. and my instructor verbally told me my mistake and I got an incident report. I had to write a paper about my mistake and the potential ramifications and what I would do to prevent/improve. These went into my permanent record and at the end of the semester, my CI placed a letter stating I had improved and no future errors were made.

It really depends on what these errors were. There are small errors and then there are ones that are unacceptable. But bottom line, you had to have knowledge from your instructors before a failure can be given. If not, you have a case to appeal.

Butterfly83 · May 13, 2008

#1 was for saying this during med admin:

"I know these are stupid questions but what is your name and what is your birthday?"

The instructor took me aside and told me she would have fired me on the spot if it was up to her. That statement was very unprofessional.

I understand why we ask those questions I was just trying to see things from the patient's prospective.

The second was for not charting during my shift. I didn't think I had to at the time because the floor nurse had done it.

The third was for a HIPPA violation.

I was assigned to take care of the 13 yr old daughter of a fellow student. The patient assignment was changed the morning of clinical. We as a group later found out that there was a med admin error done earlier by the staff before our shift. The clinical instructor told us about it and told us not to talk to anyone outside the clinical group about it. Well I thought it was okay to discuss it with the mother a few days later, since she was there that morning.

Jules A, MSN · May 13, 2008

I'll be honest with you, imo, these are serious judgement issues when all added together. Are you a young student? Not saying that you won't make a wonderful nurse some day but perhaps you need a some time to mature a bit. Best of luck to you.

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · May 13, 2008

I can assure you that your clinical instructors do not hate you; they are way too busy. The may have (and rightly so) some concerns about your ability to conduct yourself as a professional nurse. Those instances you mention are big deals. And your patients and their families loving you is wonderful, but it doesn't mean anything if you cannot handle yourself professionally.

Perhaps you can just consider this to be a hard lesson learned. Your nursing school experience really isn't all about you. I hope you'll continue to pursue nursing. School is only temporary. Just do what you need to do to get through it.

Best of luck to you.

lemonaidangel · May 13, 2008

Yeah, the HIPPA violation alone could have been the humdinger that got you.

All of my instructors have pounded over and over and over in my head, "If you didn't chart it, you didn't do it!" Even though you are just a student, while at clinical you are held at the same level of responsibility as an RN. It is your legal duty to update your patient's chart!

I'm sorry that you didn't make it, but I do hope you continue on! Maybe this experience will make you a better nurse in the long run. Keep trying, follow the nursing code for your school as best as you can next time, and you will go far!

morte, LPN, LVN · May 13, 2008

i read your answer earlier, had to step away.....the other posters preceding me have been kind.......but....WHAT part of NO ....do you not understand.....? no talking about a patient, means...NO talking, to anyone, about that patient (outside of other healthcare providers involved in the care of that patient).....and you werent even involved in the patients care....!!!! i think a little time and work may mature you preceptions ...and get you to the point of assuming responsibility when you screw up.....which we all do....sometime, somewhere, somehow.....

Butterfly83 · May 15, 2008

i read your answer earlier, had to step away.....the other posters preceding me have been kind.......but....WHAT part of NO ....do you not understand.....? no talking about a patient, means...NO talking, to anyone, about that patient (outside of other healthcare providers involved in the care of that patient).....and you werent even involved in the patients care....!!!! i think a little time and work may mature you preceptions ...and get you to the point of assuming responsibility when you screw up.....which we all do....sometime, somewhere, somehow.....

Wow... Thats a bit... harsh...

I never said that I didn't or don't assume responsibility for my actions... Honestly at the time, I didn't see it as wrong else I would not have done it. Once I spoke with my instructors about it, I realized and apologized.

esruNurse · May 15, 2008

Hey Butterfly, keep your head up!! Don't feel so defeated. First of all, young or old, it doesn't matter how old you are. People at all ages make mistakes. Maturity has nothing to do with making mistakes clincially or being unprofessional. I've seen plenty of "older nurses" being nowhere near professional. The first part when you stated that those are stupid questions... I don't think it's that big of a deal at ALL. The fact that your instructor pulled u to the side is enough for you to remember not to do that next time. If you said it in a joking or relaxed way toward the patient, that's understandable in my opinion. The 2nd and 3rd, yes I think those are a big deal, but you know what, you live you learn, and this will help you become a better nurse! I hope you feel better, and that it's not the end of the world. If you transfer out, just remember that some nursing schools may or may not transfer over your nursing courses that you've taken already. email and call other schools while researching them online or whatever. Good luck hun and keep your head up

mir_mom · May 15, 2008

I've seen much worse in clinicals.

We had students not id the patient at all for meds and were not given unsatisfactory.

We had students talk in a public place talking about a patient that id the patient and were not given unsatisfactory. This is a really small town and they talked about it like how the guy tried to kill himself in detail - what he did, how he did it and laughed about giving CPR because they didn't know how to do it and they wouldn't want their family to have someone so inexperienced do it and if a family member had been there, and maybe they were, would have been very upset.

Our clinical instructor took us to another floor than the one we were assigned on to practice many times and I don't think that was professional of her. We were in the emergency room and we are 1st year and havent' covered emergency care. I didn't feel good about it but you can't say anything.

I have a very smart friend that left our program because a clinical instructor who had let the above go by was on her for everything and she did nothing like the above.

So reapply to another school but try to check out their reputation first. Talk to people at the school to see if they have some process for fairness.

Natingale, EdD, RN · May 15, 2008

Hey listen, youre either 24 or 25 (83 gave it away) I dont start NS until september BUT i work in a hospital. Those are really serious issues, youre supposed to be the face of whatever school you go to. Starting a sentence with "I know this is a stupid question" is basically saying "this is stupid"

..Whenever I transport patients (not my job but I do it) I say HI my name is so and so Im the unit coordinator, whats your name? Date of birth? OK! We're going to wherever we're going

It makes the patient feel better that youre at least double checking

Also the HIPPA thing IS a big deal. Did you think about how the mother felt when you were discussing her family's medical issue whatever it was? I wouldve been ticked off.

BTW when were you planning to start charting things you did?

You were supposed to represent the school, and that didnt happen. Im not going to beat you up, I know how hard it mustve been on you to fail in the first place. Going forward, BE MORE CAREFUL. This is a human life we're talking about, without verifying name and DOB you could be giving the wrong meds, sticking the wrong patient ...so on and so forth. It happens all the time, thats why they make us do those redundant tasks.

Good luck to you, I sincerely mean that!