Failing a nursing class

[somewheree]

Right now I'm a junior in my med surg rotations and I'm failing miserably. I currently have less than a 40% in the course and I need at least a 70% to pass. We have less than three weeks left in this course and even if I were to do well on future assignments my grade is still not budging past 70 due to me procrastinating and turning in a few assignments very late, and also not always comprehending what is required of me. I acknowledge that this is nothing but my fault and I'm taking steps towards managing my time more effectively. I'm extremely angry with myself and I don't know where my future is headed at this point. Even if I were to retake, I will not be dropped out the program (I think?) but my graduation may be delayed a year which is what I'm trying to avoid. Also another thing with me is that I lack confidence and communicating with my patients makes me very nervous. Sometimes I even wonder if nursing is even for me when I don't even have the main requirement which is proper communication. It'll take a miracle for things to work in my favor but the main thing I want to work on is my communication. I know its a silly question to ask but how do you exude confidence and effective communication with your patients even if you don't have it? I always have a flurry of ideas  that I want to say in my head but then I start stuttering and and saying gibberish whenever I open my mouth. 

[Julia Liou, RN]

Hello somehwheree,

I am sorry you are experiencing this! I know it's quite late into your semester, but have you thought about discussing your concerns with the instructor, or the nursing advisor at your school? When I was in school, my instructors tended to be quite lenient when it came to deadlines if there were personal factors that hindered our performance. They really preached mental health as being important, so if there was something in our personal lives that affected our ability to hand an assignment in on time, they'd sometimes give us an extension. 

I think being able to communicate with patients and the health care team always comes with experience. It's hard to determine how to go about a situation if you're new to the field, so it's completely normal to have a lack of confidence at first. At the end of the day it comes down to the safety of the patient. If you're unsure about a question they've asked you, it's better to say you'll have to consult your team (ie. your clinical instructor ) versus come up with a random answer you think may or may not be correct. And the age old saying goes, the best nurses are those that are curious and ask questions. So, don't be scared to ask the nurses around you if you're unsure about something!