So I just finished my first semester of a 2-semester long Practical Nursing program. I got A's and B's in all of my classes (Even Pharm!) except for my one- my first clinical rotation. It is graded pass/fail and my instructor gave me a fail. I feel that She judged me and treated me unequally (compared to other students) all semester. She made me feel very incapable during the actual clinicals and excluded me from performing skills on patients even though I have passed them all. I would appeal the failing grade, but I couldn't pass anyway due to missing 2 days of clinical at the end of the semester ( I just couldn't do it anymore).
So, I went to the dean of nursing and said I had decided not to come back to the second half of the program. I decided to use my prereqs and transfer credits to get my associate's, and then transfer to a university for whatever I decide I may be good at.
I am just so lost in life. I was unhappy before all this happened. How do I know if nursing really isn't for me, or if I only got tired of it because of this entire situation? If I decide not to pursue nursing, then I have no idea what else I could major in. I don't know what I'm good at. I need help!!
The next step is to see why you failed. If you failed because you were not confident in clinicals or have anxiety issues, can't cut it under pressure, or something else then you need to find out why. You cannot correct your mistakes but taking some personal responsibility would go along way in finding out why you did not succeed in this particular class. IMO, and you asked, you shouldn't waste your time on school if you have no idea what you "are good at." That statement "what I am good at" means absolutely nothing. There is nothing you need a college education for if you are already good at it. If nursing is something you want to do then you have to overcome adversity and simply disagreeing with the grading doesn't mean you are correct about how it should be done. A professional would have finished with their best effort and then addressed the issues they believe they have in a non -confrontational way. You have excuses for your excuses, and that is indicative of the issue most likely being with you. If you truly felt wronged then you would have showed up to your clinicals and then spoke with the Dean. It seems to me all you are looking for is some people to tell you that you are doing the right thing by switching degree plans.
All schools have some sort of grievance policy & procedure. Talking to the instructor should be the first line of defense, but students should also utilize the formal grievance process whenever it is relevant.
Hmmmmm, what kind of career can you have where it's not necessary to correct mistakes or admit to wrong-doings?
I see a fully successful career in government.
I was just referring to the answers I am getting on this post. They all seem to be very judgemental and in compassionate. I am looking for help, not hate. I have spoken to my dean, I do understand my mistakes in full, and I do understand how it may seem like I do not tolerate stress well at all. But I posted on this forum to get help with my next step. I think I will go ahead and pursue something else where I can help people in a more supportive, nonjudgemental environment.
My opinion is that you need to take a step back and absorb the constructive criticism that you have received. Missing 2 critical last days of clinical is a HUGE deal. Perhaps your instructors derived an unfavorable opinion from that? Perhaps it is dependent on you to demonstrate your desire to succeed?
Did she tell you why she wouldn't allow you to do skills? How did she single you out or treat you unfairly?
Skipping two clinical days would result in a fail for even the most competent student. Sounds to me like you chose to fail clinical.
Things got hard so you gave up. You can't do that and succeed in any field, but especially nursing. You can't throw up your hands in the middle of a hard shift and say, "I'm done!"
I'm sorry it turned out this way, but you need to come up with a plan to make sure you don't repeat this when your next major gets hard.
You could use some of the classes you've already taken to go into a different medical field. My daughter always thought she wanted to be an RN just like her mom, but once she got into it, she decided it wasn't for her. She took a different avenue and decided to get into the RRT program instead. Most of her nursing prerequisites went towards that as well. She just finished her first year and absolutely loves it.
There's also radiology, PT, OT, etc...
Good luck in whatever you decide to do and don't give up.
This is exactly the help you asked for. You got some very thoughtful, straightforward responses (based on the limited information you gave) giving you feedback on what your role in your failure was. Information you could use to plan your next step. No one told you what you wanted to hear though.
Apparently you want to quit nursing school, blame the clinical instructor, not be held accountable for failing to meet clinical requirements, get a bunch of {{hugs}} from softie mom-like nurses on line and get your deserved accolades for just showing up (mostly) and then have someone tell you what will make you happy.
What WILL you decide you are good at when you "have no idea what else I could major in. I don't know what I'm good at."
You make a good point. I am going to pursue the rest of my bachelors degree in something else, probably psych so I can get my master's.
The whole thing is that I do know that I chose to fail my clinicals. Deep down I wasn't happy with nursing, even though I find it fascinating. It's my fault and it was, indeed, my choice. I was looking for some compassion and maybe this wasn't the best way or place to find it.
SERIOUSLY?! Just what kind of career DO you think exists where you don't have to own up to mistakes or correct wrong-doings?
I know it seems like I may have chosen to fail my clinicals, but a lot more happened behind the scenes that I did not put in summary of the situation above. It has a lot more to do with the way I was being treated than how good of a nurse I could be. This instructor, I believe, was trying to test me and put me through a lot to see if I could overcome what she was placing in front of me. I completely disagree with how clincials are graded- simply on one instructor's opinion.
The first day of clinicals that I missed, I actually did show up. I walked to the front door of my clinical site and for some reason just couldn't walk in. I tried for 10 minutes and couldn't do it. I had a mental block against it that I believe was a self-defense mechanism. At this point, I am just trying to figure out my next step, not correct my mistakes or so-called wrong-doings.
Wow. You started off saying your instructor hated you and failed you. Then as time went on, you admitted that you straight up just ditched your last two clinicals and THAT'S what failed you. I'm not sure why you expected rainbows and unicorn toots?!
I was just referring to the answers I am getting on this post. They all seem to be very judgemental and in compassionate. I am looking for help, not hate. I have spoken to my dean, I do understand my mistakes in full, and I do understand how it may seem like I do not tolerate stress well at all. But I posted on this forum to get help with my next step. I think I will go ahead and pursue something else where I can help people in a more supportive, nonjudgemental environment.
Please don't just get your degree in psych! That field is soooo broad and hard to make any money in it. Just wait until you know what to do before going back to school. It's too expensive to just mess around spending thousands while you figure yourself out.
It's just an idea at this point, but I definitely agree with you lol. I may get a degree in a hard science or something I know I can get employed with, and then if I decide to do so I could go back to grad school for psych.
Thank you for leaving a kind and helpful comment on this post too! My quest for advice has seemed to gather a lot of hate.
It's just an idea at this point, but I definitely agree with you lol. I may get a degree in a hard science or something I know I can get employed with, and then if I decide to do so I could go back to grad school for psych.
Thank you for leaving a kind and helpful comment on this post too! My quest for advice has seemed to gather a lot of hate.
1) Do not confuse lack of agreement with hate
2) Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.†~ Emerson
"Once upon a time, there was a non-conforming sparrow that decided not to fly south for the winter.However, soon the weather turned so cold that he reluctantly started to fly south. In a short time, ice began to form on his wings and he fell to earth in a farmyard, almost frozen. A cow passed by and crapped on the little sparrow. The sparrow thought it was the end, but the manure warmed him and defrosted his wings. Warm and happy, able to breathe, he started to sing. Just then a large cat came by, and hearing the chirping, investigated the sounds.
The cat cleared away the manure, found the chirping bird, and promptly ate him!
The morals of the story:
1. Everyone who ***** on you is not necessarily your enemy. 2. Everyone who gets you out of the **** is not necessarily your friend. 3. And, if you're warm and happy in a pile of ****, keep your mouth shut!"
I would also not confuse honesty with hate either. Our being honest with you doesn't mean we hate you or are unsympathetic. But it is time for you to be realistic about things.
Without you sharing any additional details about what happened during the semester, we can only go on the information you have provided...and we are aware that it's one of the three sides to this story.
You opted to skip two clincial sessions because, in your own words, "I just couldn't do it anymore". Did skipping these two classes contribute to your fail grade? Probably, especially if you were on the pass/fail fence. It definitely did if you had to complete a certain number of clinical hours each class and you fell short because of the missed days.
But the truth is that you were also the one who decided to skip the clincals. No one put a gun to your head and told you not to go. Nor did the instructor tell you to stay home. Nor did a doctor excuse you to miss them. You made that decision of your own free will, and you have to deal with the consequences of that decision. Maybe by attending, as hard as it may have been for you to do that, you would have passed--now you will never know.
Now, what happened doesn't necessarily mean nursing isn't for you. You made a bad decision and have to deal with the consequences of it, but that doesn't mean it's a career killer. However, you should do an honest self-assessment of yourself, your behavior, and what you want.
Keep in mind that nursing school only gets worse from here: are you prepared for that? And clincial instructors are tough because nursing is a profession where mistakes and oversights can seriously harm or even kill a patient. You may feel they're being unfair, but they're preparing you for the real world of nursing: make a mistake that harms a patient, and there's no chance of a "do-over." They're trying to help you avoid making that mistake in the first place.
Keep in mind that nursing school only gets worse from here: are you prepared for that? And clincial instructors are tough because nursing is a profession where mistakes and oversights can seriously harm or even kill a patient. You may feel they're being unfair, but they're preparing you for the real world of nursing: make a mistake that harms a patient, and there's no chance of a "do-over." They're trying to help you avoid making that mistake in the first place.
Only you can decide if you want to go further.
Best of luck whatever you decide.
I really don't think it's for me. I was unhappy before the whole clinical situation went down which is why I think I chose to skip those clinical days. I am totally happy with my decision, and getting everyone's insight on this forum has really helped me figure that out.
I know I want to be in a profession where I'm helping people and nursing is not it, for me. I am choosing to just move on and pursue other things.
SERIOUSLY?! Just what kind of career DO you think exists where you don't have to own up to mistakes or correct wrong-doings?
ces824
124 Posts
The next step is to see why you failed. If you failed because you were not confident in clinicals or have anxiety issues, can't cut it under pressure, or something else then you need to find out why. You cannot correct your mistakes but taking some personal responsibility would go along way in finding out why you did not succeed in this particular class. IMO, and you asked, you shouldn't waste your time on school if you have no idea what you "are good at." That statement "what I am good at" means absolutely nothing. There is nothing you need a college education for if you are already good at it. If nursing is something you want to do then you have to overcome adversity and simply disagreeing with the grading doesn't mean you are correct about how it should be done. A professional would have finished with their best effort and then addressed the issues they believe they have in a non -confrontational way. You have excuses for your excuses, and that is indicative of the issue most likely being with you. If you truly felt wronged then you would have showed up to your clinicals and then spoke with the Dean. It seems to me all you are looking for is some people to tell you that you are doing the right thing by switching degree plans.