Failing Nursing School

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Jul 10, 2007

i have talked with my instructors...all the advice they offer is to "hang in there", but what if you hang in there, give it all you got, are a very smart student and know the content from front to back, and you still don't pass???:sniff:

Interesting! Your instructors sound a lot like mine. There were students failing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th semester last Spring. When most of them had a talk with the instructors looking for advice they were given the same "hang in there" speech but nothing more. Just to let you know, 100% of the students who were failing by the time they could have dropped without screwing up his/her GPA, failed the semester and ended up on academic probation. Those students that dropped in time will be given another chance depending on his/her situation. The failed students have greater hurdles but it is possible to be given a second chance.

My advice is be honest with yourself. If that is hard, then think about giving advice to one of your fellow students who may be hoping for a miracle. Speaking of which, if this semester looks like it will end in disaster and so you need a miracle to pass, don't count on the miracle!!! Save your grade and withdraw if you can.

If it is possible for you to save yourself at this point without the need for miracle, hunt down the students who are doing well in the class. Talk to him/her about properly preparing for the exams to improve your grades. GL.

nurseangel78 · Jul 11, 2007

Thanks for your response. Very good point. I would rather accept a W instead of a WF.

midcom · Jul 12, 2007

Sounds to me like someone wrecked it for the rest of you. Too bad, they felt the need to cheat.

Dixie

sunshine20 · Sep 27, 2008

I am depressed at this time. Yesterday during checkoff one of the instructors asked me was I going to go back to teaching. I'm thinking to myself why is she asking me that. I know I have not done a superb job during check offs, but I am trying hard. I felt so... I don't know...How could you ask somebody something like that on a day that you're trying to concentrate on knowing that you need to do well on it. The skill that I was being checked off on we did not practice on it. We only saw her demonstrate the skill. So obvious if you don't practice something you most likely will not perform it well. I told my husband and he told me i should have asked her what she mean by her statement. I didn't at the time becuase I wanted to just hurry up and finish getting checked off. I know in a post someone mentioned nursing school was not for everyone. i want to be true to myself. I know it is not easy. I have failed the first test in pharm with a 62, Fundamental a 75, missing it by 1 point to have a C, and physical assessment with a 75. I passed the 2nd test in pharm. Thanks God. I am wondering shall I continue or withdraw :confused: .I know it's up to me, but I need some advice. Gettting the skills down packed according to their standards is killing me. Every since my 2nd skills checkoff I have been looked at as can't do anything. That's the impression I am getting from my instructors and my peers. They are not saying it, but I can sense it. My instructor did not want to continue skills checkoff with me because she felt that I would not perform the skill correctly. I admit it was a rough start but I completed it with no problem. Help me! :crying2: I have other degrees,but decided I would try nursing because it's something I've always wanted to do. BUt I'm just not sure it's for me. Like the saying everything that looks good is not good. I just don't want to wait too late to withdraw. Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

swirlo · Feb 28, 2011

What do you think of two instructors that get together and fail the same student for no reason? This first little cheer leader type instructor rode my back so bad in ob class, that I ended up in ER with high blood pressure. She conversed on Facebook with the second teacher from ob (took class another time after the cheerleader failed me) and teacher one told her to fail me. My grades were 90% but they failed me on some paperwork that I finally got the last day. Teacher two was pumping me for questions about who taught me the first time. She knew all along what teacher I had first, they were on Facebook with cruise photos together. Just goes to show how sneaky and unfair some of these teachers are. If they don't like you they will fail you. There were students that had terrible paperwork, they pass and I fail. It was all rigged.

amybear · Feb 28, 2011

I have to agree with swirlo. There are some nasty teachers out there and if they decide they don't like you.. your life is a living hell as long as you are in their class. I am so sorry you are going through this!!! I am going through the same thing with a teacher right now too. At first I decided to suck it up and take the abuse and try to lay low as much as possible. This afternoon I had a discussion with a co-worker whose daughter is in a nursing program at my school (I work for the community college I go to school at) and he was ranting about how badly his daughter was treated and that people should do something about this epidemic of terrible nursing instructors. He encouraged me to write to the biggest name at the school so I did. I am not sure how it will turn out. To some extent I feel as though you should stand up for yourself but on the other hand if you do it could make things worse with the teacher. As far as your grades go it is pretty common to have this trouble on nursing tests, I don't think that means nursing is not for you. Also, is it possible the teacher is making you nervous when it's time for your check offs??? I know my teacher has me so messed up that I can't do ANYTHING around her. The reason I have been able to stick with it so far is because no matter how bad my teachers are or how much I don't know when I am with my patients I KNOW I am doing a good job. The patient is the most important part of the job not the dramatics of nursing school. One of my patients recently told me how wonderful and caring I was and that she knew I would make a good nurse. It made me feel so wonderful!!! So don't let a teacher bring your down. Hope this helps!!!

strawberryluv, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2011

You should try to understand the situation from the instructor's point of view. Consequently, how will it look for the school if the nursing instructors gave easy questions on the exams? How will that reflect on the school's NCLEX pass-rate to the public? I think its good that your instructor is writing really hard exams as it shows that she obviously holds high standards for the class and want all her students to succeed.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 1, 2011

You should try to understand the situation from the instructor's point of view. Consequently, how will it look for the school if the nursing instructors gave easy questions on the exams? How will that reflect on the school's NCLEX pass-rate to the public? I think its good that your instructor is writing really hard exams as it shows that she obviously holds high standards for the class and want all her students to succeed.

I am not one to usually place the blame of those that fail on the instructor, but when 80% of the class is failing? The instructor is taking blame somewhere. They are not teaching very well or writing good tests if 80% of the class is failing. If even 1/3 of the class failed I would say the students need to look at themselves, but more than half? I don't by it's a student thing.

Bblessing2u · Mar 1, 2011

I agree with Mi Vida.

The trouble is that some instructors think that they are "weeding" out the weak ones or ones they deem unworthy to graduate. In our case, our instructors have test failures of 70%. There are a lot of us that are excellent students and can barely scrape over an 85. If I had a guess it would be that they are testing us according to their experiences and not to nursing students level. If I can pass the NCLEX questions and the study guides without difficulty, the tests should be that hard to figure out. That unfortunately is not the case.

I am worried too, I am only weeks away from graduation....maybe.

Sugar-Phosphate · Mar 1, 2011

I am depressed at this time. Yesterday during checkoff one of the instructors asked me was I going to go back to teaching. I'm thinking to myself why is she asking me that. I know I have not done a superb job during check offs, but I am trying hard. I felt so... I don't know...How could you ask somebody something like that on a day that you're trying to concentrate on knowing that you need to do well on it. The skill that I was being checked off on we did not practice on it. We only saw her demonstrate the skill. So obvious if you don't practice something you most likely will not perform it well. I told my husband and he told me i should have asked her what she mean by her statement. I didn't at the time becuase I wanted to just hurry up and finish getting checked off. I know in a post someone mentioned nursing school was not for everyone. i want to be true to myself. I know it is not easy. I have failed the first test in pharm with a 62, Fundamental a 75, missing it by 1 point to have a C, and physical assessment with a 75. I passed the 2nd test in pharm. Thanks God. I am wondering shall I continue or withdraw .I know it's up to me, but I need some advice. Gettting the skills down packed according to their standards is killing me. Every since my 2nd skills checkoff I have been looked at as can't do anything. That's the impression I am getting from my instructors and my peers. They are not saying it, but I can sense it. My instructor did not want to continue skills checkoff with me because she felt that I would not perform the skill correctly. I admit it was a rough start but I completed it with no problem. Help me! I have other degrees,but decided I would try nursing because it's something I've always wanted to do. BUt I'm just not sure it's for me. Like the saying everything that looks good is not good. I just don't want to wait too late to withdraw. Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Perhaps she could see you teaching nurses in the future. Keep trying, persevere when you think you have been kicked while your down.

swirlo · Mar 4, 2011

This message is for Amybear. Thank you. You gave me hope to keep trying. I am starting another nursing school in May. I have researched them and found out they want students to pass. They have to answer to the state if they don't pass 70% of the students. I don't know why these instructors act like this. I don't know if it is a power trip or what. I had one yell at me and tell me I was in the wrong profession when I missed the math by 1