I'm sad and frustrated!

petiteflower · May 10, 2002

I am so sorry that this happened. Sometimes in nursing school we have performance anxiety. I suffered from it. I could do a skill perfectly on the floor at work and then in practice. When I would do something in front of the nursing instructors I would inevitably screw something up. Nursing instructors demand perfection many times, and do not consider "real world nursing". Most nurses had they contaminated their glove would have either regloved, or proceded in a manner to not use the contaminated part of their glove during the procedure. DO NOT GIVE UP. Many nursing schools allow application for re-entry. OH, and one important thing--did you recognize the break in technique? I know my words probably do not make you feel any better, but this does not mean the end of your career dreams.

Jenny P · May 10, 2002

I am sorry that this happened. Why on Earth did you get up at 2AM to pratice? Could it be that you were too tired when it came time to be tested? I suggest that you talk to the director of the program when you have your emotions under control and find out what your options are: could you get back into school next semester; or what?

My other thought is that with your name; maybe you are in the wrong school? Have you looked into ADN programs in your area?

I wish you luck in the future. And if you really want to be an RN in NICU, go for it. Don't give up.

ERNurse752, RN · May 10, 2002

At my school, if we broke the sterile field, as long as we recognized it at the time of doing it, told the instructor we knew we did it, and verbalized that we would change gloves, we were OK.

Kicking you out for your glove touching the sheet seems harsh.

It's going to happen in the real world, and you'll just change your gloves. You're not going to get fired b/c your glove touches the sheet, and you change gloves...

I remember checking off on drawing up meds from ampules...I was nervous and my hands were sweaty and shaky...wound up with a shard of glass in my thumb, dripping blood everywhere!

thisnurse · May 10, 2002

your glove touched the sheet and then what?

did you keep going or stop?

they cant possibly fail you for that. you go all the way thru school and have a problem with ONE skill and they fail you?

id fight that.

i remember my instructor telling me she would see to it i would never graduate....well here i am

see what you have to do to fight that.

hoolahan, ASN, RN · May 10, 2002

And they wonder why we have a nursing shortage?? Aren't students in school to learn and be educated? Goodness gracious, you failed one visual exam, and you're out?? We used to get 4 tries to get it right!! And, I failed one entire module, peds; growth and development, just could not remember at what age a child sat up, crawled, smiled, etc. I was 18 and also could have cared less!! I didn't like or think I would ever do peds at the time, and I just couldn't get through it. We were allowed to fail 2 out of 14 modules. Thank goodness this way the only one I ever failed...after four tries! Why on earth won't they let you retest?? I would appeal this to the agencies that give accreditation and financial reimbursement to the school. And in your letter of appeal, point out the nursing shortage!!!

This has got to be the dumbest move I have ever heard of a nursing school making!!

mario_ragucci · May 10, 2002

Don't bug out ICUNurse toby :-( This is how it goes sometimes. Failing at stuff is not a great feeling. Like, a depression sets in. Thats normal. Try to grow more from the sway in events. Your bound to bounce back now, and you can fight it. You know what to do.

semstr · May 11, 2002

Did you notice touching the sheet or not? When you did, did you say so or did you stop what you were doing?

As an educator I see this happening all the time. When students notice something isn't sterile anymore and say and do the right thing, change gloves or a new foley, then it's ok.

On the other hand, when they don't notice and just go on, I tell them to stop, because there is absolute danger for the patient involved.

Sorry for you, but I am sure you can do it again, and ask one of your collegues to assist you, better for the nerves and she/ he can help you nonverbally!!

Take care, Renee

nursing 101 · May 11, 2002

I'm sorry to hear that they kicked you out... Have a good cry and get on your feet. You either try to appeal (cause the whole thing is stupid) or you move on to RN school... Maybe it's a sign for you to move on further... Try the local community college.

Also when you appeal as others have said let them know that in the real world stuff like this does happen and no one gets fired for it... Were you the only to make that mistake?

NICURNtobe · May 11, 2002

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts. In answer to some of your questions:

No, I had no idea I touched the sheet. I was so nervous cause I had been warned that if I screwed up I'd be terminated.

I was checked off by the DON, so I can't appeal to her! I went to the school director who said he was abiding by her decision. (no comment on him)

I was the only one checked off by the DON. The instructors don't take it as seriously, so the rest of the class passed. Back in Jan. when we had foley check offs I had a problem with one aspect of it and it was lunch time (or time to go home) so I wasn't checked off. I asked about getting checked off 2 weeks ago and was told I would. Then finally the DON comes in this past Wed (she's only there once a week) to do it. I guarantee you that if the class was rechecked by her tomorrow more than half of them would fail. We all were shown ONE time how to do it and told to read about it in our book. Many were practically walked through it for their checkoffs. Actually helped!!

After crying most of yesterday my head feels like it's about to explode! I am really angry today - Not just at that incident but about other things that go on there.

Well, I'd better stop now before I divulge too much!!

boobaby42 · May 12, 2002

You know what, I bet you'll be the greatest catheter nurse that ever lived after that! Mistakes are a necessary part of life. Without mistakes, you can't improve. There would be no challenge. Don't worry, enroll somewhere else. Determination will get you wherever you want to go.

**SKM-NURSIEPOOH, BSN, RN** · May 12, 2002

i had a friend who this happened to once. she was the one of those folks who encouraged me into the nursing field. what happened to her was that she had to be checked-off in the school's lab for cleansing & changing a trach...to make a long story short, she was thrown out of the course for "taking too long" to perform the task. she never even made it to the floors...the reason really was that she was morbidly obese & the school director didn't like her personally . my friend watched me graduate from a different program...she was sad, depressed, & devastated...she relocated & went through another program & she's been a lpn for six years now. she's now considering getting her rn degree.

i had an similar experience in my current school :rolleyes: ...i wrote a paper which didn't pass all the criteria...as a result, i have to repeat the entire class :imbar...never mind the fact that i passed every written test & done every project. i was told that my paper didn't met "departmental standards"....despite the fact that the instructor knew i was going through hell on my job & in my personal life (i'm a reservist & this all happen just after 9/11)...he said that i shouldn't have lost my focus. i asked if i could re-write the paper, write two papers, or write two papers & give a presentation on any subject of the instructor's choosing...but i was told no because if they make special concession for me, the school would have to make special concessions for others whom may not be satisfied with whatever grade they receive on a paper. they were even going to make me repeat the accompanying clinical, despite the fact that i passed that too. they said that if one fails the class, then how can they pass the clinical :angryfire. i appealed it & i don't have to repeat the clinical portion in the fall as a result. meanwhile, half of the other students taking the same course, but with a different instructor during the day, didn't met the criteria either but their instructor chalked-it up to them being overly stressed students & she gave them a break and passed them. i was just informed that many students didn't even pass their first critical care course exam (& only two tests are being administered in this course). three out of ten evening students failed & a number of day students failed...but you wanna know what happened, the instructor was told by the department chair to take-out ten questions so that everyone could pass the test...what happen to their "departmental standards" then i wonder. the only reason that i haven't filed any grievance about that is because i want to see my classmates graduate on time...i plan-on retaking the other course this september & graduate in the spring. it wouldn't be in my best interest for me to leave & start over again, at a different school...that probably would happen if i made waves now...so i'll stay & abide my time. one lesson learned was that sometimes one has to dot every i & cross every t...take nothing for granted...not that i'm saying that you did of course.

it sound like this particular don :nono: didn't like you personally & had set-out to fail you. you said that you weren't even aware that you'd touched the sheets??? maybe...just maybe you didn't & she thought you did. is there an appeal proceedings that you can follow??? you know, put your appeal in writing to the instructor, then department chair, then to the appeals committee, & or to the dean of students. you should be given an opportunity to defend yourself before too much time passes & they'll get you on missed time. perhaps have character & or reference letters written by some of your other nursing instructors that may show that you're responsible but perhaps was nervous & thereby, have a performance anxiety.

if you re-apply to this same program, will you be able to pick-up where you left-off or would you have to start all over again, from day one??? it would be a shame to have to do the entire course over from day one with them...but if that?s what it?ll takes to prove that you?re sincere in your desire in becoming a nurse, then stick with it!!!

but if on the other hand, your present school?s environment would prove to be too hostile, then perhaps you should move-on to a rn-aas/adn or rn-bsn program...maybe it wouldn't be as bad...i find that many lpn programs are designed for speedy & crammed education which causes undo stress. the rn programs are more geared to allow the student to absorb the what & whys of nursing...not just focus on the how to do's.

if all efforts are exhausted in appealing, take some time-off, relax, & do some reflection. time really does heal the pain...good luck in which ever route you :blushkiss choose...you're not alone...i'll keep you in my thoughts & prayers.