Options needed for student nurse

[georgeoftheforge]

Recently my son was turned down(2nd time) for clinical in LPN nursing for the Nursing. He has fulfilled all the requirements to be eligible for nursing clinical. He has a Associates Degree from the college. He has and does work fulltime in the medical profession for the last 3 years as a CNA. His letters of recommendations for the clinical are from The Dean Of the Liberal Arts Department, A prominent attorney in the this area, as well as his supervisor where he works , several nurses and Team leader from previous jobs . He carries a B average. He has had support from the colleges student services support for his Attention Deficit Disorder and is consider a success story by them. He is also part Korean.

The head of the nursing said to me "she grave doubts he would make it through clinical if he worked" that was 2 years go. So he spent his summer writing care plans for this Dean on his own time trying to improve his chance of being accepted the 2nd time. At the conclusion of this the Dean of the nursing school even told him his care plans were good. However he recently took Anatomy II over ,even though received a C on the first grade, and received a B. Than he replied for clinical and received a letter turning him down for clinical before his grade was even posted. The letter said to the effect "that he was not a good candidate to succeed" despite a college degree and working 3 years in the medical field as well as some very strong recommendation sources ie Dean of Liberal Arts, Prominent Attorney, Other Nurses and Supervisor from his medical job.

I encouraged him to speak to the Dean of the campus. At which he explained why he thought it didn't seem fair and he was concerned. The Dean told him that because the Dean was a Dean of the Nursing College she was not his subordinate and he could really do anything about her decisions although he understood why my son was concerned.

He went back and ask again the Dean of the Nursing School why and she said to first "it isn't personal" and 2nd "based on statistics he didn't have a good chance at succeeding"

I am unclear what that means? I assume there is specific criteria for being eligible for an accredited nursing school? I don't think it would be based on arbitrary nor capricious guidelines or opinion of one person? I am confused by this especially since he has met all the criteria of the colleges requirements.

So any advice you could give would be so appreciated. We are not a wealthy family and have used grants as well as personal financial resources to advance him. I am single parent and worked in manufacturing for 15 years until recent lay offs so we are running out of resources to make this very hard young man have this chance.

1. If the Ass Dean of the College is not the supervisor of the Dean of the nursing school college who is her supervisor?

2. Are there Federal and State requirements to be a Nursing School that is part of a college?

3. I am sure this school Federal and State monies are they than subject to federal and State rules?

Being that he has fulfilled his requirements and has a college degree and has such good recommendations and has fullfilled the GPA

requirements for clinical than I cannot understand why he is not being allowed into clinical?

Those were some of the questions. I apologize for being long winded but I tried to remember everything. I appreciate your time in this. He of course is very discouraged. Plus this particular Dean also is on the board of the only other Nursing school in this town so I am a little concerned. Anything you could suggest would be very appreciated . Thank you again.

[NurseWannabe1129]

I know everyone has already pointed this out, but B's really don't get you into nursing school. Maybe that is what the dean is meaning by the statistics saying he would not be a good candidate or whatever flimsy excsue it was that she gave you. said. So you're options?

1. Try a different school.

2. Boost the grades up to A's and reapply to the same school... On that note, I would try to boost up to A's for any school that he will apply to.

I don't want to sound mean, but the truth of the matter is every single student I am in class with was an A student when it came to their pre reqs.

As for legal recourse? I don't know if I personally would go that far. Does the program have other minorities in it? I go to a small program (30 per class) at a rural community college and we have several foreign students in the class. If their grades are spectacular, they are there.

I hope you're son finds his way and keeps on trying. Maybe if nursing doesn't work out, he could try and focus on another area of healthcare! There are many areas out there. Best of luck!!

[tfleuter, BSN, RN]

I'm sorry to hear your son is having so much trouble getting into clinicals. My only suggestion would be for him to get specifics from the head of the nursing department as to why he wouldn't be expected to perform well. Perhaps it would be best if he explained that he wanted to improve on his weak areas so he could be a better applicant for other programs. The whole statistics explaination sounds a little too vague of a response, unless s/he was refering to the acceptance policy being competitive based and your son simply didn't have a hbigh enough gpa? I hope your son can find a way to pursue his degree and this struggle will soon be behind him.

[asherms]

I don't think anyone should take these things personal. The school I went to had 137 qualified applications and only accepted 36. The males in my class were almost "catered" too, seemed to get away with more. Suppose it was a way of supporting males in the profession. My class was multi-aged and multi-cultural.

Once he does get into a program there will be so many more events, situations and opportunities that might not always go his way - first lesson - don't take these things personal.

I applied to 2 community schools, 2 univeristies - did NOT apply to the multiple private schools - due to expense - and got wait listed at every one. Had to wait until the deadlines for the next year and re-apply.

My GPA was 3.4 etc. It is tough to get in, tough all the way through, a tough test to get license, and now a tough job market. Don't take it personal.

[greenbeanio]

I agree. My school (which is a community college) accepts only about 20% of those who apply. So that's 80% that don't get in each year. If you're still reading this thread, I'd reiterate what I said about getting NCLEX books and studying out of them till he knows the information back and forth and can take the tests and score really well.

[Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP]

At the campus I attend, if you don't have all As in the required classes and an excellent TEAS score (probably >85 or so) you really have no chance at getting in at all. Hundreds of people apply every semester and only 10-40 are accepted. The people who are accepted are going to have all As and high scores. It's great that his grades are improving by retaking classes but he really needs to bring them up to As.

Nursing school admission is a privilege, not a legal right. If you tried going to a lawyer to try to force the school to admit him, I'm pretty sure he'd be blacklisted forever.