Do I have to choose another profession if I fail clinicals

[lori305]

I had two weeks of clinicals left when I was failed. Just two weeks and I would have graduated. I am hurt and indignant by what I was accused of. I am following my appeal process but I live in the real world. It's my word against an established nurse. The nursing director said I was not allowed to return for two years and at that time I would have to start over with fundamentals. I am 45 years old and have already invested 4 years (1year of prerequisites, 1year of waiting for an opening and two years of the program itself) into this associates degree. My fear is that if I go to another school someone will find out I was failed and not allow me into their program. I just want to be a good nurse. Any suggestions on which way to turn.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

These kind of posts are always difficult to answer because we are only hearing your side of the story and there is also the instructor's side which we are never going to hear which I am sure is much different from yours. No doubt, because I was in supervision and management, there is some miscommunication and wrong analysis of the situation somewhere. There is no way of knowing where.

You asked for suggestions on which way to turn. You can go any way you like. The only way another school is going to find out that you failed in another nursing program is if you tell them. Schools, unlike employers, do not do background checks of your educational background. They depend on your honesty in providing them with a list of the schools you previously attended. If you never reveal that you attended and failed out of this current nursing program, get accepted into another nursing school and never talk about it to anyone, how could they ever find out?

Your title was, and you also asked, "Do I have to choose another profession if I fail clinicals?" You can choose any profession you like. If you cannot do nursing, look at other healthcare professions, particularly the business aspect of healthcare. I studied medical records, now called Health Information Management, when I started having a lot of medical problems that restricted my ability to perform physically as an RN. This career requires knowledge of anatomy & physiology in order to understand what the doctors are documenting and knowledge of how computer programs work which they teach you in the classes. You can also check with your college to see what other kinds of healthcare careers they train people for.

[lori305]

I appreciate your thoughts. Please understand that this is a new field for me. In my previous career resources were at my fingertips. If I didn't have an answer I knew where to get it. As far as time management is concerned your absolutely correct in addition there were several skills that had not been practiced since they were done in the lab and numerous questions I had about providing care. I honestly thought by asking for help I was accepting responsibility. Both the director and one of the instructors involved stated they recognized that I was an intelligent woman and was capable of excellent care but with two instructors commenting so negatively they had no choice but to fail me. For what it is worth prior to asking for guidance I had completed my assessments prior to giving medication but like I said the director suggested I change my process. If you have any other thoughts I do welcome them. What would you have done?

[truern]

I appreciate your thoughts. Please understand that this is a new field for me. In my previous career resources were at my fingertips. If I didn't have an answer I knew where to get it. As far as time management is concerned your absolutely correct in addition there were several skills that had not been practiced since they were done in the lab and numerous questions I had about providing care. I honestly thought by asking for help I was accepting responsibility. Both the director and one of the instructors involved stated they recognized that I was an intelligent woman and was capable of excellent care but with two instructors commenting so negatively they had no choice but to fail me. For what it is worth prior to asking for guidance I had completed my assessments prior to giving medication but like I said the director suggested I change my process. If you have any other thoughts I do welcome them. What would you have done?

There's a fine line you have to walk...asking "numerous" questions about providing care shows a lack of preparation. I would look up any procedures I wasn't familiar with so that I at least appeared prepared. On the other hand, you can't be expected to know *every* procedure and may need some guidance from instructors. As a student I printed out hospital policies about procedures I could reasonably expect to encounter and kept them handy as a reference I could study before approaching my instructor. I did *everything* I could do on my own to prepare.

What would I have done?? I would have introduced myself to my patient, done a assessment and vital signs, and then given meds... I learned that ASSESSMENT is the first step a nurse takes before any other action.

Now what you can do is decide if nursing is what you want to do, and if it is then you apply at another school. OR you can explore other healthcare-related positions as others suggested. But first you need to accept the fact that YOU FAILED...not that THEY FAILED YOU or you're probably just going to experience this again.

[josinda421]

I will try to be brief but the reasons given were multiple but I mainly attribute the situation with raging anxiety and politics.

First my original instructor was promoted to director of nursing. My rotation was then divided by three other instructors. I was trying to improve on time management and was told by first instructor to start a routine. "Get report take vitals give meds and then complete my assessments." (while I'm taking vitals and giving meds I start assessing i.e. able to swallow, orientation, ask about chest pain, sob, numbness tingling but the bulk was completed after meds were administered) I explained this to the other instructors they each thought I should have a different routine. While administering meds I was questioned about the location of a patient's medaport (which was in my notes). I hadn't completed the assessment so when I referred to my notes she marked me down for not completing my assessment.

The patient was receiving nutrition via pump through a g-tube. I had never worked with the pump she had insisted I had and asked me questions about the administration. I was confused. Asked her to rephrase the question. Explained I was not sure what was being asked but she marked me down for not being able to answer the questions. Next this same patient needed fluids. The resource student nurse thought she was helping by retrieving the solution. She pulled the wrong type of fluid and brought it to me while in the middle of giving meds so I simply waited to check it. When I checked the MARS and realized the mistake I retrieved the correct solution. The instructor documented I would have given the wrong solution had she not caught my error. Which is not the case because I found the mistake.

Then after suctioning this same patient I wanted to listen to his lungs. He was paralyzed and had multiple DU's. He would cry and complain when he was turned and had only been turned less than an hour before(the wound care nurse was in to see him) so rather than turning him I asked, can I just listen to the front (I'm thinking he gets turned in about an hour I'll listen to his lungs and check his back side and reposition him all at the same time-not to make it easier on me but for his comfort). She said to me yeah, sure do what you want. Then documented I didn't want to turn him even though when he was repositioned I had completed these assessments.

I am a Maryland student at a community college.

Wow. Don't tell me you went to BCCC, cause if you did you started out wrong.

[josinda421]

These kind of posts are always difficult to answer because we are only hearing your side of the story and there is also the instructor's side which we are never going to hear which I am sure is much different from yours. No doubt, because I was in supervision and management, there is some miscommunication and wrong analysis of the situation somewhere. There is no way of knowing where.

You asked for suggestions on which way to turn. You can go any way you like. The only way another school is going to find out that you failed in another nursing program is if you tell them. Schools, unlike employers, do not do background checks of your educational background. They depend on your honesty in providing them with a list of the schools you previously attended. If you never reveal that you attended and failed out of this current nursing program, get accepted into another nursing school and never talk about it to anyone, how could they ever find out?

Your title was, and you also asked, "Do I have to choose another profession if I fail clinicals?" You can choose any profession you like. If you cannot do nursing, look at other healthcare professions, particularly the business aspect of healthcare. I studied medical records, now called Health Information Management, when I started having a lot of medical problems that restricted my ability to perform physically as an RN. This career requires knowledge of anatomy & physiology in order to understand what the doctors are documenting and knowledge of how computer programs work which they teach you in the classes. You can also check with your college to see what other kinds of healthcare careers they train people for.

I think your are sooo correct. If not accepted back into the program, she should apply to another school, and like you said no one would know anything about your background unless you tell them. The only bad part is... you would have to start all over. Good luck is what ever decision you make

[libnat]

But first you need to accept the fact that YOU FAILED...not that THEY FAILED YOU

That isn’t always the case, there are some shady professors and programs out there.

[truern]

That isn't always the case, there are some shady professors and programs out there.

From my experienced point of view the instructors had every right to not pass her because of her failing performance. While there may indeed be "shady" programs and professors, they are not the norm. I think for the most part we can believe that students that failed nursing school deserved to fail.

What just blows me away is her lack of accountability for her preparedness for clinical. Towards the end of a program a student shouldn't be asking "numerous" questions nor should they still struggle with the basics of patient care.

[jollydogg_RN, ADN, BSN]

I appreciate your thoughts. Please understand that this is a new field for me. In my previous career resources were at my fingertips. If I didn't have an answer I knew where to get it. As far as time management is concerned your absolutely correct in addition there were several skills that had not been practiced since they were done in the lab and numerous questions I had about providing care. I honestly thought by asking for help I was accepting responsibility. Both the director and one of the instructors involved stated they recognized that I was an intelligent woman and was capable of excellent care but with two instructors commenting so negatively they had no choice but to fail me. For what it is worth prior to asking for guidance I had completed my assessments prior to giving medication but like I said the director suggested I change my process. If you have any other thoughts I do welcome them. What would you have done?

here is my question:

if the director and one of the instructor stated they recognized you were an older, intelligent woman capable of giving excellent care, why WHY WHY couldn't they talk with the instructors that were commenting so negatively about you? did you have the chance to have a discussion with them?

and truern... its always easy to look back on something you have experience with and say "yeah you should always know how to blah blah blah this and blah blah blah that"

we don't know both sides of the story, so we can't say "yea it sounds like it wasn't fair"

but we ALSO can't say she has to accept that SHE FAILED.

these boards are really starting to get judgemental. she came asking what should she do. sorry lori you have to go through this. we are going through problems at our school too, and we've already finished classes.

i hope the appeals process works. never, EVER give up... even if people tell you that you shouldn't fight the system. how else would our society have advanced if NO one ever tried to fight the system and right wrongs?

[truern]

here is my question:

if the director and one of the instructor stated they recognized you were an older, intelligent woman capable of giving excellent care, why WHY WHY couldn't they talk with the instructors that were commenting so negatively about you? did you have the chance to have a discussion with them?

and truern... its always easy to look back on something you have experience with and say "yeah you should always know how to blah blah blah this and blah blah blah that"

we don't know both sides of the story, so we can't say "yea it sounds like it wasn't fair"

but we ALSO can't say she has to accept that SHE FAILED.

these boards are really starting to get judgemental. she came asking what should she do. sorry lori you have to go through this. we are going through problems at our school too, and we've already finished classes.

i hope the appeals process works. never, EVER give up... even if people tell you that you shouldn't fight the system. how else would our society have advanced if NO one ever tried to fight the system and right wrongs?

She asked...I gave my opinion. And imho, if a person doesn't accept responsibility then they're bound to repeat their mistakes. Two instructors found fault with her performance and she was indeed dropped from her program. IN THE FUTURE IF SHE GETS ACCEPTED INTO ANOTHER PROGRAM, I would advise her to prepare for clinicals to the best of her ability so that she at least seems prepared and doesn't have to ask "numerous" questions. And fundamental to nursing is ASSESS first. If that's judgmental so be it.

Advice doesn't always come sugar-coated and easy to swallow, but I'll willing to bet mine will get her further than telling her to "fight the system". If she fights it and wins (and I hope that she can) she'll be right back in the same boat if she doesn't make some changes.

[caliotter3]

I don't know of any of my classmates who fought the system who won. Racking up attorney fees with no degree and no license is not my idea of winning against the system, no matter how "right" the ex-student was.

[CuriousMe]

You asked for suggestions on which way to turn. You can go any way you like. The only way another school is going to find out that you failed in another nursing program is if you tell them. Schools, unlike employers, do not do background checks of your educational background. They depend on your honesty in providing them with a list of the schools you previously attended. If you never reveal that you attended and failed out of this current nursing program, get accepted into another nursing school and never talk about it to anyone, how could they ever find out?

All the programs I applied for asked on the application if I had ever been in a nursing program anywhere before, if yes, was I eligible for reinstatement. I don't know that I would start out a program on a lie....I know my applications also had a note that said something to the effect of: By signing this, I affirm that all the information provided is complete and true.....lying on an application sounds like a really easy way to get kicked out of a program.

To the OP: if you don't get back into your original program, I would go ahead and apply to other programs....but I would also be very upfront and honest about my history......stressing what you've learned from the experience. Best of luck!

Peace,

CuriousMe