Friends Who Are Dropping The Program

Nursing Students General Students

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Hi All!

I'm a little conflicted right now. Yesterday they posted the grades from our fifth exam. We only have the comprehensive final left. I did great, got a 95%! Called to check in with the folks I hang with...4 are not coming back next semester! 3 were very borderline(something they didnt share with me, just let me know they were solid "C" students and would be here next semester). Turns out the 3 of them scored very low. 2 of them hope to make it up on the final by getting higher grades than they ever have(is this possible?)if not they will not be back; the other doesnt even know if taking the final will make anykind of difference. One other pal is moving out of state and hopes to transfer to a program there.

I'm so sad, sad that these folks that I have gone through prereqs with are not moving on with me. I'm mad! Why didnt they tell me and let me help them by doing more group studying or getting help from our retention coordinator? I'm going to miss these people, we have been through so much already together: chemistry, A&P I & II, clinicals, skill labs etc. The program just won't seem the same. Does this happen every semester? I guess I just need to toughen up and accept these losses and do my best to be there for them. They have all worked very hard and I know they are all very disappointed.:o

Thanks for letting me vent!

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

I do not have personal experience yet. However, from reading the posts on this board, your experience regarding a high drop-out rate sounds normal, unfortunately.

As for your friends not telling you that he/she was having problems, my guess is that he/she has never had to ask for help in the past and did pretty well before. So out of shame, surprise, guilt, or a feelings of worthlessness he/she did not ask for help. I also think the fact that others in the group were not discussing his/her grades made each person feel like he/she was alone in needing help. Of course I am just guessing.

The best thing for you to do is ask them individually why and maybe you can better assist future classmates with whom you will make friends. I am not big on discussing grades (mine or anyone else's), but I will ask for help. Good luck to you on making new friends and moving through the rest of the program.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.

Last week we had 3 people withdraw. It is sad to see our group dwindling down. We'll be getting a bunch of LPN's in next semester though so there will be more people but it is sad to see your friends not continue on with you.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.

I have people who I know will have to be a semester behind me from now on. It makes me sad; a lot of them were great people. I had one person who had to quit the whole program the very first semester and that really made me sad.

I don't know anyone personally yet who is totally out of the program against their wishes except for the one I mentioned above.

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Specializes in OB, NP, Nurse Educator.

Although you feel sad/mad about the circumstances of the ones who will not be progressing with you - be glad for yourself! In my experience some students don't want to share the fact that they are not passing due to embarassement. Others think it isn't anybody else's business. I have seen many students become bogged down trying to help those who are not going to be successful - please do not fall into that trap. Congratulations on your great exam score and good luck on your final!

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Thanks to all for posting. We never really discussed grades while studying together other than "I'm okay, I passed". I think there maybe some truth to their not knowing how to ask for help, in the prereq's all of us were high A or B students. I'll miss these people, they helped to make clinical and skill lab fun!

We have a waiting list in place for second semester. With these folks gone from the program and with the others who have dropped we will have 10 spaces available. Supposedly we will once again have a full class of 48 due to the folks transfering in. I'm sure I'll make more "clinical buddies" and "study friends". Well I'm off to study. My comprehensive final is Wednesday. Wish me luck!(and superior retention skills!)LOL!

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

Unfortunatly loosing people you have gotten close to is part of nursing school as not everyone is cut out for it. Some people do not put the effort into it and they fail and others decide nursing just is not for them. Either way you move on and keep the friends you have and offer support to the ones that do not make it.

swtooth

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

I am in the same kind of boat. There are 5 people right now left in our clinical group from the 10 we started with 8 weeks ago. We are are silently rooting for each other to pass, 3 of us are doing well with basically a very small chance of not passing. The other 2 (one of which is a very close friend) are both around 81-82%. I'm trying to encourage them that they will do awesome and we'll be the only clinical group to have everyone go on who finished clinicals together.....But, it's not looking real promising.

Then, in my study group, there's 1 girl who's not a bad student, but she still doesn't get a lot of concepts...we had group tonight, I'm asking her some pretty easy ?'s (like "What's the difference between sleep/rest?" and "what is the most important assessment of pain?" rest is "down time", sleep is "the physiological process of recharging the body", the client's subjective report--for those of you playing along at home.) She's looking at me blankly....she can miss 10/100 Tuesday on the final to pass. good luck. I say it to the other group member, but she's too focused on the really complicated parts we've NEVER been tested over. They're not going to pull out things they haven't stressed on the final...

Sry, had to rant. It's too bad to think that I'll have to find some new friends/study groupers next semester....although we all have the same theory class next semester, so I'll have some options.

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first of all, i want to say congrats on your fantastic grades.

now to the question at hand. the drop out/failure rate is high in both lvn as well as rn programs. why did they not mention their poor grades to you? my first guess would be embarrassment. this would be hard to talk about, especially with someone who is doing well.

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Specializes in OBGYN, Neonatal.

Sadly it does happen. I started out in a class of 14 I think and we all got along really well, sure we had our quirks but all got along and then along the way we gained one or two and lost one or two and then I ended up leaving for a semester bc I was having a baby and I was high risk so I wanted to relax. Turns out three of my friends had failed so they ended up in the same class as me when I came back but then we lost one last semester so she is behind us.

It stinks but it happens. I hope that you can find some new friends and make the learning experience easier but still stay in touch with the older friends too!

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

Good luck luvs2read!! We had our cumulative final today and I passed, so I am happy and RELIEVED it's over for us!!

We've lost quite a few over the course of the semester, and there apparently might be a few who won't do well enough on the final to recover...I'm just not real sure, but that's what I've gathered from conversations...

I'm sure you'll do great!! Hope you get a chance to rest and recharge over the break!

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Thanks wdpixie! Congrats on passing that final. Mine is Wednesday. I am definetly ready for break!

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