Grievance With College & Tactfulness...

[PrnAdnST]

This past quarter we had a lot of Med/Surg 1 students fail the class, and we are all waiting to see what they are going to do. I know at least 6-10 students that didn't make it. We have all been in school for over a year at this private college and have racked up some debt. This morning I was talking with a Registrar about this. This is the email I received.

"We haven't finalized anything yet, but it doesn't look like you will be able to repeat this quarter. With the amount of unsuccessful students in your particular class there may not even be space for students who are unsuccessful for the first time. I will get the information out to you and your classmates as soon as a decision has been made. If you are unable to continue, you will be allowed to return in Summer."

I only have 1 prerequisite class left (Literature 4 credit hours) and since I can't hold full time status for financial aid I have to pay this out of pocket even if it's a required class... I had failed A&P 2 theory last year before this Med/Surg class.

Any thoughts on what I can do to stay in school.

I think that this problem needs to be addressed... " With the amount of unsuccessful students in your particular class there may not even be space for students who are unsuccessful for the first time." How can I address this statement tactfully?

[sailornurse]

So you failed A&P theory, then failed this Med/Surg I, making this your second course you failed? It sounds like the email is discussing students who have failed only one class, the med-surg I? And there are so many there will not be enough spots for them to repeat. As former faculty, students repeating classes are allowed on a space available basis. Med-surg classes usually have clinical component and it is the clinical placements/availability that limit how many students can repeat the class. I'm not sure what you want to address about the facts stated in the email. How many classes can you fail/repeat in your program before being dismissed? The amount of debt you have racked up, that you chose a private college, the number of students who did not pass are moot points and detract from the issue. Are there no other classes you can take along with the lit class to make full time enrollment? The title of the post is Grievance but I don't think you have anything to grieve. Nothing in the email seems tactless to me.

[ED Nurse, RN]

So you failed A&P theory, then failed this Med/Surg I, making this your second course you failed? It sounds like the email is discussing students who have failed only one class, the med-surg I? And there are so many there will not be enough spots for them to repeat. As former faculty, students repeating classes are allowed on a space available basis. Med-surg classes usually have clinical component and it is the clinical placements/availability that limit how many students can repeat the class. I'm not sure what you want to address about the facts stated in the email. How many classes can you fail/repeat in your program before being dismissed? The amount of debt you have racked up, that you chose a private college, the number of students who did not pass are moot points and detract from the issue. Are there no other classes you can take along with the lit class to make full time enrollment? The title of the post is Grievance but I don't think you have anything to grieve. Nothing in the email seems tactless to me.

Agree with everything stated. I know a lot of programs don't allow two failures- especially with core classes. There are no grievances to file, in my opinion.

If you have failed two classes I think you should focus on why you failed and what can be done so you don't fail. I would be very concerned at this time at being released from your program.

[Zyprexa_Ho]

How else did you want them to say it? There are a limited amount of spaces and a lot of students failed. Why is that so rude to state the facts?

[mrsboots87]

How many student were in your class for 6-10 to be considered a lot of them failing. In the majority of nursing school, it is completely normal for a decent amount of students to fail out. Some of the more competitive entry schools may not have as many failures, but most other schools will have failure rates that are higher then most other educational programs. In my program that started with 90 only 26 of the original cohort graduated together out of 45 total graduates this fall. We lost 1/3-1/2 of the class each semester. My program is a well regarded program that produces good graduate nurses, however it is in a community college district that is a non competitive wait list entry. So not all students entering are going to pass.

There re is nothing to grieve with the school. The email was not tactless. It told you exactly what is happening. They don't have enough space for too many repeaters. They will send out an email when they know how many people can repeat. It sucks, but that's just how it is. It even let you know that those who could not repeat this spring can repeat in summer.

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

You are at a private, for profit college? There's your first issue. These schools aren't accredited and think that the more students they fail, the better because then only the better ones get through, thus they will pass NCLEX first time, upping their chances at accreditation.

Leave this school now. I'm not understanding how you are in the program not having finished the prereqs. A prerequisite means pre-requirement. It must be completed before entering the program. Otherwise, it is a coreq.

You need to speak to an advisor, but really there is not a whole lot you can do. An expensive lesson learned. Find a good, accredited program to go to. Not one accredited by the national health sciences. That's for the for profit schools. One accredited by the National League of Nursing Education.

[Futurenurse2010]

Crazy that the same exact thing is happening at my college with med surg 2!!! This is the only class I have failed and I still have to sit out until March to retake it!