Help, I need advice for my gal who is in school to be an RN...

Nurses General Nursing

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Well, I need a little help. I have no idea what to tell my gal. She is in a tough RN program where you have to maintain a certain average or, as she tells me, you're out of the program. Now, she failed one of her tests and its crazy becasue she is so smart and from what I have heard from people that work with her...she is so good clinically. She is in her 2nd year in a 2 year program. She is scared now that she is going to fail out of this program because it will be hard to ace the other tests to bring up her average. She really is very intelligent and she knows everything about the topics covered on the test. Really, she knows it cold. That said, she has serious test anxiety (like a lot of people) and simply did bad on the test. In retrospect, she likely would have done better if she didn't over-think the questions. She reads more than what is assigned and tries too hard it seems. Not only that, but she works while in school and the hours can be hard on her. I hate to see her so nervous about all this and I want to help.

Do you really think her school will be so strict? I mean, if someone really shines in a clinical setting and its obvious she would make a great nurse, would a school really fail her out of the program in the 2nd year for not making the grade on a combined average of 4 tests? Would they really take a good clinician and fail her out that easily? It seems ridiculous!!! I feel terrible because there is nothing I can do to make her feel better and she is convinced she is gonna fail out.

I can see if you're trying to be a Navy Seal or something but an RN? You're paying for this education and it doesn't seem logical to take all your money and then get rid of you that easily...especially if you have shown that you are great in clinical and have wonderful nursing skills as well as an incredible bedside manner.

I don't know what to tell her. Any advice? Thanks!!!

Thanks everyone. This thread has made a nice turn and I really appreciate the support. She appears to be feeling a bit better. I am gonna spoil her all this week...well, I am gonna spoil her more than usual.

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Originally posted by bender73

Thanks everyone. This thread has made a nice turn and I really appreciate the support. She appears to be feeling a bit better. I am gonna spoil her all this week...well, I am gonna spoil her more than usual.

Don't forget HER FEET....especially after clinicals and it's a nice habit to get into for when she is working on the floor...Get a nice cooling foot cream and read up about those accupressure points....and rub'em....

Dear Bender73...

It sounds like you are a true friend to your girlfriend..and I admire that about you. I would just listen and try and see if you can help her in any other area of her life so that she may focus more on her studies? My husband did that for me..and I got through it. I came home many a day and night crying my eyes out b/c the program was so hard for me...but with his support I made it through. Ask her to go to an instructor for support and suggestions. She will do it!! I have a feeling! Good Luck

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Originally posted by bender73

Settle down please. The Navy Seal reference was said because its an intensive hardcore training regimen where like only 20% of people pass. Also, I said it because, unlike a nursing program, I think Navy Seal training is free. Yikes. It was only meant as a comparison in the relm of cost and how easy it is to get dropped from Navy Seal training.

Just as a note:

In my program, about 40% of students were failed out in Anatomy/Physiology I, probably another 30% were failed out in Anatomy/Physiology II. The majority were prenursing, premed, or other Healthcare fields. Then about 15% of Pharmecology failed.

Out of over 450 applications(all having met the standards for admission) for the Nursing program, only about 60 were accepted for a total of 72 placements. (others were returning - if they fail a second course they are kicked out).

Of the people that I started nursing school with, about 14 graduated. Of the ones that are went to "weed out" pre-reqs with, maybe about 4or 5 graduated.

Ten years later, only two are still working as fulltime nurses ....and I am one of them.

You will have to check, but I think the Navy Seals may possibly have a better survival rate of school and career.

You are seeing as a partner, why there is a nursing shortage.

(And yes, I thought the writer was a tad possessive and the "gal" was a bit of an annoying reference, but will chalk it up personal bias)

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