I failed my ACLS and need advice.

[Sweetpea04, BSN]

I failed my ACLS class and need advice. 

I have been a nurse 3 years. I precept new nurses on my oncology floor and many times I get assigned the sickest patients on the floor. 

I worked in adult oncology for most of my time but I did transfer to the NICU for 7 months and then transferred back into adult oncology.

I have done my ACLS before and I did pass it when I was a brand new nurse...

I recently had to renew my ACLS that had been expired for many months (I was in the NICU and didn't think I would ever go back), So I signed up to do a 2 day course!

The 1st day was practice. 
2nd day was testing and a mega "code" where I had to perform what I had learned in what to do in an emergency situation (patient having cardiac arrest, epinephrine, cardioversion, shocking, CPR, epinephrine etc.)

1st day was a long day of being taught cardiac rhythms, learning about the defibrillator, CPR, ROSC management, how to respond in emergencies, etc. (I worked in groups with 2 other nurses and an instructor.)

I participated, spoke, took notes and paid attention.

I came home that night and studied the material and my notes. I really familiarized myself with the algorithms. 

I felt nervous but confident. I was nervous about performing in front of people in a "mega code" (I'm super introverted and do get really nervous in group settings).

The next day arrived ,and we studied in the morning again in groups. Then time came for the mega code, and I got some questions wrong about what I had to do in unstable tachycardia so I was made to re do it.

I had the chance to remediate it 20 minutes later, and I still failed. The 2nd time around I was flustered, nervous, and did not think I would fail the first time around! I only really passed the written part. I failed the other part. 

The instructors that day told me I did not pass and that I would need to sign up again for the 2 day course. I was mortified. I didn't expect this. 

I am not sure if I was just having a bad day, or that I need to get used to working with adults again, 

or maybe because on my current oncology floor I never have been in a code when a patient has gone into cardiac arrest. I have never had to use the defibrillator, have had to give epinephrine, do cardioversion, or pacing. Many "codes" on my unit are done on dying cancer patients and are given fluids, made DNR, sent to ICU, or given metropolol to stabilize a high heart rate. That what all the codes are like on my unit. 

I also am not happy with my job and apply to different areas every day, I'm not sure if my mental state was not right for the testing. 
 
Then that same day I failed the class, I got an email confirmation saying that I passed, I received continuing education credits , and I got a copy of my new ACLS card with new expiration date in 2 years.

It seemed like an automatic email, but it still came to me and now I have "physical" proof than I passed the class when I was told I didn't.

Nonetheless I did sign up to retake the class, and I have been studying ACLS on my free time because I know it's unsafe to work not knowing these things. 

However,  I am not sure if I should go to the class due to time constraints. I haven't told anyone that I failed, and no one seems to know. No one has told my manager, educator or anything.

can anybody give me advice on what to do? Should I attend the class or just make sure I know the information and study on my own time?

[offlabel]

Take it from a different set of instructors or a different group altogether. The mega code is so subjective and sometimes instructors just flex to show folks who the boss is. 

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

You passed. Your instructors were barbaric power tripping goons. Don't retake it. You're fine and you'll be fine.