I failed nursing school and need some advice!

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I need some advice, suggestions, help, anything! Ok here's my story. I failed nursing school at the end of 3rd semester. By 1 point. At final exams. The program I was in was associates degree program, at a community college. A 4 semester program. The program I was in had 2 major grades in each semester, clinical grade and test grade. At the end of 3rd, my clinical grade was a 97. It was the test taking that I had some trouble with. The anxiety of it. The school I was at was going through a lot of problems with instructors and the students had no one to go to for advice. I'm not making excuses. It was hard without the drama of our teachers. But, this is all I've ever wanted. Well, I didn't go back. Like a lot of people, my husband and I were terribly affected by the poor economy. During that year and a half of school we piled up over $10,000 of credit card debt, plus student loans. I have never worked a full time job, I've always been a full time student, but we have since then paid off that debt. That was 2 years ago, and I haven't done anything academically since then. I didn't go back because we couldn't afford it. And my self esteem and confidence was so low. It was a mistake not going back. And I regret it everyday. I want to go back to nursing school. But I really need some advice. I have talked it over with friends and family, and they all support me. I also have 3 small children. I know it sounds crazy, but I wanted it before.. And I still do now. I'm scared. It was so hard to depend on my husband and family to take care of my kids and everything else while I studied and wrote papers. And its scary to think I would put them through that again.

Am I crazy to think I can do this again? Should I just hang it up? I'm really struggling with this, but I want it so bad. And I want it for my family. And I know its what I was meant to do! I loved being in school before. Yes it was hard, but I was very passionate about it. I would just love some advice from someone who has been in my shoes, knows what I'm going through, anybody...

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I am in your shoes. I failed the first semester not third but I did not go back. I failed fall 08 semester (by three points in theory, also had high 90s in clinicals). I just reapplied for spring 2011. I won't find out until Oct if I get to go back.

There were many reasons why I didn't go back. Finances was one of them but also the issues that I was having in my personal life were still there. I think I would have failed again if I tried going back right away. Now two years later I finally feel I am ready to go back. I want it just as much as I did back then and now I am better prepared.

I your family is willing to help you out again I think you should do it. Will your school let you go back into third semester? Or do you have to start over? If its what you want don't give up!

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Specializes in Trauma, Cardiac Cath/Special procedures.

i was in your same shoes, except i was in my last semester and i missed the final by 2 points. i prayed,cried, yelled, and prayed some more. I found out about Excelsior College. it is an distant learning program. check out their site at excelsior.edu I did go through this program, and as of today 8-17-10, I am a graduate nurse. I just completed my last exam today!!!!!!!!!!!

Kelli, GN

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

If what you really want is to be a nurse, and you have family who can take care of your kids then go for it. You will only regret it if you don't.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I'm a bit confused by your post. This is what I understood: You were in third semester at a community college and failed out of the theory component by a very small margin, but you were doing excellently in clinical. You racked up debt of 10K plus loans, and you decided to not go back due to finances and the fear of failing again.

I see two issues here, not one.

First, you went to a community college, but you had an exorbitant amount of debt plus student loans. Considering the community colleges around here provide an ADN for about $5K, I would say your first issue is money management. Until you get a handle on that, success in nursing school won't make your money problems go away.

Secondly, you need to think about why you failed theory. You said test anxiety. Test anxiety is a legitimate issue with high-stakes tests, but I have to think there's something more that always goes with it. Do you feel you studied enough or did you study only enough to feel comfortable passing the test? I've heard some classmates say they put out enough effort to pass, and some say they just want to pass. They are always riding the line between passing and failing. Passing will still make you an RN, but you will constantly be full of anxiety every time you take a test, which increases your chances of failing. That's where text anxiety and adequate preparation mix.

If you feel you want to go for it, go for it. But, keep in mind the two issues above. You have to address both of them to keep your family financially solvent and to successfully complete your program.

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Specializes in ED.

Dudette, I applaud you and your post and how you 'said' it.

I totally agree with your advice 100%.

I would also say to the OP that in addition to addressing those two things, you also need to make CERTAIN that your family can and will support your decision to go back. If your husband isn't supportive of you, he could make this very difficult for you and end up possibly resenting you and maybe even the kids. If he isn't 100% committed to entertaining the kids and attending to their every need AND picking up a lot of extra responsibilities at home while you are in classes or studying, it probably won't work out for you this time either.

I really do not want to discourage you but, like Dudette said, unless you address the issues at hand, you won't be successful.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
I would also say to the OP that in addition to addressing those two things, you also need to make CERTAIN that your family can and will support your decision to go back. If your husband isn't supportive of you, he could make this very difficult for you and end up possibly resenting you and maybe even the kids. If he isn't 100% committed to entertaining the kids and attending to their every need AND picking up a lot of extra responsibilities at home while you are in classes or studying, it probably won't work out for you this time either.

This is definitely a big one. I know that I personally could not do this without an extremely supportive family. I'm sure it's the same for all of us that have people who depend on us...we have to depend on them during the absolute hell which has the been given the most deceptive, innocuous name of "nursing school". :D

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Thanks for all of your replies.my school will not allow me to come in at 3rd, I would have to start over from the beginning. About the financial situation, with tuition, books, uniforms, our program needing money for something every week, gas to get to school and clinicals (which was over an hour from home), food, and bills, daycare expenses, etc my husbands income wouldn't cover it. So yeah, we did accumulate a lot of debt. As for the test taking, I say it was anxiety. I felt like I knew the material. One of my instructors would quiz me during clinicals and I knew my material. And I studied my tail off. Maybe I studied too much. It just didn't happen for me that time. But thanks for all the advice. I definitely have some thinking to do. Its great to hear it from people who know how hard it is! Noone knows until they've experienced nursing school themselves.

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Thanks for all of your replies.my school will not allow me to come in at 3rd, I would have to start over from the beginning. About the financial situation, with tuition, books, uniforms, our program needing money for something every week, gas to get to school and clinicals (which was over an hour from home), food, and bills, daycare expenses, etc my husbands income wouldn't cover it. So yeah, we did accumulate a lot of debt. As for the test taking, I say it was anxiety. I felt like I knew the material. One of my instructors would quiz me during clinicals and I knew my material. And I studied my tail off. Maybe I studied too much. It just didn't happen for me that time. But thanks for all the advice. I definitely have some thinking to do. Its great to hear it from people who know how hard it is! Noone knows until they've experienced nursing school themselves.

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I think that you really need to think about this test anxiety thing and if you do decide to go back, you need to seek out some support to deal with that. If you are going to have that much anxiety over an exam at school, what are you going to do when it's the NCLEX? I'm really not saying this to be mean - I used to have really bad test anxiety & worked with the academic support office at my school while I was still doing my pre-req's so that I could get past that.

I know you have a lot to consider and I don't want to put more fuel on the fire, but it would be heart breaking (in my opinion) to make the commitment to go back, get through and then not be able to pass NCLEX.

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I do need to take that into consideration. I cannot imagine going back and failing again or not passing NCLEX. It would more devastating than before. But I can't let fear stop me either. I really don't know what to do.

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I'm a bit confused by your post. This is what I understood: You were in third semester at a community college and failed out of the theory component by a very small margin, but you were doing excellently in clinical. You racked up debt of 10K plus loans, and you decided to not go back due to finances and the fear of failing again.

I see two issues here, not one.

First, you went to a community college, but you had an exorbitant amount of debt plus student loans. Considering the community colleges around here provide an ADN for about $5K, I would say your first issue is money management. Until you get a handle on that, success in nursing school won't make your money problems go away.

Secondly, you need to think about why you failed theory. You said test anxiety. Test anxiety is a legitimate issue with high-stakes tests, but I have to think there's something more that always goes with it. Do you feel you studied enough or did you study only enough to feel comfortable passing the test? I've heard some classmates say they put out enough effort to pass, and some say they just want to pass. They are always riding the line between passing and failing. Passing will still make you an RN, but you will constantly be full of anxiety every time you take a test, which increases your chances of failing. That's where text anxiety and adequate preparation mix.

If you feel you want to go for it, go for it. But, keep in mind the two issues above. You have to address both of them to keep your family financially solvent and to successfully complete your program.

Whoa. That must be nice. I don't know where you are located but the ADN program I am in is gonna cost me alot more than 5K by the time I am through. Do you mean per year or for the whole program?

Anyway, OP, I agree with other posters, if you have the means to go (financially and a good support system) I say go for it. If the rest of your life lines up, there is nothing between you and NS but "air and opprotunity" as they say. The only regret you will have is not having tried again.

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