I flunked out in my last semester by a tenth of a point!! Please help me..

Jules A, MSN · Nov 14, 2008

I'm so sorry. Sending good thoughts your way.

jjjoy, LPN · Nov 14, 2008

It may be that you've been teetering on the brink for some time and really could use the extra time to consolidate your learning. Or it may be that you just flat out got unlucky with a particular set of test questions or an unfortunately bad combination of the instructor's teaching style and your learning style. People will have many theories about why you failed the class. Don't automatically accept their interpretation, though. You get to decide for yourself what you think of the situation... and I figure you might as well choose an interpretation that motivates you as opposed to one that makes you feel like crawling into a hole and pulling it in behind you. While it may not be fair, in both life and nursing, we can do everything "right" and still have a negative outcome. Sooner or later everyone comes up against this to varying degrees. Lucky you, you get this experience before even graduating. Okay, I'm being sarcastic there, but it really CAN become something that is a benefit to you, and not just an problem. If you end up having to spend another year before you can graduate, maybe you can find some unique student opportunities that you can take advantage of during that time. You can look into internships, student nursing organizations, etc.

Remember to be as kind and loving and forgiving of yourself as you would be to a distraught child or friend who was feeling the way you are right now. :icon_hug:

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 14, 2008

everyone who takes a chance in life to succeed fails at something big in his/her life. cowards are the only one's who will never experience defeat. the most important thing for you to do at this time is to get back up after you have had time to grieve.

while you are grieving make an effort to be readmitted and to show the administrators that you will do whatever it takes to succeed the next time. you failed by a 10th of a point and yes, you could have passed by the same amount, but that would not have done you much good. you would have passed without actually knowing anything. this way you have the opportunity to reflect so when you complete the course the next time, you will not be struggling again! also, you have the opportunity to put in extra time to study for your nclex. :twocents: gl!

-4th semester student who has failed at something big in life and has gotten back up much stronger!

nautica843 · Nov 14, 2008

Thank all of you so so very much for giving me these comforting reponses..It really means so much to me..I feel like I am 1 in a billion....Why the last semester?????? With the help of God, and kind people like you..I know I can succeed and reach my goal..Thank you all!

Esther2007 · Nov 14, 2008

Good luck to you!

truern · Nov 14, 2008

Nautica, you would have just barely passed....think of this as a chance to get the material down pat and have that knowledge under your belt. There's no shame in failing a semester if you're willing to put your all into finding out what areas you had problems with and concentrating on that material until you KNOW IT.

Last semester IS hard...but you'll make it!!

nursemike, ASN, RN · Nov 14, 2008

There are plenty of excellent nurses who've overcome this, or similar, challenges. A friend of mine took NCLEX six times. The adversity you are dealing with now may make you stronger, in the long run.

My nurse manager once remarked that in over 20 years of nursing, no one ever asked her about her grades. Once you graduate and get your license, you're a nurse, no matter how you may have struggled to get there. How well you do after that is up to you. The strength you need to get through this will be with you when you are a working nurse.

Hang in there. Things will get better. Then they'll get worse. Then they'll get better, again. And so on.

uscstu4lfe · Nov 14, 2008

actually, the standards for passing nursing school are quite low, if you ask me. a minimum of 75% is a C average. it's just that - average. they're not requiring that you go above and beyond "average" to pass. nursing school requires knowledge of very basic math. again, average. they require a general, entry-level knowledge of medications. you learn basic, entry-level things. perhaps the reputation of being hard that some nurse seem to perputuate and carry on comes from everything being new and working with patients stuck in the hospital.

Jeffthenurse · Nov 15, 2008

I flunked Fundamentals of Nursing, took a semester off and worked as a nurses' aide, then returned to school and earned my BSN. Later I earned an MN (Master of Nursing). Take a few deep breaths, then go talk to your instructors and the Dean and see if you can work out something. If they say no at least you'll know it was more than the one-tenth of a point that caused you to fail. I've taught nursing and when a student was in danger of failing a course, we (instructor group) would meet with that student early in that semester and work out a plan to help them pass. We also did that for clinical. We wanted to avoid the "surprise--you failed!" shock that you and I experienced. My problem was in clinical and my instructor was right. I had "two left feet" and was disorganized. I vowed that I would NEVER do to any of my students what my instructor did to me. I'm surprised your instructors didn't sit you down and go over what you needed to do to pass. They owe you an apology for that.

truern · Nov 15, 2008

actually, the standards for passing nursing school are quite low, if you ask me. a minimum of 75% is a C average. it's just that - average.

Actually, at my NS passing was 78%. Guess it varies from school to school.

Night Owl RN · Nov 15, 2008

Meet with your instructor to recheck your test grades as one of the PP suggested. A student in my class failed last term by a tenth of a point or less. During the review of her exams, a calculation error was found and the recalculation of her final grade put her 01/100 above the pass grade. Good luck! :wink2: