I'm failing out of nursing school

[BusyMan]

Hi all,

I am currently in my first year of nursing program at my local community college. I am a full time student, working one day a week as a CNA, and a father of one. Currently, I am failing both of my courses this semester (1 nursing course and pharmacology). I had the option of withdrawing but I really want to try and pass so that is what I am doing but struggling! Now the rule for my school's program is that if I fail two nursing courses (which now I currently am) I will be excused from the program. I am trying my best to pass but results indicated that odd are, I will not. Now I am facing possible failing out, dismissal from the nursing program and I am honestly not sure what to do with myself right now. I hear so many people tell me to "keep trying" "dont give up!" "You can do it" and I've also been told that there are LPN programs out there but honestly, I just want to go to school to be a RN. Any real tips, any real thoughts, please help me out. I really want to and am trying to pass.

ive spoken to advisors and gone to study sessions. They all kind of end in a fail because when the exams come, what I learned from the slides just don't correlate exactly to what material I am given or I am just plain given way too much material it's nearly impossible to remember everything, especially the things they test me on.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Hi, I moved to allnurses General Nursing Student forum for member advice and support.

Check the previous threads here along with FAQ section at top of forum page for ideas.

[canigraduate]

Here are my suggestions for you to pass. These suggestions are coldly practical, and are not for everyone.

You need to honestly assess whether it is possible to pass at this point. Calculate your averages and what points you must have on tests to meet the minimum passing requirement.

If you can't pass, then you need to quit school and try again elsewhere.

If you can pass, stop trying in one class, whichever has the lower grade, and put all your energy into the other one.

Figure out WHY you are failing. There is always a reason. Are you not studious enough? Do you have a learning disability? Do you need to change your study habits? Are you spending too much time with friends and family? Have you not taken your studies seriously? Are you smart enough to understand the material?

Reevaluate your desire to be a nurse. Is this really what you want to do? If it is, you need to become temporarily obsessed with school.

If you are a single dad, find some way to have your child cared for nearly 24/7 so you can prioritize your studies right now. This will only be temporary and it will lead to better things for your family in the long run.

Utilize different learning modalities. Search YouTube for videos, record your lectures and listen, make compare-and-contrast charts, even make models if you have to.

Use your school resources to the fullest extent.

Hire a private tutor or try to get a peer to tutor you.

Do a few searches here on AN about what you don't understand. There are all kinds of help on the student boards.

Use the Fundamentals For Success book that you can get on Amazon. It has helped tons of people on here.

Best of luck to you.

[Mrs2016]

canigraduate, RN advice to you is spot on. If you can pass one class and fail the other without being kicked out of the program, I would do that. For Pharm, I youtube almost everything, and I use other books for my classes. Doing practice questions from Nclex books (Saunders) or using PrepU while you are studying has helped me tremendously. Need to do at least 100 questions on the subject at hand in a week has helped me. I wish you the best

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

The problem I am seeing is you. Are studying, but you are finding out that nursing tests are not prereq tests. You are not just memorizing here. You need to be able to apply what you are studying. So you are shocked that you think this info is not what you studied when it is, you just aren't regurgitating knowledge anymore.

You need to learn how to prioritize. What is most important at that moment? What are the patients telling you? Who can wait 5 minutes, who is possibly dying at that moment? Look at Maslows Heirarchy of needs. Physiologic, then safety. Commit that pyramid to memory. Know how to use it. Know your lab values. Who's airway is possibly compromised. What does your assessment of the patient tell you? What are their vital signs, what do their lungs sound like? You have to be able to paint a picture if each patient. That is nursing.

you need to change the way you look at these tests. Maybe that can help you get through the end of the semester.

[lovinglife2015]

Yes, it is too late to withdraw. My thought at the time was, it would be great if I can pass 1 class and fail the other. That way I only have to repeat 1 and somewhat save time. But now, I'm just trying to keep myself sane!

-Paul

Why would you think that it's better to fail than withdraw? .

[Msmedic68w, MSN, RN]

I start 4th semester in a couple weeks. In order for anyone to help you answer this question you need to be more specific, what exactly are you struggling with? Is it nursing priorities, the pathophysiology, managing care or what?

Either way, I would say the biggest thing is understanding the patho, if you understand what's going on in the body then you can plan your care and figure out what drugs to use. Think about hypoxia for example, first what does that even mean? what is happening at the cellular level first, then consider the tissues, then the organ systems. Look at the question again, under what circumstances is this person hypoxic? Is it because of asthma, or COPD ect? Go back to the patho of said disease and work from the cellular level up. What needs to happen to fix this? What is the mechanism of action of that drug that is going to reverse this, if one of the answers is not a drug....then what intervention is needed?

patho, patho, patho!!

[SarahStrings]

I'm sure you have heard it before but you have to speak to your professors. Either could give you a realistic suggestion about whether or not you would be able to pass either course. And you should have an idea too. Try to withdraw from one or both courses if that will allow you to continue with your studies. Good luck!

[SteveVBall05]

Hi, Im new to this but can share a relateable story. I dont think youre working too much. 1 day/week if that can keep you and your child above water, as a CNA (as I am one and underpaid) than more to you. Try to get any anxiety down. I almost failed my first semester too but I got a tutor who was an NP. Most community colleges offer tutors. Explore that because study sessions, etc are never really successful. For me it was quite distracting and always off topic. Study the notes and the "why" behind it. Dont memorize facts (and this will help when you DO pass in later semesters) [it all builds on previous semesters] Take out a sheet of blank white paper. BIG and BOLD write: I can do this! Hang it somewhere you can look at it every day. Confidence is 90% of it! Pharm is tough. Not sure about you but I did all my pre/co reqs before the start of the program so all I needed to do was Nursing 1, 2, 3, 4. IF you fail at something let it be Pharm. I wish you the best of luck, hang in there, I was on a similar path...but I graduated in December with my ADN! Focus, immerse yourself everyday. Open your book everyday. My best.

-Steve

[Ancher]

I'm a non-traditional student and Im also a father of two. Before nursing school, I was a 4.0 student. I had a natural ability to with memorizing things, as im sure most nursing students have. When it came to nursing school, I was thrown out of my game. The biggest shocker was the first test I took. New students will study for HOURS memorizing facts, and are dumbfounded when the test comes around. What i've done so far to be successful is focus my energy on practice questions (saunders,success series, etc) and watching lecture videos on youtube when something doesn't make sense.

Good luck man, Don't give up. Fight through this. Ask why, don't memorize.

[caliotter3]

Why would you think that it's better to fail than withdraw? .

Since the OP says that withdrawing is not an option, he sees the wisdom in putting his focus on one course and hopefully passing that one course, instead of attempting to spread himself across both courses, and then possibly failing both.

[ammonthenephite]

I agree with a couple of others: The class with the lower grade you are going to completely abandon, and place all your time and effort in passing the class with the higher grade. Then you retake the other.

During the two quarters/semesters you will only have one class each, you'll also need to learn more about what works best for you in terms of studying. You'll also want to get a few of the nclex practice books and just practice nursing questions and understanding the rationals behind why the right answer is actually the right answer. Learning how they test you is as important as the info iteslf, honestly. Its only going to get harder, so you'll need to up your game in the testing arena as well as the knowledge absorption and application arena.

You can do it though!

[Red Kryptonite]

I agree with a couple of others: The class with the lower grade you are going to completely abandon, and place all your time and effort in passing the class with the higher grade. Then you retake the other.

I agree with this as well, only because you've painted yourself into this corner where it's your only choice.

In the future, though, have a little more wisdom and maturity about when to call uncle. Seems to me you're in a really bad place because of foolish pride and listening to bad advice.