Nursing course failure may assist the nursing students to future success. Both nursing faculty and nursing students need to look at reasons for a failure. If the issue is the nursing student, the student needs to ask for assistance and change what is necessary to gain success. If the issue is the faculty member, the faculty needs to consider a better way to educate the next generation of nurses.
In nursing programs, nursing students are expected to pass all nursing courses. Many nursing schools have progression policies that insist on a certain grade percentage for the student to pass and limit the number of courses a student may fail. In the nursing student's eyes, failing even one course is a bad thing but can this be the wrong attitude? Compounding this feeling are research findings. Frith, Sewell, and Clark (2005) found failure of a nursing course was predictive of NCLEX-RN failure.
But what if the student can use the nursing course failure to recognize a problem in either his or her study habits, understanding or material, or test anxiety? Could a nursing course failure lead to success of the student? Does the reality of failure actually cause the student to change and to become successful? This nursing faculty performed research which is unpublished that does give some evidence of failure being the impetus for success.
As a nursing faculty member, I have witnessed failure create success and compound failure. The students who change their attitude and study habits may go on to finish the program and pass the licensing examination.
I heard a student in the hallway last semester saying, 'I don't know what I was thinking last semester. Why did I find this course difficult. I know I am going to earn a B this semester.' I am not sure what nursing course it was but I smiled as I walked by. The student was repeating a course and actually understanding the material better. Failure may assist with success?
The other extreme is the failure leading to further failure. For the student who does not recognize a need to change, the initial failure may just compound into future failure. How many failures does a student endure before giving up or finding a new way to proceed? The student may even be dismissed from the nursing program as a result of multiple failures. Which is worse: a student who is dismissed from a nursing program for repetitive failures or a student who is passed through a program and fails the licensure exam?
Even though failure may lead to failure, should nursing faculty pass a student just to be 'nice'? Can the niceness lead to future failure? This niceness then may actually be mean and set up the student for disappointment and future failure.
For the nursing students who may read this, if you have a failing grade, do you blame the faculty member or do you go see them? Do you try to understand why you are failing? For faculty members, if all the students fail or a large majority of them fail, do you question what you could do better?
"As baby boomers continue to age, the need for health care grows" (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2011, para 1). With today's aging population, nurses are a necessary resource. Bargagliotti (2009) found as nurses age and retire, fewer nurses are taking their place. The projected shortage involves not only more graduate nurses failing the National Council Licensure Examination- Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) (Roa, Shipman, Hooten, & Carter, 2011) but also fewer nursing students completing nursing school.
For both faculty members and nursing students, the failures should be of concern. Faculty members need to reassess their examinations and other evaluation items. Are they evaluating the students adequately and fairly.
Nursing students need to discover the reason for their failure. Discovering the reason for failure whether it is a nursing course or the licensing exam may assist the nursing student or graduate nurse to become successful in the end.
We need more registered nurses- we cannot afford all of the failures.
I wouldn't be in the same room with an instructor like that without a witness....
I would sit down alone with her and talk to her about what are her expectations . My advice is to be mellow and don't brag about your A's and academic backgrounds with her . Just tell her how can you improve ?
If you have all ready tried to talk to her with no results, I agree with those above. Make an appt to see her at the school and invite the chairperson of the department or lead instructor for the course to the discussion. Ask how you can improve and develop a remediation plan that both of you can agree to.... make sure the remediation plan is specific and allows you to succeed.
In my humble opinion, failure can be turned into a positive aspect if the person learns a lesson or two from it. The deprivation of failure can build character, instill perseverance, and teach a person to dust oneself off and try again, but this happens only if the individual consciously chooses to evaluate what went wrong.
Some people totally give up after failing. Others address the root causes of their failures, learn from the experience, and eventually succeed.
I too failed a course as well as repeated an exit exam to achieve the required score. I passed nclex pn and nclex rn both on the first try. I didn't let these things stop me from my goal.....I took it as it was and pressed forward. I learned to slow down on my exams because I was a really fast test taker and I found different ways to study my material.
Yes, I understand that this thread is meant to uplift people. But, failing a nursing course is not a positive for me ever.
So what do you do when you have personal setbacks? I am curious.
Setbacks happen; no one can avoid a setback or some form of an experience where one is back to the drawing board; if they are, they are creating their own setbacks, IMHO.
So what do you do when you have personal setbacks? I am curious.
Setbacks happen; no one can avoid a setback or some form of an experience where one is back to the drawing board; if they are, they are creating their own setbacks, IMHO.
I agree, but failing a nursing course can never be positive in my situation. Everybody is different.
I agree, but failing a nursing course can never be positive in my situation. Everybody is different.
What makes it different for you? Again, curiosity compelled me to ask again.
Again, how do you cope with other setbacks that you ave experienced? You have survived other setbacks, haven't you? You have learned to cope in a world full of potential setbacks, correct? Why would it be any different in nursing? I am interested in your response.
I'm a control freak in some ways. I've always wanted life to follow my rules. So when I got into nursing school I expected the same thing. Life slapped the crapped out of me and told me things work out the way need to. But in the end if I have it my way I would like to pass all my nursing courses. Yes, I could learn a thing or two if I taken the class again, but I would always think of alternate scenarios.
Thank you for this article. In my graduating class, there were at least four students who were scheduled to graduate earlier but had to repeat a course. They are all now RNs, doing well, and seem genuinely happy. However, there are others who were much closer to the top of the class who are now miserable as nurses. I do believe that success in nursing school doesn't always translate to success in the day to day reality of bedside nursing.
What would happen if your patient codes ? Don't tell me you will be in control ? I like your thinking but life is so unpredictable. We make mistakes as humans and it's ok , we just learn from it and move on . Life is about living and learning ....it makes u weaker or stronger .
morte, LPN, LVN
7,015 Posts
I wouldn't be in the same room with an instructor like that without a witness....