Is your nursing program this disorganized?

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So I am in my first semester of an ABSN program, I won’t say where, as I am fearful they will kick me out if I leak any information about it (more on that later). So I was a straight A student until this program, I didn’t go in thinking I would get straight A’s, but I also didn’t think I would be fighting just to meet the “minimum” requirements either.

So lets start with our exams in fundamentals of nursing, they are extremely difficult, but NOT because the material is difficult, but because of their disorganization. It doesn’t matter how long or hard you study because they put things on there they don’t cover in class on purpose to “prepare us is for the NCLEX.” Not only that, they never tell us what is important to study for the exam, so we are left to guess and just go off of the PowerPoints that they literally just read straight from in lecture. They don’t follow a book at all. So books are out of the question. So there is just no way to study for these exams. Even NCLEX books don’t help because they make up there own questions that are extremely weird and difficult and usually over something we didn’t cover.

Not to mention, aren’t aloud to see our tests after we take them. We aren’t aloud to go over any questions to see what we got wrong or where to focus our time more on certain topics. We have three different instructors for this class. One will tell you a lab value, the other will tell you a different one, and the other will tell you another completely different number. All three will be on the exam as answers (only one is correct). And we don’t get points back either. We have to average a 75 percent (82% is a B) on five exams just to pass, or get any points added to our grade from all are other assignments. I feel like they do this to get their NCLEX first time pass rate numbers up.

Anyway, I just wanted to know if this is normal. I feel so out of control of grades. There is no tutoring for this course I already checked. Everybody seems to be doing bad as well. About 1/3 of our cohort already quit. This program preaches about how good they are all the time in class. How they are “preparing us for the NCLEX” How “they wasn’t us to be a nurse.” But when you need help, or anything they are no where to be found. We never have any clue when anything is due at all. They move due dates around from the syllabus and then one teacher will be like “why didn’t you guys complete this assignment”? Maybe because the other 1 out of our 3 teachers told us it isn’t due until next week. Yet the syllabus says it’s not due to the end of the semester. I mean even when we got to clinical the first day we couldn’t log onto the computers to chart because they didn’t send out the email to register through the hospital. The hospital was shocked. We told them “yea it’s pretty normal we never have any idea what’s going on.” I mean it’s just an absolute unorganized, utter chaotic program. And I feel like it’s hard, but hard for all the wrong reasons. All they do is brag about first time NCLEX pass rates. Like we can’t even pass your exams because you won’t help us, or let us see what we got wrong. Even if you schedule an exam review they don’t go over it with you. They read like three questions and say “here this is the right answer” without telling you the other answers. Like these are 130 question exams I don’t even remember the other answer choices were anyway. Like I mean they even show us what we got wrong?

I can take practice NCLEX style fundamentals tests through Kaplan and pass them, but somehow I can’t pass your exams? Like is this normal? We also aren’t aloud to talk about the program at all. We aren’t aloud to talk to each other about the tests. Not aloud to see our exams. They say it’s unprofessional and slander if we do. Our lab instructor also says to do things his way and not listen to CDC or hospital recommendations. Or the textbooks (which they don’t use at all anyway and paid thousands of dollars for). One time he even slipped up and “this my program” like bro you’re just the coordinator. Like this program is just horrible I feel like. And they are insane. But I have nothing to compare it to. Is this what it is supposed to be like? I expected a challenge, but NOT this type of challenge. Should I transfer. Are all ABSN programs like this?


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Honestly, it seems like you're not in a good nursing program. Did you look into the school before applying? It does seem very unorganized and it is ridiculous how you have 3 professors for 1 class. I also had 2 professors for 1 nursing class (this was the first time they did this) and I absolutely hated it because 1 professor would say 1 thing and the other would say the complete opposite. It was their first time doing it so it took them awhile, but eventually they got it down and were able to collaborate together.

You mentioned that your professors would not tell you what to focus more on a certain topic on your exam. They're not required to do that. I had some professors who would tell us certain topics to focus on and I had some professors who would not tell us anything about the exam. It really just depends on your professor.

I don't know how it is with other schools, but at mines our professor would always encourage us to come to their office hours to look at our exams to see what we got wrong. They sit next to us side by side and we go over the exam together. Obviously, we are not allowed to keep the exam or take it home to return, but it gave us a chance to see what questions we got wrong and why.

As for your clinical, for mines, for us to be able to log into the computers and chart it is our clinical instructor's responsibility to set everything up for us. Our clinical instructors have to send our information to the hospital to get our username and pw etc... Our school does not, they just have to send our basic information we need to have clinical, like our flu shot, background check etc...

Im surprised your school does not offer a tutor for the class either. My program has tutors for every nursing class. Maybe you can try finding an upperclassman and ask for help? & also keep in mind, is it just this fundamentals class that is unorganized? Your other classes could be better. I graduated already and my program has new professors for fundamentals. A lot of people have complained how it is unorganized/"the professor doesn't know what they're doing." & I understand where they are coming from and I understand that they are paying for their education. But they also have to keep in mind that the professor is new and she or he may have little to none experience in teaching a class. Not sure what else to tell you, sorry. There are also many videos on youtube that could maybe help.

As for transferring, if you believe that this program isn't right for you, than go for it. If you feel like you're not getting the education you need then it may be a good idea to look at other programs. Sorry if this was no help.

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Yikers. While exams being difficult because of question style versus content is the norm for me, as is multiple instructors for one class- I certainly hope the extreme to which your program has taken it is NOT normal.

I'm in my third semester now, and several of my classes have had more than one instructor. However, each instructor was responsible for writing the portion of the exam dealing with the content they lectured. The fact that you're not able to see exams for review is pretty terrible. I'm not sure how they expect you to learn and improve when they don't allow you to see where you flubbed up.

We do not have tutors for the nursing program specifically, but my professors are very receptive to meeting with you individually to go over exams and potential study strategies.

As far as lab/clinical instructors- every single one of mine have followed CDC/Joint Commission/hospital policies without question.

I'm sorry this has been such a struggle, and I hope you are able to bounce from this program and find one that works better for you. This definitely sounds like a money-grab type of program that makes nursing school far more difficult than it needs to be.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

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On 11/10/2019 at 10:42 PM, themurse said:

So I was a straight A student until this program, I didn’t go in thinking I would get straight A’s, but I also didn’t think I would be fighting just to meet the “minimum” requirements either.

In order to get accepted into a nursing program today, every applicant is a 'straight A student'. Now you are competing with fellow students of the same caliber.

 

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No, but it's pretty normal that the schedules are pretty tight. It's us students who are generally scattered and disorganized. I couldn't believe I missed something. Our instructors can be tougher, but they give us some exceptions under the right circumstances. For example, if our due date collides with our studying and is too soon, it's adjusted. Some dates are changed. I don't have a problem with these. Being a CNA trained me to some sudden or unexpected changes. ? 

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