Kicked out of LPN Program

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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I've been in my LPN program for a couple of months. In my program, I was the senior citizen at 49 years of age. As our program is very rigorous and moves at a fast pace, I was able to excell in the program due to my maturity. In fact, I kept my average around 96% on all of the tests and turned in my assignments in a timely manner.

Last Friday morning, on my way to my first clinical orientation, I was involved in a very serious automobile accident. A person rear ended me on the interstate. I was going 65MPH, and the guy was going 100MPH. I spun through 3 lanes of traffic and ended up in the median. My car was folded up like an accordian. Luckily, I am alive, have suffered only whiplash, 2 broken ribs, and lower back pain. I was checked out of the hospital with sufficient meds, and a wrap for my ribs.

Returning to clinicals, I was out of place, having received no orientation, I felt like a duck out of water. I did my best for 2 days, but was unable to move patients etc. The instructor, who I respected, pulled me aside on the third day, and suspended me. She told me that she wasn't kicking me out of the program, but that I could take the next CNA program, then start all over in the next LPN program in Feb. As I have made a midlife career change, my finances only allowed me to budget expenses for a year, and this would take 50% longer, and continuing in this program would not be economically feasable.

Yesterday, I spoke with the head of the Nursing Department to discuss the matter. My instructor had made out an incident report to cover her ass containing many inaccuracies and downright lies. In it, she accused me of basically throwing a tantrum, not reporting my prescriptions....which I did, and generally being an ass. I asked the head of the nursing program for a copy of this incident report, and she refused to give me a copy, citing confidentiality. I thought I was entitled to see all of my records.

I did, however, get her to agree to refund all monies that I had paid for tuition, and write a letter that said I was withdrawn from the program on September 21. We shall see if any of this occurs.

As for me, I'm 49 years old, have no job, am injured, and my mental state is a total mess. The future for me is not bright. My auto insurance company is the same company of the guy who hit me. The insurance company is trying to cut corners, and not pay me what is a proper amount, and now I'm going to have to hire a lawyer.

None of this is my fault, not one bit. I left home a week ago, all excited for my first day of clinicals. Instead, my life is ruined.

Jeff

First thing first, get better! Start looking for RN program, shoot higher, BSN! If you start at a community college, you'd be done in two years with RN then later work towards BSN. When you're in college, you can get financial aid that cover tuition, books, supplies, fees, and living expenses. This may even mean taking out student loans that don't look at your credit history.

Check out this website for nurses with disability. I know that you're not "disabled" per se. But worth check it out. There's information about what to do when you have been discriminated like the case with yours. I think you have a case, it has discrimination written all over. Sorry that this happened to you.

http://www.exceptionalnurse.com/

Good luck and Godspeed!

Tommy

I've been in my LPN program for a couple of months. In my program, I was the senior citizen at 49 years of age. As our program is very rigorous and moves at a fast pace, I was able to excell in the program due to my maturity. In fact, I kept my average around 96% on all of the tests and turned in my assignments in a timely manner.

Last Friday morning, on my way to my first clinical orientation, I was involved in a very serious automobile accident. A person rear ended me on the interstate. I was going 65MPH, and the guy was going 100MPH. I spun through 3 lanes of traffic and ended up in the median. My car was folded up like an accordian. Luckily, I am alive, have suffered only whiplash, 2 broken ribs, and lower back pain. I was checked out of the hospital with sufficient meds, and a wrap for my ribs.

Returning to clinicals, I was out of place, having received no orientation, I felt like a duck out of water. I did my best for 2 days, but was unable to move patients etc. The instructor, who I respected, pulled me aside on the third day, and suspended me. She told me that she wasn't kicking me out of the program, but that I could take the next CNA program, then start all over in the next LPN program in Feb. As I have made a midlife career change, my finances only allowed me to budget expenses for a year, and this would take 50% longer, and continuing in this program would not be economically feasable.

Yesterday, I spoke with the head of the Nursing Department to discuss the matter. My instructor had made out an incident report to cover her ass containing many inaccuracies and downright lies. In it, she accused me of basically throwing a tantrum, not reporting my prescriptions....which I did, and generally being an ass. I asked the head of the nursing program for a copy of this incident report, and she refused to give me a copy, citing confidentiality. I thought I was entitled to see all of my records.

I did, however, get her to agree to refund all monies that I had paid for tuition, and write a letter that said I was withdrawn from the program on September 21. We shall see if any of this occurs.

As for me, I'm 49 years old, have no job, am injured, and my mental state is a total mess. The future for me is not bright. My auto insurance company is the same company of the guy who hit me. The insurance company is trying to cut corners, and not pay me what is a proper amount, and now I'm going to have to hire a lawyer.

None of this is my fault, not one bit. I left home a week ago, all excited for my first day of clinicals. Instead, my life is ruined.

Jeff

Specializes in OB, ortho/neuro, home care, office.

I am so sorry your going through this. Is there another school in your area? I would check into other options because the stigma at this school may not be so good when you return. I hope you heal from your injuries in a fast manner.

Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

I understand that it seems unfair to suspend you, but honestly if you couldn't do patient care what were they supposed to do?? They did at least refund your tuition.

Take some time for your body to heal and then GET BACK ON THAT HORSE!!

Again, I know it doesn't seem fair, and I'm sorry this happened to you.

Btw..how many days of clinical are you allowed to miss?? Would you be physically able to work within that time frame??

They said that they would refund my tuition. I still don't have the check in my hands yet. I see the other side of the coin too, as for having to be able to give care to the patients. I also see a class where the rules are inscribed in stone, but selectively enforced or not enforced depending if one is a teacher's pet or not. As for the clinicals, I only missed one day. There was one of the "teacher's pets" who missed two days last week and is still in the program.

Our program requires all missed clinicals to be made up on the weekends.

I'm not going to waste any more time with trying to become a nurse.

Jeff

I'm through with my career as a prospective nurse. I gave it my best shot, and through actions beyond my control, was kicked out.

What really upsets me is that I gave up a $75,000 a year job to pursue nursing. I must have had holes in my head.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
There's information about what to do when you have been discriminated like the case with yours. I think you have a case, it has discrimination written all over.

Tommy

I beg to differ here. This is not discrimination and although I am sorry this happened to the OP, he really had no place caring for patients in this situation. It is unfortunate and most necessary to protect him, the patients, and the school.

Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.
I beg to differ here. This is not discrimination and although I am sorry this happened to the OP, he really had no place caring for patients in this situation. It is unfortunate and most necessary to protect him, the patients, and the school.

So true...we had to have a physical stating that there was no physical or mental disability that would interfer with our ability to provide physical care to the patients. While it's unfortunate that the OP was injured in something beyond his control, if he can't give care he can't stay in the program. HOWEVER, if he only missed one day of clinical and can make it up, AND he's sufficiently healed enough to provide for his patients, then he needs to appeal to the powers that be about staying in the program.

Sorry, but with whiplash and two fractured ribs, you are in no shape to be moving patients around. I wonder if he actually had clearance to be back at the bedside................as a nurse, he would not.

I was not discriminated against per se. Even though the rules are selectively enforced, I'm not going to charge discrimination. However, if I don't get a timely refund, and a letter noting the reason of my discharge from the program, then I will bury them in so much litigation they won't know what hit them. I come from a family of attorneys who love nothing more than a good streetfight.

Sorry, but with whiplash and two fractured ribs, you are in no shape to be moving patients around. I wonder if he actually had clearance to be back at the bedside................as a nurse, he would not.

I just wonder if the other male in the program, who is a minority, and has flunked 4 tests and had to re-take them, should be caring for patients.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
I was not discriminated against per se. Even though the rules are selectively enforced, I'm not going to charge discrimination. However, if I don't get a timely refund, and a letter noting the reason of my discharge from the program, then I will bury them in so much litigation they won't know what hit them. I come from a family of attorneys who love nothing more than a good streetfight.

I do hope you can get your refund, but, to seek litigation on grounds of discrimination is not well-founded.

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