Kicked out of nursing school b/c medical dx! Wth? Really?

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I was recently kicked out of the nursing program and boy am I LIVID!! I graduate Dec 18!! I am carrying a 3.66 GPA. I have been dx with manic depression/bi polar. I had an anxiety attack before the start of my clinical rotation (mind you the first one I ever missed) in a ENTIRE YEAR!! I called my instructor and informed her that I was having an anxiety attack..not a major one but one that was mild and I didn't think i would be a good student in my current condition. She never called me back, I showed up the next day and was told that I should return in a year and to remove myself from the premises. I appealed the decision and they met without me on Friday, informed by email that I was dropped. So I took it to the President of the school in tears((I hate that I was crying but I have sacrificed hell just to get here. I am a single mother with a piece of crap vehicle, work part time at a job that doesn't even cover my monthly bills in any way and to kick me out for that!! Is there any recourse? Please keep in mind I haven't had an anxiety attack in three years and since this is the rotation we pass out meds...I freaked out!!

Devastated beyond consolation.............:devil:

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I am sorry for your troubles but did you have any documentation? Doctor's note? Was the school informed of your medical condition prior? Did you seek medical attention for the panic attack?

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No I didn't think it was important that they were informed of my dx. However, I did tell them at the time of the attack, well I am currently going thru a grievance(sp) process and the president of the University just asked me to get him anything ie pill bottle, copy of a prescription, medical dx. I am currently working my butt off to get him the information. My medical records are in another state, I have tried to contact Wal Greens for the prescription information but I have to go thru corporate and that can take up to 3 weeks to send. So I am working a couple of different angles. Sigh...IDK......sometimes I figure its not even worth the fight. I have missed two weeks of school while waiting on the appeal process and now wait on this. I mean what can he do really? Reinstate me? Thats funny, next term doesn't begin until April of next year!! So what is the purpose of sending him the information! Like its utterly unbelievable that a black person could actually suffer from a mental illness, is that so unbelievable? They have been informed of my ADD situation and the meds that I take for it, how can that be so far fetched? Jeez.....IDK...I don't wanna say its race related but a guy in my clincal rotation showed up 3 hours late he is still in the program. Another girl missed 3 clinicals and yet she remains when we can only miss 2!! Sigh.......IDK...been stressed out, can't eat, can't sleep, just a state of perpetual shame, disgust....... Even still if I am admitted back in the program I am afraid of the backlash from my instructor b/c I will have her for duration, at every clinical. She is the nursing chairperson, I can't even avoid her. She may not like the way I do a care plan, I have seen it happen SOO SOO many times with other students. I am beginning to think that nursing schools are designed to fail students. Our class starts with around 40 people, and only 5 or 6 graduate every year and NONE of them are african american!! They haven't had one black person graduate from the program in 5 years so what makes me any different?:confused:

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Specializes in None.

What is the exact reason they gave you, in the email?

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Specializes in None.
No I didn't think it was important that they were informed of my dx. However, I did tell them at the time of the attack, well I am currently going thru a grievance(sp) process and the president of the University just asked me to get him anything ie pill bottle, copy of a prescription, medical dx. I am currently working my butt off to get him the information. My medical records are in another state, I have tried to contact Wal Greens for the prescription information but I have to go thru corporate and that can take up to 3 weeks to send. So I am working a couple of different angles. Sigh...IDK......sometimes I figure its not even worth the fight. I have missed two weeks of school while waiting on the appeal process and now wait on this. I mean what can he do really? Reinstate me? Thats funny, next term doesn't begin until April of next year!! So what is the purpose of sending him the information! Like its utterly unbelievable that a black person could actually suffer from a mental illness, is that so unbelievable? They have been informed of my ADD situation and the meds that I take for it, how can that be so far fetched? Jeez.....IDK...I don't wanna say its race related but a guy in my clincal rotation showed up 3 hours late he is still in the program. Another girl missed 3 clinicals and yet she remains when we can only miss 2!! Sigh.......IDK...been stressed out, can't eat, can't sleep, just a state of perpetual shame, disgust....... Even still if I am admitted back in the program I am afraid of the backlash from my instructor b/c I will have her for duration, at every clinical. She is the nursing chairperson, I can't even avoid her. She may not like the way I do a care plan, I have seen it happen SOO SOO many times with other students. I am beginning to think that nursing schools are designed to fail students. Our class starts with around 40 people, and only 5 or 6 graduate every year and NONE of them are african american!! They haven't had one black person graduate from the program in 5 years so what makes me any different?:confused:

Man, that sounds rough. I'm so sorry you are going through that. You should keep fighting it. God will pull you through it. Be the first of your race to graduate in 5 years. Break that stigma! {hug}

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No I didn't think it was important that they were informed of my dx. However, I did tell them at the time of the attack, well I am currently going thru a grievance(sp) process and the president of the University just asked me to get him anything ie pill bottle, copy of a prescription, medical dx. I am currently working my butt off to get him the information. My medical records are in another state, I have tried to contact Wal Greens for the prescription information but I have to go thru corporate and that can take up to 3 weeks to send. So I am working a couple of different angles.

When I went through school we had to disclose any medical condition or disability that could possibly impair or effect us during clinicals, before going, so that proper arrangements could be made. Saved many of us grief later on...

Sigh...IDK......sometimes I figure its not even worth the fight. I have missed two weeks of school while waiting on the appeal process and now wait on this. I mean what can he do really? Reinstate me? Thats funny, next term doesn't begin until April of next year!! So what is the purpose of sending him the information! Like its utterly unbelievable that a black person could actually suffer from a mental illness, is that so unbelievable?

What does being black have to do with anything? Are you just throwing that out there to insinuate that there could have been a racial component?

What IS unbelievable is that you have 0 proof of anything... This is Nursing school and people come up with some amazing stories as to why they missed class. We were strictly told that we needed a Doctors note for missing ANY class at all, lecture OR clinicals or we would be thrown out.

They have been informed of my ADD situation and the meds that I take for it, how can that be so far fetched? Jeez.....IDK...I don't wanna say its race related but a guy in my clincal rotation showed up 3 hours late he is still in the program. Another girl missed 3 clinicals and yet she remains when we can only miss 2!!

Did they have a note... I bet they did! Not like I didn't go to urgent care when i was hung over for a note or two...

Sigh.......IDK...been stressed out, can't eat, can't sleep, just a state of perpetual shame, disgust....... Even still if I am admitted back in the program I am afraid of the backlash from my instructor b/c I will have her for duration, at every clinical. She is the nursing chairperson, I can't even avoid her. She may not like the way I do a care plan, I have seen it happen SOO SOO many times with other students. I am beginning to think that nursing schools are designed to fail students. Our class starts with around 40 people, and only 5 or 6 graduate every year and NONE of them are african american!! They haven't had one black person graduate from the program in 5 years so what makes me any different?:confused:

Stop throwing the race card out there unless you have proof.

What we can see from the situation is that you missed a clinical without an excuse. I would have thrown you out myself with 0 chance of reinstatement.

One of my classmates was admitted to the hospital for a week during clinicals, she changed into her scrubs and pulled her IV pole around while we did clinicals...that was the professionalism and determination of some of the students. Her preceptor was giving her her meds while she was giving her assigned patients their meds lol.

P.S. Just because a black person has not graduated in 5 years does not mean racism. I was the first Korean EVER to graduate from my program...forgot to mention I was the only Korean to attend too lol.

I HATE when the race card is the first line of defense for minorities. You screwed up, simple as that. Either fork up a Doctor's note or sit down and accept it...life lesson.

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Nikkels....Does your school have an office for students with disabilities? This may be the route to go to try for reinstatement into the program.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Please take this as wanting to be helpful:

Your posting style is very pressured. Are you gong thru a manic spell now? If so, you might be coming off as very stressed out and unable to continue in school.

I would doubt the school took such action lightly.

And...also - as you know, mental illness doesn't discriminate - it affects all races, so to say that beause you are AA you got kicked out is (to me at least) just another sign that you have much more going on.

I sincerely hope that you are getting some help.

Please take care.

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I understand your frustration. I would be too. But let's not pull the race card as it sounds as if you are almost using that as an excuse. It seems like you want to assume that it's about race instead of just admitting that you made a mistake.

Own up to your mistake and if you're unable to get the documentation you need, then let it be a lesson learned for next year. There are no excuses for missing clinical unless you have a doctor's note.

Shoot, I learned that in CNA clinical.

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When you told them why you weren't going to clinical, you provided them with the excuse to boot you. You now know the consequences of divulging sensitive information at the wrong time. Hopefully you will be able to resolve this situation and get a nursing license.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Sounds too fishy to me.....If I am on meds, I would still have the bottle. Medical records should not take that long to be mailed. Don't even get me started on the race thing!

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Trust me, I am not playing the race card. I have PROOF of that but will leave that alone, RACISM will never go any where. I know this, you know this....end of conversation!! No MY SCHOOL DID NOT REQUIRE WE DISCLOSE ANYTHING. That my dear friend is NOT unheard of b/c quite FRANKLY my medical condition is not there concern, esp with a mental illness.

Another thing, I have proof my diagnosis it is currrently on its way. You kick somebody out b/c they miss a day, things happen there have been times when infant was extremely ill and I STILL ATTENDED clinicals. There have been times when I had NO TRANSPORTATION and STILL ATTENDED clinicals, there have been times when I couldn't even pay a light or water bill AND I STILL ATTENDED clinicals, there have been times when I had to do without SO MUCH...I have sacrificed SO MUCH and still ATTENDED CLINICALS, with a smile on my face, not a hair outta place, shoes shined to perfection -- like nothing was wrong. So for you to suggest I screwed up b/c I UNFORTUNATELY had an anxiety attack!!

When I went through school we had to disclose any medical condition or disability that could possibly impair or effect us during clinicals, before going, so that proper arrangements could be made. Saved many of us grief later on...

What does being black have to do with anything? Are you just throwing that out there to insinuate that there could have been a racial component?

What IS unbelievable is that you have 0 proof of anything... This is Nursing school and people come up with some amazing stories as to why they missed class. We were strictly told that we needed a Doctors note for missing ANY class at all, lecture OR clinicals or we would be thrown out.

Did they have a note... I bet they did! Not like I didn't go to urgent care when i was hung over for a note or two...

Stop throwing the race card out there unless you have proof.

What we can see from the situation is that you missed a clinical without an excuse. I would have thrown you out myself with 0 chance of reinstatement.

One of my classmates was admitted to the hospital for a week during clinicals, she changed into her scrubs and pulled her IV pole around while we did clinicals...that was the professionalism and determination of some of the students. Her preceptor was giving her her meds while she was giving her assigned patients their meds lol.

P.S. Just because a black person has not graduated in 5 years does not mean racism. I was the first Korean EVER to graduate from my program...forgot to mention I was the only Korean to attend too lol.

I HATE when the race card is the first line of defense for minorities. You screwed up, simple as that. Either fork up a Doctor's note or sit down and accept it...life lesson.

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