kicked out OF PROGRAM ONE month before graduation

crazin01 · Apr 13, 2020

forgive me for asking a silly question, but how does online clinical work? I've taken regular classroom courses online, with message boards & discussions, required testing on-site, papers submitted, etc. But not sure how clinical works for that. Are there clinical instructors that you're communicating with, that provide feedback to the DON/your teachers? When you say you 'group chatted' with colleagues, is that also online, like message board or cell phone? Not that it matters, I'm just unsure how the online clinicals work.

If you are in your home/other location on a computer, doing stuff via the web, is she worried you and others were not focused or doing something other than clinicals? Was is just a message every 30 minutes, or constant messages between anybody every few minutes?

And why is it only two of you that were kicked out? Do you think another maybe ratting on you, saying you initiated and distracted them? Were the 'reports' she received from other students, or instructors?

It seems a bit harsh to take such extreme measures if this is the first instance. Was is strictly forbidden in some small print or contract that you would not contact others via certain means during clinicals? If not it seems at least a written warning would be warranted for your file, opposed to outright being tossed out.

Sorry for all the questions, but I am not sure how the online clinical stuff works and understanding that and any expectations/requirements stated prior to clinicals might also help clarify things.

nursynicu · Apr 13, 2020

Online clinicals was scenarios and med pass and dosage calculations thru program called Swift river ., we had from 12 am to 1159 to get a score of 80 and also turn in three care plans on those patients. Clinical hours was based on our assignment and time that would take which I'm sure was assumed to most the day. It was our first day on that program. This day our DON seemed to be in charge but she wasn't normally., It was our actual clinical instructors. I have never been in trouble for any reason . Not even a little . There was another girl dismissed from our class in December after taking two classes and failing. I know now she turned the chat into the DON. Why two of us were dismissed instead of all 8 of us , is not clear to me. We were all seeing messages as none of them were inappropriate or different from another. I assume they don't want to kick 8 people out but they are OK with two. It's very strange , especially with our current nursing shortage. The chat was not constant. It was over four hours. I sent a total of four messages. There was no clear rules for phones at clinicals except don't take phones out around actual patients and such, and not for when we're at home because of a virus we can't control having to navigate all this new stuff alone. In our syllabus it's clearly states in extreme cases a student can be dismissed without a verbal or written warning but I would hardly classify this as extreme. All I know is it's hard enough to handle all this change and to just kick us out for texting our fellow classmates during this time should be applauded not dismissed.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Apr 13, 2020

Moved to the Student discussion forum

Mergirlc, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 13, 2020

Could it be you were sharing answers/copying? I"m guessing they want you to treat this as an actual clinical and perhaps sharing answers is not allowed? It sounds like it if she said she got reports of texting during this assignment.

I've taken online pre-req classes (not clinicals, but they were science courses) that were actually recorded while taking the class. It was an actual recording, the browser was locked and you had to have the microphone & camera on while testing. You weren't supposed to use notes, phones, books, nothing.

Another question: What do you expect to accomplish by hiring an attorney?

rose170800 · Apr 13, 2020

I feel there is some missing information. If what you say is true, then yes you have a strong case and can say you were never informed you cant text during online clinical. If the content contained answers to the course work then it would make more sense, but either way is still way too harsh. Sorry you have to deal with this. You may want to talk about it with them to ask why it was you who was dismissed.

nursynicu · Apr 13, 2020

We were not sharing any answers. We were just checking in on each other. Asking how everyone was doing. I am hiring an attorney to overturn the dismissal , which was grossly out of proportion with the alleged conduct. There were a couple students caught cheating last semester and they were not kicked out so it's hard for me to see texting each other during clinical in our living room, which is unprecedented, a crime befitting dismissal.

nursynicu · Apr 13, 2020

There's is no missing information. Everything I told you is what it is. Plain as day. It's crazy and unfathomable. It makes no sense, I know. When I tell people the story, they ask the same things. There was no Cheating no HIPAA violations, no funny business at all. None. This is why I immediately hired an attorney.

Mergirlc, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 13, 2020

13 minutes ago, nursynicu said:
There's is no missing information. Everything I told you is what it is. Plain as day. It's crazy and unfathomable. It makes no sense, I know. When I tell people the story, they ask the same things. There was no Cheating no HIPAA violations, no funny business at all. None. This is why I immediately hired an attorney.

What do you expect to accomplish by hiring an attorney?

You do know that if the school overturned their decision, you're a walking target. One thing done wrong in clinical, online, even essays and they can kick you out. Even if your uniform is too wrinkled for their liking, they can kick you out. Harsh? Maybe. But it's their rules.

If you are suing for tuition reimbursement to start another school, there's that. Then again, you would have to start from scratch somewhere else. This can be problematic since we all know it sometimes takes some time to get into schools.

I guess you really have to see what their answer is as to why they dismissed you. They obviously have something or else they wouldn't chance just dismissing people because they felt like it w/o any cause.

Interesting situation to say the least.

crazin01 · Apr 13, 2020

How did the previously dismissed student from December (for failing 2 courses) have access to the chat, if she was no longer in the program? What does she have against you & the other one dismissed?

And what exactly is written in the letter as grounds for removal? Have you spoken with the DON about the letter & the rationale? It just seems something is amiss here. If there is truly no other questionable activity in your past with the program, to dismiss only 2 of the 8 is odd. Not that you want to get others tossed out, but have you asked the DON why the consequences only apply to two?

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2020

Impossible to answer without hearing the other side of the story.