Letter Grades for Clinical?

michw2 · May 5, 2005

Okay, I really need to vent about something. I just finished my Pediatrics clinical and really enjoyed it. I had a great clinical instructor, and had no problems with her. Until she gave me a 'B' in clinical. The reason: I need to be more assertive. Yes, yes, my paperwork is excellent, I am a caring person, hardworking, etc, but I need to be more assertive. She told one of my friends the same exact thing and she ended up with an 'A'. Huh?? Which leads me to my point......how the heck can you put a letter grade on clinical? Especially when you have 5 days on the actual floor and your instructor is with you maybe 30 minutes of that time. :angryfire
Does anyone else get letter grades for clinical, and if so, what do you think about that?

We don't have letter grades ours are just pass or fail

z's playa · May 5, 2005

Yeah us too. Its either S for pass or U for fail.

(satisfactory or unsatisfactory)

Z

Nurse2B2005 · May 5, 2005

Okay, I really need to vent about something. I just finished my Pediatrics clinical and really enjoyed it. I had a great clinical instructor, and had no problems with her. Until she gave me a 'B' in clinical. The reason: I need to be more assertive. Yes, yes, my paperwork is excellent, I am a caring person, hardworking, etc, but I need to be more assertive. She told one of my friends the same exact thing and she ended up with an 'A'. Huh?? Which leads me to my point......how the heck can you put a letter grade on clinical? Especially when you have 5 days on the actual floor and your instructor is with you maybe 30 minutes of that time. :angryfire
Does anyone else get letter grades for clinical, and if so, what do you think about that?

Our school gives pass/fail as well. At first, in the beginning of nursing school, I didn't understand why we didn't get letter grades, but going through the program it started to make sense to me. Either you have your stuff together, or you don't, is the way I guess the instructor's look at it, and that's why they can't give us a true letter grade. Plus, even though they are on the floor with us, the actual face time with them is about 20 minutes, if that, a day. Sorry about your frustrations. Hang in there though.

landonsles · May 5, 2005

We get letter grades and pass/fail. First you either pass or fail. Then you get a letter grade based upon your paperwork. We had two concept maps/data bases due (at 30% of our grade each). We had two teaching plans (at 5% each). Then we had a clinical exam worth 30%. We did have a ton of other paperwork, but we just got a checkmark for having done it (I am sure it counted toward the pass/fail).

I think if a teacher is going to give a letter grade, it should be based upon hard data (tests and papers) and not what he/she thinks of you as a student ("you weren't assertive enough").

JenNJFLCA · May 5, 2005

I know!! I accept my grades in lecture because they are measurable!!

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · May 5, 2005

Ours were pass or fail.

mitchsmom · May 5, 2005

That sucks... way too subjective! I'd be having a fit. We are pass/fail.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · May 5, 2005

Okay, I really need to vent about something. I just finished my Pediatrics clinical and really enjoyed it. I had a great clinical instructor, and had no problems with her. Until she gave me a 'B' in clinical. The reason: I need to be more assertive. Yes, yes, my paperwork is excellent, I am a caring person, hardworking, etc, but I need to be more assertive. She told one of my friends the same exact thing and she ended up with an 'A'. Huh?? Which leads me to my point......how the heck can you put a letter grade on clinical? Especially when you have 5 days on the actual floor and your instructor is with you maybe 30 minutes of that time. :angryfire
Does anyone else get letter grades for clinical, and if so, what do you think about that?

Ours was pass fail, and even our care plans were either satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

:confused: You were only on the floor for five days???

nursepotter05, RN · May 5, 2005

Ours were pass fail as well.

NewEnglandRN, RN · May 6, 2005

Pass or Fail

But, I did receive letter grades in Radiography clinical back in 1990.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · May 6, 2005

as a first time instructor, i evaluated my students today, and honestly, i think there should be something more than pass /fail (which is what our system is too). while i do agree it is not easy to put an actual value on someone's performance, i think those who are borderline passing should be differentiated from those who are exceptional. everyone in my group (as well as the entire pass) passed for clinical, but there is no doubt that some were much better than others. there is (at least should be) a difference between just passing and excellent.