Medical Leave , make up clinical hours

Nursing Students General Students

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July 12th of this year, I was hit by a drunk driver and suffered a Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. I had a skull fracture, 3 Brain Bleeds, and Severely low Electrolyte levels. I was in the IMCU/ICU for 3 weeks. It's a miracle I'm alive and functioning. I have 4 hours of therapy 3 days a week, not able to drive at all for another 3-4 months. The doctor's can't believe I am alive, and how I am recovering. It has been life changing and everyday is different but it has been a learning experience.

I had to take a Medical Leave from school. The week before the accident, I finished my last round of clinical hours, and I passed them also. Well, my school is saying I have to redo the hours? This doesn't make sense to me at all. If I passed and did my hours, why should I have to do the clinicals? If it matters, I live in Indiana. Do I have any options?

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First let me say, I'm so glad you survived! Not only suvived but are able to continue on with your education!

Now to your question...During my LPN schooling we got a grade for the lecture/class portion as well as a clinical grade, you had to pass both in order to move on. Fail one portion you had to redo both components. In my LPN to RN class, lecture was graded, clinical was pass or fail (did not show up on transcript as a seperate grade). Again, if you failed one of the two components you had to redo both.

As far as I know (I have many friends who attended different schools in our State) and it was the same, fail one portion you had to repeat both. Repeating the course cost the same so no one was paying again for a portion they passed.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

((HUGS)) what a horrible experience for you and your family! I am so glad you are in the mend.

Unfortunately...Your school can choose to do whatever it wishes. I have to say I am not suprised that they will make you repeat. Even though you were already out on leave when you got struck....Severe head injuries can change your thought process and while you seem perfectly fine....some higher functional critical thinking might still be affected. They may feel the need to re-evaluate and ensure you are OK with nursing stuff first.

Regardless of how well you are doing...and you sound like a miracle...some residual effects remain that can go unnoticed even during rehab.

Talk with them find out why they have made this decision...will it be at full cost?

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Specializes in ICU.

It depends on how the class is structured. Is the clinical it's own class or is it a part of another class. Like we are in med/surg right now. Med/surg lecture is 102 and 3 credit hours, med/surg lab is 103 and is 2 credit hours. Med/surg clinical is 105 and is also 2 credit hours. So they are all stand alone classes. Your school may be different.

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