My letter and appeal got denied

Nursing pursuit · Mar 1, 2014

What is plan B supposed to be? I've been working on improvement to get better at it. I even got an nclex review book. I really think I would do better if I could get back in.

Whoatemyburger · Mar 1, 2014

If you get accepted again, you must be real careful about failing again . :wideyed: Good luck . Hope to hear you got back in .

Nursing pursuit · Mar 1, 2014

I hope so too, I'm putting full time effort to get back in.

DoGoodThenGo · Mar 1, 2014

What is plan B supposed to be? I've been working on improvement to get better at it. I even got an nclex review book. I really think I would do better if I could get back in.

Voice of tough love here (again). *LOL*

First am sorry to hear your appeal for re-entry was denied. However as one warned in your other thread on this matter is was always going to be a heavy lift.

Persons in charge of such decisions have heard every story/reason under the sun for why a student failed out. Everything from "my professor/instructor hates me because I am so pretty", to "my grandmother was terminally ill and I couldn't concentrate...". In the end it is often logic and rationale that wins an appeal, not emotion.

We here only know one side of the story (yours); we don't know what classes you failed, what sort of student you were and so forth. In the real world of nursing you often do not get two chances with a patient's life. Errors can lead to serious consequences including death. As one stated previously your nursing program did what it was designed to do in a way; weed out students statistically proven not having the academic chops to complete a nursing program and by extension pass the boards (on first attempt). This is *NOT* a personal attack and hope you do not take it as such. However no matter how great one's calling is to become a nurse that does not automatically translate into any sort of right.

Adaptive testing is used by many nursing programs with more doing so each year. Foremost reason is clear; it introduces nursing students to the format used for NCLEX. This allows them to wrap their heads around what that exam is asking of them and thus how to prepare.

With CAT everyone starts out at the same baseline, then going by responses the computer will either raise the bar or lower it in terms of questioning to meet the level of the test taker. Someone who continually answers correctly difficult questions will usually have less of them as the system measures there performance against the mean/baseline. Those that are having difficulty receive easier questions but more of them again to get them to the required level to pass. This is why some students pass the NCLEX answering 70 some odd questions, others take nearly or over 100.

The purpose of the NCLEX is to determine if the test taker is competent enough to practice safely as judged by results. There are graduate nurses that repeat the board exam once, twice, thrice, all the way up to eight or more attempts before they either pass or probably give up.

If you didn't understand what was being asked of you for the first adaptive exam you should have made it your mission to be sat down and have someone explain. Surely by the second or third (if there was one) test you should have known going in what was expected. If that was the case we are left with the alternative, your grasp of course content was below the mean.

Again am not launching a personal attack just trying to help you understand how persons viewing your appeal likely think. It is also what will go through any other nursing program's director/admissions committee if you apply elsewhere and they see you attended another school previous.

What is your plan B? That depends upon yourself. As others have replied adaptive testing is *not* going away. The LPN boards are given in the same format and you may even see it as part of such nursing programs. Employment screening exams is another area where it may pop up as well.

Again my previous advice stands; just getting back into this or another nursing program is not going to solve your problems if they are structural in nature and cannot be corrected. It is one thing to fail out of a program because of personal issues and or illness. But if the academics are cause for problems statistically you will be right back in the same situation again.

Nursing pursuit · Mar 2, 2014

You mentioned that the boards hear every story under the sun? Well, how about those who lie about a family death to get back in? Someone lied about that and let them in my school! I had a death in my family in my nursing semester and I didn't dare include that in my letter. I know that a student is judged solely on a plan to fix there problem which is why I left all personal issues out of my letter. In fact, I got my letter revised and have an appointment with the committee this week. I strongly doubt I would make the same mistake twice. I've impressed myself on comebacks...it's too much to list here. Every time I think about that, it tells me that I can make things work if I follow through my plans. I've done more than most wouldn't do in my situation. I made several appointments for better study habits, counseling and volunteered where I took my clinical to reduce anxiety at clinical. My counselor was impressed of what I have done so far because most nursing students wouldn't bother with what I've done. Those who fail out are so depressed that they can't concentrate on the process for readmission. None of these appointments, counseling, study workshops, or volunteering are asked of me, I do it so I can brush up any area of weakness I may have. I've even learned to go in depth of how to understand nclex style questions at my study workshop which I'm still following up with these appointments to get comfortable with them. I have another chance at this and I'll try to make it count.

DoGoodThenGo · Mar 2, 2014

You mentioned that the boards hear every story under the sun? Well, how about those who lie about a family death to get back in? Someone lied about that and let them in my school! I had a death in my family in my nursing semester and I didn't dare include that in my letter. I know that a student is judged solely on a plan to fix there problem which is why I left all personal issues out of my letter. In fact, I got my letter revised and have an appointment with the committee this week. I strongly doubt I would make the same mistake twice. I've impressed myself on comebacks...it's too much to list here. Every time I think about that, it tells me that I can make things work if I follow through my plans. I've done more than most wouldn't do in my situation. I made several appointments for better study habits, counseling and volunteered where I took my clinical to reduce anxiety at clinical. My counselor was impressed of what I have done so far because most nursing students wouldn't bother with what I've done. Those who fail out are so depressed that they can't concentrate on the process for readmission. None of these appointments, counseling, study workshops, or volunteering are asked of me, I do it so I can brush up any area of weakness I may have. I've even learned to go in depth of how to understand nclex style questions at my study workshop which I'm still following up with these appointments to get comfortable with them. I have another chance at this and I'll try to make it count.

Am not looking to start a battle with you over this, things are what they are. Unless you can document your situation is *exactly* like anyone else's that was reinstated dwelling upon it probably will come to nothing.

You are doing what needs to be done to lay groundwork for an successful appeal of the appeal, so best of luck!

Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN · Mar 6, 2014

Tough love - Sorry

This is where you have to grow up and be an adult. You failed, for whatever reason it maybe. Regardless, you're going to have to accept it as your own fault, and stop making excuses. If you failed 2 major nursing classes then that a problem. Lying to try to get back in isn't such a smart idea, regardless of what other people may have done, and even if you did make up some lie to try and get in, remember that you have no just posted your intentions on the world wide web for everyone to see.