Need your help - trying to change school policy

[CrystalShip]

I would greatly appreciate your help. After losing two more students after 5th quarter (of a 6 qtr ADN program) our class would like to put forth a proposal to lower the percentage required for remaining in the program. It would greatly help our cause if we had information from other schools of their requirements. If you could please let me know your school, city, state, and type of program (ADN, BSN, LPN, etc), the minimum gpa or percentage a student can earn before they are dropped out or what happens if a student falls below that mark for a class. THANK YOU!

ex. Seattle Central Community College, Seattle, WA, 2yr ADN, min. grade to stay in the program is 82% and if you fall below that you are dropped from the program with no option to retake a class.

Again, thank you for your input, I greatly appreciate your help. If you have additional information to add about how many students have been dropped from your program that would be great too.

[itsmyturn]

I think that it should be higher than the percentages listed...I really don't want a nurse who only knew 81% of the material over someone who got in the 90 percentile. I do believe that you should have the option to retake the class at a later date.

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

Md cc, both LPN and RN program requires a 75 %. Our cc has a 100 % nclex passing rate with first time takers.

- Good luck on your proposal.

[Mariposa2009, BSN, RN]

I go to Orange County Community College in Middletown, NY (2 yr ADN) and our minimum grade requirement is 75% overall each semester. You also must maintain a 2.75 gpa or higher and pass the med exam in the 1st sem 80, 2nd sem 85, 3rd sem 90, and 4th sem 95 with 3 attempts. You also have to have a C or higher in all prereqs. If you fall below 75% or don't pass for some reason, you may repeat the semester that you failed and continue with the program. You have to reapply and take a bridge course before reentering. And, you can only repeat one semester 1x (ex. if you repeat nur 1 you can't repeat nur 2-4). I do believe that some people are not good "TEST TAKERS" and do poorly, but would definitely be great nurses. Just because someone can ace an exam doesn't mean they'll be a good nurse, IMO.

[ShortStackRN]

I'm in an ADN program at Aiken Technical College. An 80% is required in all classes to pass...also we are given a pass/fail math exam at midterm with criteria as follows: 1st semester-80% to pass, 2nd semester-85%, 3rd-90%, 4th-95%...if you fail the math test 2 times you fail the entire class and are out of the program and must reapply...you are allowed to attempt a nursing class only once after failing...and that goes for the entire 2 years not per class...you are only allowed to fail once. We are not allowed ANY excused absences...you miss one day or have 2 tardies-PROBATION, another missed day or 2 tardies-OUT. I'm not sure that and 82% is really unfair...you don't want C students being responsible for lives. However, I do disagree like everyone else that the grading scale is COMPLETELY unfair (at my school its 80-85=C, 86-93=B, and 94-100=A...I am scared this may harm me when applying to a Master's program in the future. Also, my school has a 98% pass rate on NCLEX first attempt. HOPE THIS HELPS!!

[Equinox_93]

I think that it should be higher than the percentages listed...I really don't want a nurse who only knew 81% of the material over someone who got in the 90 percentile. I do believe that you should have the option to retake the class at a later date.

Remember though that alot of mistakes aren't due to not knowing the material, but can be due to test pressure. Many great nurses perform wonderfully in the field, but just don't test well.

[NamasteNurse, BSN, RN]

Ulster BOCES requires a 75 to stay in the program but you can be kicked out for getting below an 85 on any math test or not passing the medication exam which is a clinical two hour test with all of the instructors and you alone. We started with 48 people in January and are down to 23 at March 31.,

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

My previous experience, while admittedly with non-nursing education, is that instructors know what the grading scales are, know what grade distributions they want, and will tailor their exams and assignments accordingly. If your school has a 50% attrition rate, it's because they want to have a 50% attrition rate.

Also, in my school, an 86 is a B-, and an 80 is a C. We are allowed only one grade of a C or C+, and none below a C, else we are automatically booted from the program. Ergo, the OP, and most of the people in this thread, get no sympathy from me.

[truern]

For those nurses that "don't test well", how do you propose they get tested on materials and concepts they've learned??

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

For those nurses that "don't test well", how do you propose they get tested on materials and concepts they've learned??

"You" being the OP or one of the people who have replied?

[o0o0o]

The reality is that nursing students are part of a "NCLEX-pass-rate machine". Just like with any standardized testing benchmark, institutions start teaching to the test, not to content.

Why not make the passing score 85%, or 95%? Then the school would be guaranteed high NCLEX pass rates. What is to stop them? When a student is in their last semester, what does the school care if the student doesn't pass an arbitrary standard? They already have your money! Now they just need to maintain their pass rate.

Even if you get your school to change its passing grade (ain't gonna happen), the testing could easily be changed to compensate... it's all relative.

State boards of nursing should monitor and publish retention rates along side pass rates. It should be mandatory that these statistics be given to potential students entering the program. Problem is: who is going to push for this? The people who make it through nursing school are just glad to be done and will never look back. The one's who don't make it will never overcome the "I don't want someone who failed out of nursing school taking care of me!"argument.

Caring and compassion, baby.... Caring and compassion.

[greeniebean]

West ky community and tech. 2 yr associate. must maintain a 2.0 (a "c" or better in all classes) to be admitted and continue with program once admitted. reading all the posts i have a feeking my school has lower standards than some of yours!

[Equinox_93]

For those nurses that "don't test well", how do you propose they get tested on materials and concepts they've learned??

Practice testing skills (including stress relieving techniques) in addition to the course material....