My wife has been working for several years her ADN, she is currently taking Advanced Medical-Surgical class.
Last year was her second year of the ADN program, and she had to retake Advanced Concepts of Pharmacology, she has missed two questions on a pharmacology calculation test and they were required to pass missing only 1 question.
So even though she has a 90% in the class they failed her. They made her retake then entire class, and told her she could not continue on with the advanced med surg class, the second time she passed the test 100%. This delayed her program by an entire year.
Now she is back into class and is struggling. She gets has anxiety issue when it comes to test taking and just failed her first test in the class. She got caught up on several question and did not finish her test. I told her she needed to skip the question if it was taking too long and go onto other questions.. She said she knew that but just forgot her test taking skills. She has a three more tests to take in the class and needs to get a 77% average on all the tests... If she does not pass this class she is done and cannot go back into the program. After this class, she would have only two more classes to complete her degree.
At this point she is questioning weather or not she should continue at all. I don't know what to tell her, she is only 3 classes away from completing her degree but it seems she is struggling soo much. She knows the material really well, but just chokes on the tests. Her teacher suggested speaking with her schools instructional support office as they may be able to get her help. She is studying from sun up to sundown or even longer, and now she is questioning if she even wants this as her career...
Perhaps she could take the transition to LPN course and go work as an LPN for a while, and then come back to the RN degree. I'm not sure she can even go back into the program ever is she doesn't pass this class... If she drops the class now we cannot get the tuition back so I'm telling her she should try her best and continue on to the end...
I totally understand how your wife feels, but please encourage her to never give up. I agree with the other postings and would like to add that it may help your wife if before a test she take the material and "teach" it to you or someone else. I'm a visual and auditory learning so it helps to hear my self go over the things I've learned in class. It seems to stick better and come test time I'm more ampt not to "freeze up" (if this makes sense). She maybe already doing this, but a study group may be helpful. Good luck!!!
I wanted to follow up on this post... I would encourage any one who is having problems like my wife's to go into your schools support office sooner then later.
My wife did go in and they did help her out, she passing her next three tests with As!!! My wife was soo close to throwing in the towel and did not think she would get past her next test. In the end she passed the course now has only 2 classes left!
My only regret is that she / we did not get help sooner....
Thanks everyone for the support and suggestions...
Don't force fed her A's!! It could be the worse thing possible. Give the lady a break. One should want to go and then they will learn. She will not learn just going for A's and will burn out. I'd never do that to my better half. Shame on you! Please, give the Lady a break, for her sake as well as her future patients health sake. Its not just a job! We are all humans and not robots, and there is a maturation process in the learning curve you should not force, for her sake especiallly.
I really feel for your wife. It seems as if you are encouraging her, which is great. Remember to keep encouraging her and tell her that she can do it. I personally think that it is wrong for someone to be held back a whole year for missing one question. I had a few friends that that happened to and I was so angry about it. What ever happened to grace? I mean I understand if someone misses 20 questions but one...come one people. Almost every nurse I have talked to has talked about how difficult nursing school is. They continually tell me to not give up because once I am finished with nursing school than the nursing field is a lot easier to deal with. Nursing school has been the hardest thing I have ever gone through.I have almost given up at least twice but was talked out of it (thank God). As for your wife I would have her focus on all the classes that she has passed. It looks as if she has passed more than she has left to complete. If she can focus on the positive than maybe her confidence will be boosted. She can do this. Keep encouraging her. Hopefully this helps. I look forward to hearing when she graduates. Come back and post it when she does:)
He was just trying to help his wife pass her class. He's proud of her for going from FAILING to getting A's. What in the world is wrong with that??
He's coaxing and pushing her like an athletic kid's parent or a ruthless horse owner. If the motivation is not from within, something is missing. Is she going to be the bread winner? Well if that is all that she is being unnaturally pushed from her exterior environment, then that will become more important in her values. And guess where that will leave the husband, looking for another potential nurse mate? Pushing someone academically, if not from within, is a cruel and unusual punishment with widely variable unknown outcomes: none good.
Thanks a bunch for letting us know how your wife is doing. Nursing school is so hard, I'm happy to hear you continue to encourage her in this struggle. An excellent turn around from just about failing to landing A's. Kudos to her .
To op, I'm quite sure he wasn't 'forcing the A's' so to speak. He just seems proud that she got the help she needed and has stayed on track to get that somwhat elusive degree! Maybe cutting a break to him would be appropriate?
Just an additional follow-up, after another long semester and a near disaster with a clinical instructor / personality issue my wife has passed her last class today. She will graduate this Saturday.
Nursing school has taught me as the spouse of a student soo much, I could have never imagined when my wife started down this path just how difficult a course it would be. From having to wear whites to clinical, to helping her sew on her school patches, having to pass all class work with a 77%, getting up at 4:00am to get to clinical on time after spending all night studying, nursing school is just incredible. My hat goes off to all who have made it through...
For any one who is struggling with school don't ever be afraid to reach out for help when you need it, I know it saved my wife and I only wish we had done it sooner.
I am soo proud of my wife, this is one of her biggest accomplishments (next to two wonderful children).
If she is half as good an advocate and supporter of her patients as you have been to her during her school experience, she will be a very good nurse indeed. Congratulations to the both of you for pulling together and getting through this.
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chevyv, BSN, RN
1,679 Posts
I could have used one of those pens in my last class......