Failed MedSurg, Should I Try Again?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nurse Beth,

I went to nursing school (LVN) about 7 years after receiving my Bachelor's in Kinesiology from a teaching college.

I immediately became an early childhood and then K-12 Special Educator. I was burnt out after my first full year of teaching, and liquidated my savings & took out a private loan for nursing school because it was always in the back of my mind of accomplishments. I ran out of money and failed Med Surg II, because I couldn't get the medicines to the patients in a timely enough fashion with the equipment & staff we had available at the Rehabilitation Hospital.

That experience made me fearful of becoming a nurse and not being able to do the job and hurting someone. There are Nursing Jobs everywhere and it was always natural for me to care about people's health, as I grew up in a family where people were always sick, including me. Plus, my science GPA is lower than a 3.0 but now my cumulative GPA is a 3.2 from all of my schooling combined.

Would you recommend someone in my position to apply to finish LVN school (3 more classes); paying by scholarships from honor society? Or should I just completely dismiss this and head in another direction completely?

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Dear Failed Med-Surg,

You could try again depending on how important it is to you to accomplish this and become a nurse. Your success depends on your determination, aptitude, and applying what you've learned from your experience.

It would depend on the program, but you may have to start over or repeat the semester rather than "finish 3 more classes", unless your program will let you back in. Schools don't necessarily accept students mid-program. Have you considered community college to earn your LVN? This is often the cheapest and best way to go.

Be sure and reflect on the reasons for failing out, because rarely is the blame solely on circumstances out of your control, as you say.

Another option is to consider going for your RN. You have a Bachelor's degree and may qualify for an accelerated program (BSN).

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

Author, "Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job"...and your next!

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

So it seems like this is your THIRD career (kinesiology, elementary education and now nursing).

I would re-attempt LPN school. Because you might spend a LOT of money on an ASBN and have nothing to show for it- OR tire of it as you did the other careers and then you are massively in debt and looking for a fourth career.