Nursing drop outs..Why??

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I am a new nursing school student. I was just wondering why students work so hard to get into the program, and then drop out like flies. I heard from my school alone that they drop like flies.

Question? Is nursing school that hard Or Is it that they realize that it isn't for them??

I am a slow reader, slow processor . Does that mean that I am going to flunk out too???:crying2:

Help me, anyone have statistics, educated guesses?? Thanks!!:p

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Is nursing school that hard Or Is it that they realize that it isn't for them??

I think both of the above apply- Plus many students run into financial problems, child-care issues, etc.

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

I returned without my buddy. She decided she really didn't want to be a nurse after all. She liked the academics but really couldn't see herself nursing. Another student had child care issues and had to drop. One was held back and decided to drop. Another decided she wanted to be a full time minister of the gospel and really hated nursing. These are just from the people in the circles I run with. I can only imagine what third quarter will do.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Agree with Helllo, some realize nursing really isn't for them until they actually get into nursing clinicals. Others realize it's too tough and they have other obligations like family and work and can't do it all.

In my class, they didn't drop like flies only had a couple not make it.

I'm not the fastest reader either. Basically, I believe if you can make it through some of the coreqs and prereqs like the sciences, then from an academic standpoint you can make it through nursing. I found nursing no more difficult than Anatomy & Physiology.

Good luck, we all have our strengths and weaknesses and all sorts of people make it through. Depends on how bad do you want it. You have to want it really bad to make it through. Good luck! :)

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Good luck, we all have our strengths and weaknesses and all sorts of people make it through. Depends on how bad do you want it. You have to want it really bad to make it through. Good luck! :)

True, true. I was reading at a 12th grade level when I was in 6th grade. However- my math skills are currently stuck at an 8th grade level and probably will be for life.

A&P, chem, etc., were pretty much a breeze, and very enjoyable for me. On the other hand, passing algebra was the hardest struggle of my life. I was in tears daily over that class. I almost ended up dropping over it. I did, by some miracle, get an A. I would compare getting that A to climbing mount Everest for me.

I worked all the way through school, which really didn't help, but I had no choice. I will always remember those hard days.

Ironically, all of the algebra I learned has since leaked out of my head. I don't need it for the area of nursing I'm in. I've only ever need is a ratio and proportion formula.

Some do better in some types of classes, and others do better in others. If math were a really big part of nursing, I wouldn't have made it.

About 50% of my classmates in both my LPN and RN programs flunked. My RN program let all the flunkers back in and "socially" passed them. But- that is another thread.

You've got to keep your eyes on the prize to make it.

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I've seen all sorts of reasons. My school had multiple satellite sites in different cities for the same graduating class. Our site started out with 50 students - 30 graduated. Of the 20 that didn't graduate: 10 couldn't make the grade and failed (C was failing), one had to relocate because husband lost his job, 4 found that nursing wasn't what they thought it would be and changed majors, one had a baby and couldn't catch up with what she had missed so had to pick up the next semester, one couldn't balance work and school and couldn't afford to continue, and three were having family problems because of the time and energy that nursing school requires. I don't know what happened at the other sites, just that out of 200 students that started 121 graduated.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Not everyone IS cut out for nursing. Better to find out in school than as a nurse if you ask me.....for all of us.

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We lost the most (from 60 to 35ish) our first semester. Since then, it has only been a few people who have had to stay back and we only had one who failed out this semester (our third out of four). Although this is not always true, I noticed that a lot of the people who failed or stayed back worked in other areas of healthcare (EMTs,LPNs). Not sure why, maybe they, esp EMTs, were use to other ways of critical thinking? Also, a lot of the "my aunt/mom/dad is a nurse" people did not pass our first semester. I think they felt that they could relax more b/c they were more familiar with the subjects? Anyhow, good luck!!!

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Specializes in ER.

I think in recent years, more people are going into nursing as a second profession because the one they chose first was downsized, exported or deleted. They get into school and realize how hard it can really be. It is not that the acedemics are overwhelming, but the realization that you are responsible for life and death decisions daily. You are responsible for this person who is most vulnerable, having a good outcome after surgery, illness, etc. You see people at their worst. Families and patients are sometimes at wits end. They are facing critical decisons, maybe end of life decisions, and you as the nurse are intergrally involved in them. These are the tough things about being a nurse. Acedemics are challenging, but it is the constant emotional drain that dealing with real life issues bring.

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[Q:rolleyes: I know what you mean about math, I failed my general math course 2x..

I cried alot too!! Thanks for the reply. I will "keep my eye on the prize", because it is the only thing I've ever wanted to be. If I fail, I least I gave it my all. :rotfl: Have you graduated already?

QUOTE=Hellllllo Nurse]True, true. I was reading at a 12th grade level when I was in 6th grade. However- my math skills are currently stuck at an 8th grade level and probably will be for life.

A&P, chem, etc., were pretty much a breeze, and very enjoyable for me. On the other hand, passing algebra was the hardest struggle of my life. I was in tears daily over that class. I almost ended up dropping over it. I did, by some miracle, get an A. I would compare getting that A to climbing mount Everest for me.

I worked all the way through school, which really didn't help, but I had no choice. I will always remember those hard days.

Ironically, all of the algebra I learned has since leaked out of my head. I don't need it for the area of nursing I'm in. I've only ever need is a ratio and proportion formula.

Some do better in some types of classes, and others do better in others. If math were a really big part of nursing, I wouldn't have made it.

About 50% of my classmates in both my LPN and RN programs flunked. My RN program let all the flunkers back in and "socially" passed them. But- that is another thread.

You've got to keep your eyes on the prize to make it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It was hard for me for many reasons. in the beginning i was working full time and when i did cut back on my hours I was broke. So the stress of school and not being financially stable was too much for me to handle. I learned from my mistakes and God willing I will be back into nursing school by the summer.

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