50 out of 100 Nursing students failed program

Sounds like your school doesn't care how many nurses they produce. No one has failed out of my program, and it is definitely not easy, the school is just supportive, and makes sure that we are well prepared before we can apply.

This is how my program is as well. We have a great support system and our teachers aren't out to get us failed. They help us if we need it, and we can always ask questions and get fair, reasonable responses. We started with 72, and have lost a few to various reasons, but its really not noticeable. Hopefully we'll all be there to graduate 12/08! :)

My school is killing everyone this year - first year is LPN, then you reapply for the RN. I made it but decided not to go since the commute was killing me, I'd rather do it on-line, I needed to earn money, and I frankly couldn't stand the instructors and their attitudes.

Some absolutely brilliant students from last year aren't even squeaking by this semester. The instructors decided they want a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX. Well, they're doing it in a terrible way. They're failing gifted, hard-working, dedicated people.

I am SO glad I decided to do Excelsior.

I think that is so frigging sad. To my way of thinking it is a testament to the poor administration of the nursing school. The people in charge of the nursing program are either not making good choices in student candidates for the nursing program, or the instructors within their nursing program suck. I wouldn't want to be the Dean of your school telling me that only 50% of the students made it through the first semester of their program. I'd have him/her in a corner firing some pretty pointed questions. He/she would be slinking off ASAP with a red face when I was done with him/her. What the heck is mentally wrong with the administration and instructors in the schools that do this?

In my school, they give priority to indistrict students first. They turned down someone out of district with a 4.0! They accepted a student that was indistrict with a 2.5!! I think thats where the problem is.

I have a 4.0. If they do not let me in this program I will poo a brick. I will go to the nursing department and demand my spot in the program. I want to be in the program sooo bad. I hope they would not give my spot to someone who just slipped their way in!!!:angryfire

Daytonite: Do you think some of this is "old school" thinking? I've noticed in our program that it tends to be the older instructors -- meaning late 50's and older (I'm 51, so not picking on anyone here) that tend to have more of the drill sergeant attitude. Wasn't that more prevalent in the past?

It's kind of sickening, especially when you've got a "shortage" and some really good folks who want to be nurses, but aren't willing to put up with some of the BS of NS.

I graduated in... well, many years ago, and half of the students that began with us didn't finish. Historically and generally... about a third to a half of the people who start Nsg school won't graduate.

I was told years ago that Nursing is one of the hardest majors at a University because of the range of material students have to master. Biochem students have to learn chemistry. English majors learn about poetry, Shakespeare, and The Great American Novel. But a nursing student (in addition to some English and History) has to have a working knowledge of a RANGE of hard sciences (Chemistry, anatomy, physiology, micro, pharm, pathophys) and soft sciences (Psychology, sociology, anthropology). Add to that, a nursing student has to develop into a new kind of person... a professional ready to step in and intervene in life altering events. That's a big demand. In contrast a geek entering the Computer Science program will probably be a geek when he graduates. Who cares?

The attrition rate has forever been high in nursing school. I suppose a school can beat the odds by passing weak students. But done right there will be a lot of students who flunk or otherwise drop out.

It's kind of sickening, especially when you've got a "shortage" and some really good folks who want to be nurses, but aren't willing to put up with some of the BS of NS.

Certainly wanting to be a nurse is a NECESSARY criteria for success. But it ought not to be a deciding factor in determining who graduates from nursing school If WANTING to be something was the criteria for realizing a dream, I'd be an opera diva today. (Actually... I have sung at the Metropolitan Opera. No lie. I was in the ladies room washing my hands and hummed a few bars of Donizetti.)

But seriously... Nursing School has got to be hard.

"It's kind of sickening, especially when you've got a "shortage" and some really good folks who want to be nurses, but aren't willing to put up with some of the BS of NS."

I disagree.

Certainly wanting to be a nurse is a NECESSARY criteria for success. But it ought not to be the deciding factor in determining who graduates from nursing school If WANTING to be something was the criteria for realizing a dream, I'd be an opera diva today. (Actually... I did once sing at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC. No lie. I was in the ladies room washing my hands and hummed a few bars of Donizetti.)

But seriously... Nursing School has got to be hard.

The nursing school where I went started with 50 students and by graduation there were only 22 left. They dropped out for various reasons, not passing, financial problems, too much stress, family problems etc. We also had a high % of students passing the NCLEX. Nursing school is difficult, stressfull and totally worth it in the long run...all you students, hang in there, and study, study, study. Good luck!!!

This is wrong on so many levels! Who would send their kid or their money to a place that that they have less than 50% chance of making it???? It does not make any sense?

In my program there are only 15, but ALL are passing since the beginning of the year. Yeah there have been some scary moments, but instructors are here to help us learn AND succeed. Not everyone learns the same way and the instructors know this and teach so that everyone is accomodated.

Great instructors & programs will do everything they can to keep students and help them flourish, not "weed out" students.

Some students lack study skills, some lack time management, some lack test taking skills, some lack confidence, etc., etc., etc. The list goes on. There are some clearly identifiable reasons why one may do poorly without direction, and it should be up to the instructors to find those reasons and teach the skills needed for success.