On the Brink of Failure

green34 · Jun 26, 2013

Meet with your teacher and also if there is some sort of peer mentor available. I would begin studying and looking up general resources. Does she use the book for questions or does she use a test bank? Find people who have taken her before and see what they did to get the 94. Some people are just gifted with some tests and she should be graphing the results and eliminating the outliers (if almost everyone had around a 70, then a 94 is def not the norm).

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jun 26, 2013

I understand why you're discouraged. Based on my experience as an educator, when students first experience poor outcomes (bad grade, poor clinical performance, etc) in a course - they tend to increase their "effort" by studying more hours, doing more practice questions, re-reading, etc. But this usually does not work because it does not address the real issue; their usual 'learning habits' are not appropriate for the demands of that course.

For instance, if a student has always relied on memorization to make high grades, this will not work for a course that requires understanding at a conceptual level. A student who has been told she is a talented writer may absolutely bomb any technical writing / critical writing assignments because she is using the wrong techniques. It has nothing to do with intelligence. Your study techniques may just be inappropriate for the job - like trying to overhaul an engine with a chainsaw... great tool, but wrong for the job.

Don't get bogged down in that superficial "learning style" hoohah - it is meaningless. You need to focus on outcomes, not process. If the course outcomes are conceptual, you need to apply tools that will help you learn concepts. One of the most well known (and easiest to use) is to create concept maps to help you clarify how things are interrelated & which are the most important. Your school should be able to hook you up with tutors who can help you begin to apply new learning tools to master this content.

On another note - instructors should definitely be conducting an item analysis for all high-stakes tests. This will reveal "bad questions" as well as areas in which the instructor was inadequate. Outcomes of this type of activity can be uncomfortably revealing, particularly for a poor instructor so they won't do them unless they are required to do so.

LOLA184 · Jun 26, 2013

Hi, I have been.in your shoes! Last year my third semester was considered summer semester it started mid May and went to the end of June (six Weeks) it wased surge part I. We learned G.I. Eye an ear, and an intro to pysch ( anxiety, and somatoform disorders). My School requires at least a 77 to pass. Well since it was a short class qe only had two exams plus a final exam. So my grades were 78, 71,74...needless to say I was unsuccessful, I was devastated. My School allows one fail and you can try again so while waiting to go back this year I went to a psychologist who did differen learnin examinations on me long story short I qas diagnosed with a learning disability. I am a greqt memorizer but by third semester you need to use the critical thinking skills. I just repeated my course an because of the disability I am allowed to take my exams in a private room with just a teacher present. taking my exams this way allows me to have extended time and take caution qhen answering critical thinking questions. It also has decreased my anxiety. So I repeated the class and my exams were 88 & 90. I just took my final but I don't know the grade yet. this May sound silly to you too but changing my attitude about School has helped too...I tell myself I am going to prove the people that dont think I can do it wrong. I tell myself I believe I can do this..and I feel it really helps. So don't tell yourself its hopeless! Maybe this time around it is..but don't give in an give up. Go back and try. Learn new ways to study. I use to never read my text but it helps a lot and writing flash cards with key components...what is my top priority intervention for this disorder...thinfs like that. Best wishes to you. You got accepted into nursing School that's half the battle!

StacyAtheNurse, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP · Jun 27, 2013

She says she uses a test bank, but she isnt able to provide rationales for her answers like our previous professors have. (written or spoken) Actually, I remember I had mistakenly told her that I got a question about Dig toxicity wrong (I actually got it right) I thought the paper said that decreased urine output was a sign of toxicity but my answer was that fatigue and nausea were signs of toxicity. I asked her where was the evidence that decreased urine output was a sign of toxicity because my drug book said it wasnt, it said increased output would be.

She sat there and argued with me that my drug guide was wrong and I misread it and yada yada. Then she looked at the paper and saw that I was reading the wrong question, that my answer was indeed right, and that she had spent ten minutes blithering on spewing incorrect information (something she does quite often).

:/

I find the person that got the 94 pretentious, but I've spoken with other people about their grades and they just kind of fumbled their way through, studying everything and hoping for the best. I just had one of my seniors tell me the entire class was failing when she took it, but at the end, the professor just started throwing points at people and in the end only one person failed. (lol she says hopefully that will happen my year)

StacyAtheNurse, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP · Jun 27, 2013

Thank you guys for replying. I spoke with my mom today about it and she reassured me that all I had to do was give it my best but that if it didnt work, it didnt work and I could try again. Another friend of mine failed too and so we are both on the brink. We know there is a serious problem with professor that she refuses to acknowledge, and students in the class have taken it to as far as the President of the entire university only to have a lackluster response and false reassurance.

So right now Im listening to my mom and I will just try. I already paid for it anyhow.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Jun 27, 2013

Don't give up until you're officially at the point of no return! Remember, all you need to do is graduate and pass boards to be a nurse, so you just need to pass this class to get there. If the cutoff is a 76 and your average is currently a 77.3, you are PASSING! A 77 may not be the kind of grade you're used to, but that's okay. You don't have to be perfect to be a nurse. :)

Just keep giving it your best shot and remember that you are not at the point of no return yet, you are passing!

~passionateSN~ · Jun 27, 2013

I would keep studying hard hard hard!! I have been borderline like you before and you know what?? You are PASSING!! It is highly stressful to be borderline but just a little bit more and it will be over and as long as you pass even with a 76 you still pass!!! Don't give up keep pushing and you will be glad you did :-))

springchick1, ADN, RN · Jun 27, 2013

Change your mentality about the whole thing. Right now you are setting yourself up for failure by saying you are pretty sure you are going to fail. You are border line. Say, "I know I can do this!!" That may make all the difference in the world.