owing money for missed clincals

CountrifiedRN · Nov 16, 2002

We don't get charged any money for missed clinicals or other classes. I think that's outrageous! Is it only if it is unexcused? What happens if you are sick?

Our school sets aside two clinical make-up days at the end of the semsester, so you can miss 2 clinicals (with a good excuse, and only if you call ahead of time) but they have to be made up. If you miss more than two, it is an automatic drop because you have to have so many hours.

renerian, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2002

We were allowed to miss two but you had to make them up. If you missed one day you had to make up two clinical days and you had to go to another hospital to do it. Three and you failed. That charge is terrible.

renerian

memphispanda, RN · Nov 16, 2002

I think it's totally ridiculous to be charged for missing clinicals. Is that even legal?? Unless you are going to school for free then I don't see how on earth they can do that. It is your education to take or not take, and you have already paid for the classes.

Mkue · Nov 16, 2002

My program also charges 100.00 per missed clinical, however, if it's r/t a Funeral the fee is waived.

Thankfully I have never missed a clinical and when traveling weather gets treacherous I will probably leave hours before the clinical starts just to make sure that I am there !

I think charging of fees might be r/t having to pay for the clinical instrutors to be there for the make-up clinical days. Just a thought.

My program recently started an incentive for clinical groups not to miss, i.e. Pizza or something like that.. but alas.. in my group on the very first day 2 ppl missed.. so that threw us out of the running for the Pizza party..lol. oh well.. I think most program "do not" want the $$ for missed clinicals.. they want students to be at the Facilities.. and it looks bad for the program if students miss clinicals a lot. :)

dianacs · Nov 16, 2002

I personally would be offended if I were charged for a missed clinical. I had to miss one due to an eye injury. If being in excruciating pain and unable to see isn't a good reason to miss, I don't know what is. But having to pay as though I was in the wrong, like I blew it off because I didn't feel like getting up, I would be insulted by that! I am a mature adult and expect to be treated like one. I do understand motivating the students who would be apt to blow it off, but come on, legitimate reasons for missing do come up.

JenKatt · Nov 16, 2002

When I was in nursing school.. oh so long ago.. You could not miss lab days. Period. If you did, they would allow one make-up the week you missed it. i.e. in another section, but if you were the last section of the week, you were screwed. Also, you couldn't miss it if you were presenting that week.

If you missed clinicals due to illness, you were allowed one absence. More than that and it got sticky. Individual professors had their own policy about make-ups. However, you had to make it up if it was a planned absence, religioud holidays or what not.

I have the unique pleasure of being the daughter of a nursing school administrator. I would hate to be in my Mom's school. You can miss due to illness, but the make-up work is extreme (pretty much write a thesis on the rotation specialty). And you can't miss more than 2. If you do, say hi to next years class. Period.

memphispanda, RN · Nov 16, 2002

Well, perhaps they should be motiviating people a different way: either show up for clinical or you con't pass. We don't have make-up days for clinical. If you miss more than some certain number of hours (it varies depending on what semester you are in) you have to go to the director of the school and plead your case to get to make up the hours--it is very rare that people get to make up clinical hours. You miss, you fail. Much easier than using money to motivate.

emily_mom · Nov 16, 2002

We have to pay for our clinicals (it's 2 or 3 credits). I think it's terrible that they would charge you that kind of money if you miss. I believe your school may be more interested in making the almighty buck off of your poor butt. Who came up with this?

shg · Nov 16, 2002

I do agree with you that it is a little extreme and my school is definetly out to make a few extra dollars. It is a good school and they do care about teaching us too. If you are sick you still need to show up to clincial and if your illness is severe they will send you home without having to pay, otherwise you owe the money.

Vsummer1 · Nov 16, 2002

We can miss 16 hours that do not need to be made up. We can make up clinicals (no charge) but my instructor only teaches my group so a make up will be with another instructor and must be prearranged.

Here is an interesting thing... one of the instructor's children had surgery, and so her class missed a day of clinicals. They were required to make it up! I understand the need for the certain hours (the BON requires that for the license) but why make a student make up a day because the instructor couldn't do it? Some of the student's have arranged their lives around their class schedule and work, have daycare issues etc. so this requirement to make up a day outside of their regular schedule seems unfair to me. And I am not even in that group!

To charge student's for a service NOT rendered seems illegal and WRONG to me.

hafsa44 · Nov 17, 2002

I think I know the school you go to because I go there also i missed a day and i have to pay $100 dollars and that's not all last semester it used to be $50 dollars and i missed a day and you still have to make it up on after the semester is over if you pass to the next level