Permanently Kicked out of Practicum

FrustratedExStudent · Apr 2, 2019

Okay, I'm currently running on traumatic adrenaline and crippling depression, so forgive me if this comes out jumbled.

Today, I was at my practicum; I just have a couple of clinical days left before I graduate. We were on the resus team and attending a C-section in the OR. A nursing student in an earlier semester from another college was in the room with me. I had seen several C-sections before, but she hadn't, so I was telling her about the procedure. When it came time for time-out, they said "time out" and we stopped talking. When the baby was delivered, we had started discussing the procedure again, and she asked us to quiet down. We did. Then when the baby was on the mother's chest, the surgeon was suturing the incision, and conversations had begun around the room, the student started asking me questions about my nursing school and talking about other procedures she'd seen. The circulating nurse became angry and asked us to leave the room.

I returned to my floor and continued caring for my patient for several hours, regretting the incident but not realizing it had been so serious, when the unit manager approached me and asked me to come talk to her. I went into her office, and she said that she heard that we were talking in the OR and told me that I have to leave the hospital and said that I wouldn't be allowed to return at this time.

Now, I'll start out by saying that I know it wasn't professional to have a conversation in the OR. It was really stupid behavior, and it didn't occur to me that it was disrespectful until it was too late. I've never been disciplined for anything in nursing school, and I always try to keep my nose clean. Am I being unreasonable, or does this punishment sound a bit excessive? I paid my way through nursing school on my own, kept a 4.0, was never tardy or absent in class or clinical, always got high marks on all clinical evaluations without a single disciplinary issue or medical mistake, and always sought out nursing tasks and got stressed out when there was too much downtime. There's a student in my class who has been arrested twice for shoplifting while in nursing school, and she's still in the program. Another student was caught sneaking into an empty med-surg room and taking a nap on the bed multiple days during the semester, and she made a medication error that semester; she's still here too. But my nursing career is over before it even starts because of one instance of unprofessional behavior that I didn't realize was a big issue until after the fact?

I drove to my nursing department - barely breathing on the 45-minute drive - in order to meet with our clinical coordinator. One professor was trying to comfort me and told me that the coordinator is very pro-student and isn't going to destroy my future over a single incident when there had never been any warnings or communication of issues before being kicked out. However, when I finally got a chance to meet with the coordinator and another professor, they made things sound extremely dire, as if I'm likely going to be ejected from the program for this. They didn't say that outright, but they're meeting with the class' coordinator and deciding my fate tomorrow, and their wording and tone makes me feel hopeless about the outcome.

I'm absolutely horrified. I worked so hard to get here, and this seems like such an overblown situation to end someone's college career one month before graduation, when I've already sent out invitations and now have to explain to my loved ones that I'm a miserable failure. You might all disagree, and kicking me out of practicum might have been totally justified; I don't know. I just don't have anyone to talk to about this; I'm feeling genuinely depressed right now, and I needed to get this all off my chest to people who have been through nursing school. I'm open to any advice.

Thank you for reading this.

Trauma Columnist · Apr 2, 2019

Oh gosh - I'm so sorry this happened. Whats happening next? Do you have a meeting set up? Perhaps if a meeting is scheduled, how about writing down some pertinent points such as you now realize your grievous error and come up with a plan to rectify the mistake such as doing an extra paper on the conduct expected in the OR and offer to educate you cohort on this topic.

Best wishes - please let us know how it goes....

I merged both of your threads.

CanadianNurseRPN · Apr 2, 2019

I’m sorry that you are in this situation. Just take a moment and breath. People make mistakes all of the time. I think it is very unlikely that you will be kicked out of the program due to a case of poor judgement in one situation. One suggestion I can give you is to write a reflective note on how this incident has affected you and how you plan to use your negative experience to make you are a better nurse in the future. I would suggest doing that tonight and taking it to your meeting tomorrow or forwarding it to your school. You also may benefit by sending an apology email to the nurse manager at the facility you were doing your placement. Let us know what happens. I believe everything will work out.

neuron · Apr 3, 2019

I can't imagine being kicked out a month before graduation. That seems harsh. I would go to your handbook for disciplinary action. Most schools would write a student up first or repeat the clinical. I would tell them that no patient harm came out of the situation. Other than that, with all the time and money I put in the the school, I would consider a lawyer if you are permanently removed.

JKL33 · Apr 3, 2019

I'm sorry to hear of this. More unnecessary heavy-handedness.

Student socializing in patient care areas is very often inconsiderate and can be disruptive or distracting even when not obnoxious. But...you realize that. Some of this (like this situation in particular/ keeping conversation to an absolute minimum in a procedural area) is not necessarily second nature/common sense to students.

No advice right now except to be contrite and do not mention one single word comparing your mistake to the misdeeds of your peers. Just don't do it; they don't want to hear it. If anything they will briefly entertain your version of the facts and then will want to hear that you regret what has happened.

Update when you can ~

Cowboyardee · Apr 3, 2019

Assuming you're telling the story accurately, kicking you out of the program would be unfair and excessive.

As others have suggested, I would suggest focusing on what you did rather than what other students have gotten away with. Apologise and state what you've learned and how you'll grow from this. Consider legal options if that doesn't work and they throw the book at you.

Good luck.

JKL33 · Apr 6, 2019

Hope this got worked out this week, @FrustratedExStudent

FrustratedExStudent · Apr 6, 2019

16 minutes ago, JKL33 said:
Hope this got worked out this week, @FrustratedExStudent

Depends on your definition of "worked out". I had a meeting with the clinical coordinator and the course coordinator on Friday. They decided that, because I was kicked out of the practicum, it's a clinical failure and therefore a course failure. As a result, I can't graduate this semester.

JKL33 · Apr 6, 2019

I'm very sorry. Truly.

Do you have a plan?

FrustratedExStudent · Apr 6, 2019

Just now, JKL33 said:
I'm very sorry. Truly.
Do you have a plan?

My only option at this point is to retake the class and graduate next semester. This has really discouraged me from going into nursing, though. I haven't eaten and have barely slept in three days. It's genuinely depressing.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 6, 2019

Just now, FrustratedExStudent said:
My only option at this point is to retake the class and graduate next semester. This has really discouraged me from going into nursing, though. I haven't eaten and have barely slept in three days. It's genuinely depressing.

I am so sorry, I am sure this is really distressing. But you have two options: repeat, or quit. Which sounds better? Don't answer now; give yourself a few days to get yourself together again. Self-care is important.

It is a great thing that they are allowing you to repeat! I know it probably doesn't sound like it, but after hearing tales upon tales of people who were kicked out permanently, trust me - they see your potential. If you can't finish the practicum, you probably can't meet the required hours and they can't allow you to graduate under those circumstances. Are you going to have to go to a different location next time?

I know you're down right now, but this is a nasty speedbump, not a brick wall. Take care.