0.9 points kept me from graduating with my ADN. What to do?

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Ok, so I am admitting that I failed on a public discussion board...hoping this helps to soothe the wounds and maybe someone else out there has been in my shoes. Right now it feels like I am all alone in this search for answers and the ones I have gotten are vague as I live in a rural area, with little resources on this subject.

I was in my last semester of nursing school, and loving it! I love nursing and always have, and will continue to. I was 4 days away from graduation and did not pass my class by 0.9 points! I have NEVER been a good test taker, but always felt good about school as all of my instructors always bragged at how great I was in clinicals. I am a dooer, and darn good at doing, just can't take test well. I feel I know the material well and can apply it during clinicals and practicum, but it was like I have "writer"s block" when it came to test. The thing I have always disliked about school was that our grades solely came from test. For those of us that are "hands on" learners, that is hard for us to show our competency thru a written test.

Anyhow, after my week of crying and looking like a bum, I finally realized it was time to quit feeling sorry for myself and pick myself up by my bootstraps and move forward...problem is I don't know where that is. I did speak with a former clinical instructor and she told me that a few other students have moved into online only programs, and that they qualified by being in their last semester and having so many clinical hours? I am new to this whole idea. I am going to finish one way or another, whatever it takes, I am not giving up..just don't know where to go from here.

I live in a small town and would consider finishing online for the convenience, having children, and hoping the change of pace from a classroom might help. Anyone have any suggestions or have been in my shoes?

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Specializes in cardiology/oncology/MICU.

I am sorry that this happened. I know it is terrible, but perhaps you can take the last semester over next spring.:confused:

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Will they let your repeat the semester next year? Can you obtain an LPN license in your state with the education you now have? You could take the LPN NCLEX and work for a little while until school starts. Are there any other programs that might accept you? If the distance program referenced is Excelsior, it is a possibility, you do qualify, but it is not a sure thing. You should exhaust all other options before going to Excelsior.

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Sit down with your school advisor and figure out how to retake the course you failed in the following semester. You CANNOT avoid fixing this problem in your learning curve. You WIILL have to sit the boards, and there IS no excuse about how you "Just can't do tests". Figure this problem out, master it, and go on to a career.

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In my school we were able to retake the classes that we neede3d check your schools policy I had to repeat classes and I cried and prayed and went back and although I didn't pass some of my classes on the first try I did take boards and pass on the 1st try so continue on check all your options take a test taking skill test learn to relax or buy a test taking skill book work on your weaknesses make sure you understand the question stem and all other parts practice making up and rewording objective questions and questions in general how would u conduct a pt teaching on the info you learned to make the pt who does not have ur knowledge understand find study partner. Different things find out what kind of learner are u and adapt to compensate for ur weaknesses.

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Specializes in Home Care.

I suggest that you talk to a guidance counseller at your college about upgrading your reading and comprehension skills and test taking anxiety. You need to overcome whatever it is that is causing you to do poorly on your exams. You will have a very difficult time with the NCLEX if you don't get this issue taken care of now.

Good luck :)

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0.9 points away!? wow! I guess we have some really nice instructors in our school. Last I heard, a student was 6 pts away from advancing to next semester and she was so bummed out, but teacher passed her. I love your attitude!! best of luck!

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Wow would have loved to have been in your school. lol

I audited my 3rd semester after midterm, I had a 75 but felt that auditing the class would benefit me and it did tremendously, but since we are allowed to audit once and fail once, going back into the program there is not an option for me. (or a desire)

I live in a Ky so I am not sure if I qualify or if the state offers to take LPN boards without a degree? I did hear of Excelsior, but I did not know whether they were worth checking into? I don't want to start all over, but I also don't want to throw away all of the knowledge I have, or loose it by wasting time?

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Specializes in cardiology/oncology/MICU.
Wow would have loved to have been in your school. lol

I audited my 3rd semester after midterm, I had a 75 but felt that auditing the class would benefit me and it did tremendously, but since we are allowed to audit once and fail once, going back into the program there is not an option for me. (or a desire)

I live in a Ky so I am not sure if I qualify or if the state offers to take LPN boards without a degree? I did hear of Excelsior, but I did not know whether they were worth checking into? I don't want to start all over, but I also don't want to throw away all of the knowledge I have, or loose it by wasting time?

I know that the schools that are online only are very expensive. You also want to check what accreditation they have. I can only imagine that you feel terrible. The same thing happened to a couple of my friends in school and they just had to continue to work as CNA's until the following spring when they rejoined the program and finished. So sorry for you

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I know that the schools that are online only are very expensive. You also want to check what accreditation they have. I can only imagine that you feel terrible. The same thing happened to a couple of my friends in school and they just had to continue to work as CNA's until the following spring when they rejoined the program and finished. So sorry for you

Thanks for posting, it helps to hear others stories and how they moved on:)

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0.9 points away!? wow! I guess we have some really nice instructors in our school. Last I heard, a student was 6 pts away from advancing to next semester and she was so bummed out, but teacher passed her. I love your attitude!! best of luck!

Thanks..you too!

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I'm not going to weigh in wrt your qualifications, test taking skills or eventual ability to pass NCLEX. I have no way of knowing that, however, I really do feel for you and wish you the best. You sound like you will perservere and land on your feet wherever it is that yu are meant to be.

What I will weigh in on though, and have a huge problem with, is schools flunking students in the final months/weeks prior to graduation. I'm sorry, it is part of the responsibility of educators to identify weaknesses in students and begin working with them to problem solve;as well as assess their overall suitability AEB by performance in clinical rotations. If they sincerely believe there are signifigant limitations, then they need deal with them prior to a week or so. It should be a very very very rare occasions where someone flunks out at the 11th hour. I may be cynical, and I don't believe it is always the case, but if the student continues matriculating then they continue to pay tuition. Plus, it's playing with their life.

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