Hey so I was wondering if a nursing professor will still fail you even if you put in a lot of effort over the semester to do well. Like you went to go get help from the in-school tutors and visited her after you didn't do well on tests and stuff.
I'm going in the final for my Womens/Peds class right on the brink of failing. I have to raise my grade 4 points in order to pass. My grades have steadily been improving over the semester and I honestly can say that I have done my best.
Will the professor still fail me if I don't do so well on the final?
My point was, that my school didn't even give out points for this. How would you weight these points? 2 points for having a baby. 3 points for death in the family--5 if it is a parent or sibling. I'm not trying to sound cold it about, and I don't really like slippery slope arguments, but awarding points for negative life events is, well, a slippery slope.
Believe me, I understand. I don't think a 'points' system is what should be utilized for these kinds of exceptions, but they ARE valid exceptions when used judiciously, appropriately, and on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.
I don't think excusing one from assignments is reasonable; however, offering an extension in which to complete it may be.
And, again, this is exceptional and different from "but I tried really hard, can't you pass me anyway?"
I am grading term papers this week. Thank you to everyone in this thread who has reminded me of my duties in that regard.
For the record ... I don't give sympathy points -- but I am a little more generous with students I respect. A student earns my respect throughout the semester by following instructions, trying hard, behaving professionally, and most of all, by doing good quality work. If students whine a lot, make excuses, don't follow directions, and repeatedly do poor quality work, they are not going to get many favors from me.
I teach part time while working full time for a hospital. I view students as potential colleagues. I judge their behavior and performance by thinking "How would I feel about this behavior/performance by one of my colleagues at the hospital?" If it wouldn't pass muster at the hospital, it wouldn't pass muster for my class.
I teach part time while working full time for a hospital. I view students as potential colleagues. I judge their behavior and performance by thinking "How would I feel about this behavior/performance by one of my colleagues at the hospital?" If it wouldn't pass muster at the hospital, it wouldn't pass muster for my class.
And THIS is where the trouble comes in, big time! How many of us want a colleague for whom unreasonable exceptions are made, and regularly?
I'll share this little nugget because it fits so well, I think: I have done my fair share of precepting, and was always a bit excited when a new group of orientees came through. But imagine my surprise....nay, SHOCK.....to find that one of them would not be joining our group on our scheduled day. Why? Well, after she had failed to appear on time, had failed to appear at all, an hour past her scheduled arrival time HR called her to ask where the heck she WAS. Seems she ASSUMED we'd have a 'Snow Day' since, after all.....it had snowed early that morning. Seriously?! She didn't call, didn't try to come in, just thought "hey, it's snowing, I'll be excused". WHAT?!? Even the local colleges weren't cancelling classes, so WTH??
I had the pleasure of calling her later that day and explaining to her that if *I* was there, *SHE* was there, or there'd be no "THERE* to go to in the future. Argh.
If you have "done your best" and you fail then you should not be a nurse. Not everyone is cut out for it. There are different careers out there. There are standards for a reason.
Irishpixieb , all I can say is that I wish you good luck and try your best! Keep saying that you will pass whenever you doubt yourself; this will condition your brain to associate positive thoughts with testing. It has been proven that negative comments can affect one's self esteem and the development of a person's mind. Why shouldn't positive comments be as affective, but in a good way? It is appalling that people in the nursing field are trying to make you sweat. If you do happen to fail, then try again if you choose and have a back-up plan. When you are feeling inadequate remember this, nursing is a job like any other occupation; it is not to be used to measure your intelligence or self-worth .
Hint: Failing a test doesn't make you less intelligent than those who pass a test; it just means they have a better way of storing and recalling the test material (or just luck). You know that kid that NEVER has a pen or notebook out during class and aces EVERY SINGLE TEST? He knows what his learning style is. Do you know yours? I didn't know my learning style until I took a course in educational psychology (after I failed my second semester; I did not go back). If I were to return to nursing school I would just bring a sound recorder to lectures, instead of struggling to write (my notes were a mess), listen, and stay on my toes for spontaneous questions that could have been thrown my way. It was horrible....and exhausting !!!! I was not learning the way I should have. I am a visual and auditory learner; writing things down will NOT help me learn anything. I have to see it, hear, visualize it, and do it! The who(s), what(s), when(s), and why(s) have to be answered for me to understand .
By the way, mental health is as important as physical health. Nurses, doctors, and dentists have higher rates of depression than most occupations; do your best, but don't stress yourself out too much !
Appalling or not, it is done quite often. You know it, I know it, and so do many others . Nursing graduates are like any other graduates:saint:; some made it through on their own while some had a little "help":devil:. People use/copy other classmates' notes to study, get help on assignments, or use tutoring services to pass; even extra credit is seen as unfair to some people because it adds to the students raw score and masks their actual knowledge of the material. Many people aren't using 100% of their own potential to pass and it can be frustrating to some . Why wouldn't a few added points for effort not be possible? Curved tests can be seen as unfair also (someone is getting extra points). Bonus points=Extra credit=Effort points=all the same. OP knows. Why else would he or she ask? He or she is asking because it is a possibility . Life lesson: Many people, regardless of occupation, are where they are because someone had sympathy for them (gave them a chance/break); not because they are adults . This could lead to good results or bad results . OP should just study hard and keep doing his/her best:cool:.
All that aside, I'll never understand why some people post threads asking for insight on scenarios that only their teachers/school can help them with. We know nothing about the OP's past academic performance, professional behavior during clinical, if he or she has sought mentoring, etc. We know nothing about the OP's instructor, such as whether she is a generally pleasant person, lenient or strict, how her attitude has been towards this student throughout the semester, etc. We seriously know nothing about this student's situation. How on Earth does it help the OP to hear others say, "Your teacher might help you!" when we really have no idea whether the teacher will or not?
Irishpixieb , all I can say is that I wish you good luck and try your best! Keep saying that you will pass whenever you doubt yourself; this will condition your brain to associate positive thoughts with testing. It has been proven that negative comments can affect one's self esteem and the development of a person's mind. Why shouldn't positive comments be as affective, but in a good way? It is appalling that people in the nursing field are trying to make you sweat. .........
..... I didn't know my learning style until I took a course in educational psychology (after I failed my second semester; I did not go back). If I were to return to nursing school ................
If you were a practicing nurse, or even a successful nursing student (and you are neither as evidenced by this quoted post), you would probably understand WHY those of us who ARE practicing nurses or ARE successful nursing students are not encouraging the OP to try to wheedle a grade she didn't earn. Why we don't condone petitioning for exceptions since she is failing the class through no reason other than she is not making the grades. Why we don't take kindly to people who try to get out of nursing school what they did not put into it.....and why we do not wish to have people who are not competent to practice nursing as our colleagues.
Should you find yourself or a loved on having a hospital stay, I seriously doubt you'd be happy with the nurse who 'tries real hard, even if she doesn't really get it' when you have something stressful/painful going on.
Blunt? Yes. No warm fuzzies, like you posted? True. But there are standards for a very good reason, and those who cannot achieve that standard should not be moved along anyway.
All that aside, I'll never understand why some people post threads asking for insight on scenarios that only their teachers/school can help them with. We know nothing about the OP's past academic performance, professional behavior during clinical, if he or she has sought mentoring, etc. We know nothing about the OP's instructor, such as whether she is a generally pleasant person, lenient or strict, how her attitude has been towards this student throughout the semester, etc. We seriously know nothing about this student's situation. How on Earth does it help the OP to hear others say, "Your teacher might help you!" when we really have no idea whether the teacher will or not?
Happens here a lot. Right up there with "do you think I passed?" when asking about their NCLEX attempt, and describing their study plan. How do we know??
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Some people might argue with me when I mention this, but I'll say it anyway: We all cannot be whatever we want to be. There, I said it.
The portly 4'11 female is probably not going to receive a lucrative contract to be a runway model for Ralph Lauren or Perry Ellis. The C3 quadriplegic who has no use of his hands is probably not going to become an orthopedic surgeon.
Likewise, the marginal student who cannot or will not take ownership over his or her own learning might never become an educated professional. For these types of students, there are other types of entry level jobs in the workforce.
, all I can say is that I wish you good luck and try your best! Keep saying that you will pass whenever you doubt yourself; this will condition your brain to associate positive thoughts with testing. It has been proven that negative comments can affect one's self esteem and the development of a person's mind. Why shouldn't positive comments be as affective, but in a good way? It is appalling that people in the nursing field are trying to make you sweat. If you do happen to fail, then try again if you choose and have a back-up plan. When you are feeling inadequate remember this, nursing is a job like any other occupation; it is not to be used to measure your intelligence or self-worth 
. 
He knows what his learning style is. Do you know yours? I didn't know my learning style until I took a course in educational psychology (after I failed my second semester; I did not go back). If I were to return to nursing school I would just bring a sound recorder to lectures, instead of struggling to write (my notes were a mess), listen, and stay on my toes for spontaneous questions that could have been thrown my way. It was horrible....and exhausting 
!!!! I was not learning the way I should have. I am a visual and auditory learner; writing things down will NOT help me learn anything. I have to see it, hear, visualize it, and do it! The who(s), what(s), when(s), and why(s) have to be answered for me to understand 
.
!
Appalling or not, it is done quite often. You know it, I know it, and so do many others 
. Nursing graduates are like any other graduates:saint:; some made it through on their own while some had a little "help":devil:. People use/copy other classmates' notes to study, get help on assignments, or use tutoring services to pass; even extra credit is seen as unfair to some people because it adds to the students raw score and masks their actual knowledge of the material. Many people aren't using 100% of their own potential to pass and it can be frustrating to some 
. Why wouldn't a few added points for effort not be possible? Curved tests can be seen as unfair also (someone is getting extra points). Bonus points=Extra credit=Effort points=all the same. OP knows. Why else would he or she ask? 
He or she is asking because it is a possibility 
. Life lesson: Many people, regardless of occupation, are where they are because someone had sympathy for them (gave them a chance/break); not because they are adults 
. This could lead to good results 
or bad results 
. OP should just study hard and keep doing his/her best:cool:.
RNsRWe, ASN, RN
3 Articles; 10,428 Posts
Believe me, I understand. I don't think a 'points' system is what should be utilized for these kinds of exceptions, but they ARE valid exceptions when used judiciously, appropriately, and on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.
I don't think excusing one from assignments is reasonable; however, offering an extension in which to complete it may be.
And, again, this is exceptional and different from "but I tried really hard, can't you pass me anyway?"