lori305

I appreciate your thoughts. Please understand that this is a new field for me. In my previous career resources were at my fingertips. If I didn't have an answer I knew where to get it. As far as time management is concerned your absolutely correct in addition there were several skills that had not been practiced since they were done in the lab and numerous questions I had about providing care. I honestly thought by asking for help I was accepting responsibility. Both the director and one of the instructors involved stated they recognized that I was an intelligent woman and was capable of excellent care but with two instructors commenting so negatively they had no choice but to fail me. For what it is worth prior to asking for guidance I had completed my assessments prior to giving medication but like I said the director suggested I change my process. If you have any other thoughts I do welcome them. What would you have done?

I will try to be brief but the reasons given were multiple but I mainly attribute the situation with raging anxiety and politics. First my original instructor was promoted to director of nursing. My rotation was then divided by three other instructors. I was trying to improve on time management and was told by first instructor to start a routine. "Get report take vitals give meds and then complete my assessments." (while I'm taking vitals and giving meds I start assessing i.e. able to swallow, orientation, ask about chest pain, sob, numbness tingling but the bulk was completed after meds were administered) I explained this to the other instructors they each thought I should have a different routine. While administering meds I was questioned about the location of a patient's medaport (which was in my notes). I hadn't completed the assessment so when I referred to my notes she marked me down for not completing my assessment. The patient was receiving nutrition via pump through a g-tube. I had never worked with the pump she had insisted I had and asked me questions about the administration. I was confused. Asked her to rephrase the question. Explained I was not sure what was being asked but she marked me down for not being able to answer the questions. Next this same patient needed fluids. The resource student nurse thought she was helping by retrieving the solution. She pulled the wrong type of fluid and brought it to me while in the middle of giving meds so I simply waited to check it. When I checked the MARS and realized the mistake I retrieved the correct solution. The instructor documented I would have given the wrong solution had she not caught my error. Which is not the case because I found the mistake. Then after suctioning this same patient I wanted to listen to his lungs. He was paralyzed and had multiple DU's. He would cry and complain when he was turned and had only been turned less than an hour before(the wound care nurse was in to see him) so rather than turning him I asked, can I just listen to the front (I'm thinking he gets turned in about an hour I'll listen to his lungs and check his back side and reposition him all at the same time-not to make it easier on me but for his comfort). She said to me yeah, sure do what you want. Then documented I didn't want to turn him even though when he was repositioned I had completed these assessments. I am a Maryland student at a community college.

I had two weeks of clinicals left when I was failed. Just two weeks and I would have graduated. I am hurt and indignant by what I was accused of. I am following my appeal process but I live in the real world. It's my word against an established nurse. The nursing director said I was not allowed to return for two years and at that time I would have to start over with fundamentals. I am 45 years old and have already invested 4 years (1year of prerequisites, 1year of waiting for an opening and two years of the program itself) into this associates degree. My fear is that if I go to another school someone will find out I was failed and not allow me into their program. I just want to be a good nurse. Any suggestions on which way to turn.