ApotheKitty

I'm a recent graduate of similar age, so I'm imagining myself in the OP's position. Yes, life definitely happens, but that's not your professor's problem. It happens to everyone, not just just the OP, so I feel there should be no expectation of special treatment. I guess it never hurts to ask, which was done once. The instructor made it very clear, in my opinion, to not ask again. At this point, I would drop it and hand in the work I had completed thus far. Why bite the hand that feeds you? Or to spell it out...why risk angering the person who can refuse to allow you to attend clinical? I'd be begging for mercy, not "confronting" her!

I was a lead pharm tech for 9 years before nursing school. Yes, the techs can see all the meds a patient is currently taking and all they have taken going back several years. We were not able to "see" rxs filled at other retail pharmacies, but a quick call to insurance or a check of the state's PMP (controlled drug reporting website) could allow access to that info if it were needed.

I think you angered the wrong person at the hospital. The cell phone use might not have been a huge deal if only the teacher had been involved, but I'll bet someone higher up overheard you or incidentally became involved. Once that ball was rolling, you were done for. I don't believe the cell phone use during company time was appropriate, but a terminable offense? Maybe some coaching and counseling would have been more appropriate, but we don't know every detail of the situation so it's impossible to say. Best of luck and leave your phone off next time. Live and learn.

This is the first time I've seen a local school mentioned on here! I will be graduating from a different local school in May, and just wanted to wish you the best of luck as you embark on your nursing school journey. I hope you get in, and wish you success once you do. Nursing school is hard, but every semester goes by faster than the one before. Best wishes and good luck!

I'm the 34 year old single mother of a 2 year old child who lives with her parents while attending nursing school. I just finished the first semester of my ADN program this week. In what seems like a previous life, I lived on my own (for 10 years), earned a Bachelor's Degree, attended and then dropped out of graduate school, publishing some journal articles and obtaining a patent along the way. I never in a thousand years thought I would be in this position. I was supposed to be successful, get married, have kids and cars and a house... I was destined to live a middle class suburban dream. Unfortunately, the chemicals in my brain didn't cooperate. Many years of depression, guilt, shame, substance abuse, and spending far too many nights at the bar derailed my plans. So where am I going with this? Right now I am the HAPPIEST I've ever been in my life, and the most emotionally stable as well because I'm doing what is best for myself and my child. I have absolutely no shame when people learn that I live with my parents, I don't hide the fact. Take this opportunity to become a stronger person who can find happiness within himself. Failure is okay, giving up is not. Good luck to you in all your endeavors, I wish you the best.

Are you sure the meds that are sent back to the pharmacy unopened are wasted or discarded? I'm currently an RN student, but I was a Certified Pharmacy Technician for 9 years until this semester, most recently at a state run residential facility for developmentally disabled individuals. The scenario you described happened very frequently, and for a variety of reasons, we would dispense to units sometimes very expensive medications that were no longer needed. Once these medications were returned unopened, we returned them to our stock and the patient billing was reversed. I agree it would be unethical and also illegal if insurance companies/Medicare/Medicaid paid out for medications not received by patients. I applaud you for being concerned about this matter at your facility. Having been on the "other side of the pharmacy counter" for many years, I have not seen many healthcare professionals ever worry about medication billing and its legal and ethical implications. I would suggest calling the pharmacy at your facility and asking them how this matter is handled on their end, and if charges are indeed reversed when unopened meds are returned. A good pharmacist or technician should be able to explain their procedures for this, or find out for you if they don't handle billing themselves. I hope my prior experience with this type of situation helps.