Run out of nursing school - what to do?

Rabid Badger, BSN, RN · Feb 19, 2007

The one thing that I don't get from your posts are any personal responsibility. Somehow it's all the school's fault, its a conspiracy theory, they're out to get you.

Occam's razor would suggest that there is a reason why they have put you on probation and learning contracts. The Dean doesn't get involved for fun. I have seen many a student nurse failed in their last term or in practicum, often because they were clearly lacking, but for some reason were passed through earlier clinicals. Better to fail them in school than to put them out on the wards and kill a patient.

The fact that you do not offer up any semblance of responsiblity suggests to me that there might be some truth to the allegations.

nurse4theplanet, RN · Feb 19, 2007

I too think some pieces of the story are being omitted.

There are many chapters to this which I won't bore anybody with, other than the final one. I was made to sign a contract that said, among other things, that I would meet with the lab instructor once a week through February.

I think it is important for us understand why you were required to sign this contract to meet with the lab instructor. That seems like an unusual request of a nursing student unless they were performing poorly.

Another thing...if you signed a contract to meet with her once a week throughout February, then how can they dismiss you after one session? What did your contract say? What were the terms? Do you have a copy?

After my first meeting with her, I came home to find an email from the dean of nursing saying I was going to be thrown out of the program because I did not pass my lab exam. I wasn't aware that I was being tested when I went to see the lab instructor.

Again, did you not ask what exactly was being required of you when you sign the contract? Did the contract state that they could boot you from the program if you did not meet necessary criteria set forth by these lab meetings?

It was nuts, but I beat them to the punch. Many students flunk out in the last semester, it must be so frustrating.

:confused: I don't understand this...does this mean you quit?

... after a pow-wow with the dean, she said I was supposed to strengthen my med-surg skills throughout February in order to remain in the program. ... It is toally my fault that my med-surg routine suffered. I don't question this for one minute. But the "contract" told me to work with the lab woman on my assessment skills, etc. I did so, and after one session was booted out. The dean said as much in an email to me which said I did not prepare for the lab session. ... Had I known, I would have spent the weekend preparing for it, but I thought the lab sessions were supposed to be a remedial workshop, which I was greatful for.

I can tell you one thing, no student met with the dean unless there where some serious underlying issues. Your program may be different.

I also don't know anyone in their right mind that would walk away from what they had accomplished with only twelve more weeks until graduation. Especially, if they knew they were 'right.' You said yourself that the school is toxic, a hell hole, and that other schools are the same...so why would you give up on all your progress to begin from square one somewhere else.

Another thing, if you are forced to sign a written contract for a remedial class...the last thing I would do is not prepare. I'm glad you can own up to that mistake.

We took time off between Med-Surg I and Advanced Med-Surg for OB, Pediatrics, and Psych...to the tune of almost 8 months. However, we were still accountable for being current in our Med-Surg skills. You may have had good evaluations in clinicals previous to this matter, however, if you were in your final semester and needed basic Med-Surg remediation then there was a problem.

My intent is not to be hard on you, but I don't feel as if we are getting all the information here. There are several aspects of your story that just don't make any sense. If I were you I would fight their decision and finish my 12 weeks so I could get my license and never have to deal with them again. You have your written contract as evidence of what was expected of you...they should be held accountable to those standards. Good luck.

Diahni · Feb 19, 2007

The one thing that I don't get from your posts are any personal responsibility. Somehow it's all the school's fault, its a conspiracy theory, they're out to get you.
Occam's razor would suggest that there is a reason why they have put you on probation and learning contracts. The Dean doesn't get involved for fun. I have seen many a student nurse failed in their last term or in practicum, often because they were clearly lacking, but for some reason were passed through earlier clinicals. Better to fail them in school than to put them out on the wards and kill a patient.
The fact that you do not offer up any semblance of responsiblity suggests to me that there might be some truth to the allegations.

RB:

Actually, I did. At some point I did say that my med-surg skills were rusty. Rusty, but still there. I had been off med-surg for over two months. I wrote to allnurses.com for support and strategy to what happened. This is the part that I did wrong, no question. Don't know how you missed that. Rather than point it out, my clinical teacher bothered to write a lengthy "critical incident report," which included several "crimes" such as I tried to reach her at the hospital, rather than beeper. (We live in a mountain area, and cell phones/beepers work sporadically.) Had she taken me aside, and said, look, practice practice practice, I think that would have been fair before proceeding with a permanent document in my record. Secondly, the "contract" was I would work with a lab person for a few weeks, and I wasn't allowed to do so. Message boards are really helpful, and allnurses is just the best of all, but I don't think people can fully communicate. Yes, I know how I got myself in to this situation. And I was the one who dragged the dean into it. The point of my posts isn't to "prove" I did nothing wrong. The scenario is that yes, I did get myself into this, now what to do? I've already been condemned. Both I and another allnurses message person used the word "draconian" to describe the response, and lack thereof of school employees. Look, Rabid Badger (love the e-name, how fitting!) there have been many people I know thrown out for far less than my actions. Happens all the time. allnurses.com is a place for support and strategy, ya know.

Diahni

Diahni · Feb 19, 2007

My intent is not to be hard on you, but I don't feel as if we are getting all the information here. There are several aspects of your story that just don't make any sense. If I were you I would fight their decision and finish my 12 weeks so I could get my license and never have to deal with them again. You have your written contract as evidence of what was expected of you...they should be held accountable to those standards. Good luck.

soldierswife,

no, I don't think you're being hard on me at all - just analytical. oh yes, I did mess up, didn't I? You are right about being ready with bells and whistles for the remidial session, and I wasn't. What ensued, however, I think was very unfair. And I do know that people have been thrown out for a whole lot less.

It's hard to talk about a situation with many details in a message board, yet all the same, allnurses folks have been most helpful, and I really appreciate that. Thanks for taking the time to respond. I've never seen anything like this in nursing school, and wish I did. People saying, hey, I know you've got a problem, so what are you going to do about it is so wonderful, I think.

Diahni

Diahni · Feb 19, 2007

The way I read the first post by the OP, the dean of the school emailed her and told her that she was being kicked out of the program. I didn't get that she had quit. Either way, she is on the short end of this stick. And I know of many people who have fought all the way. End of story, out of program. With or without attorney fees. SeanyRN, congratulations on winning your fight. Please do not castigate everyone else in this boat. Most people do not win this fight. You are the exception, not the rule.

Good point, Caliotter3. yup, this is the military, the authority is always right, and this is very very important in war to get everybody on the same page and work as a unit. On the other hand, I see various health care people arguing about who is right all the time. Could Seans "victory" be because of his gender? HMMMMMMM. Let's see, guys are "studs" and girls are you-know-what. Guys are are assertive and manly and girls are agressive rhymes-with-witches. His story would have played out very differently were he a woman. As I mentioned before, there are many things to reccommend men into the profession - so many. But Sean jumped in, was presumptuous, accusatory, and finally said something to the effect that if I had behaved just like him everything would have worked out and I would be treated like a "God." Guys do that, don't they? Men who enter the profession have much to learn from women, and I applaud their joining a traditionally female profession. It takes a lot of guts to do that.

God Bless!

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Feb 19, 2007

If the universities and colleges would pay a better salary to nursing instructors....you would have much better schools. Right now you get those that don't need the money and those who don't want the work it takes to be a bedside nurse teaching our future nurses. Community colleges do a bit better as they have clinical and some specialty classroom instructors who also work at least once a month in a hospital and have years of experience.

Diahni · Feb 19, 2007

If the universities and colleges would pay a better salary to nursing instructors....you would have much better schools. Right now you get those that don't need the money and those who don't want the work it takes to be a bedside nurse teaching our future nurses. Community colleges do a bit better as they have clinical and some specialty classroom instructors who also work at least once a month in a hospital and have years of experience.

Oh Dear!

I began this thread for advice, yet there really are so many issues. I have read about universities that are offering nurses trained as educators employment packages that include teaching and other things. It's sad that teachers aren't paid well. Given that this is true, I am amazed at the quality of teachers that have taught my daughter in public schools. It takes a lot to do something you love despite the crummy pay in our materialistic society. Yes, I'd say about three quarters of the teachers I had in nursing school ought not to teach. Some can barely pronounce the English language. Some have obviously never studied education. Many are not the sharpest knives in the drawer, to be sure. Meanwhile, my understanding of the nursing shortage is that there are long waiting lists of people waiting to get in to study with precious few teachers. There would be many solutions to this if our government were willing to facillitate some changes.

Diahni

Diahni · Feb 19, 2007

If the universities and colleges would pay a better salary to nursing instructors....you would have much better schools. Right now you get those that don't need the money and those who don't want the work it takes to be a bedside nurse teaching our future nurses. Community colleges do a bit better as they have clinical and some specialty classroom instructors who also work at least once a month in a hospital and have years of experience.

To eveybody who bothered to join this thread,

Honestly, the folks who write in to allnurses has provided me with more insight, support and information than I have ever encountered from my teachers or fellow students in school. Long story short, the program I was in was a terrible "fit" for me, yet I prevailed since it was the closest and most economical program. Apparently, you get what you pay for. I should have bailed and switched programs long ago. So let's put this thread to rest. That said, I sure wish some of you had been my fellow students. Nursing requires many skills, but one also needs a heart. Knowing many of you are out there tells me it is the right decision to continue, and I will do so.

Diahni

Cattitude · Feb 19, 2007

good point, caliotter3. yup, this is the military, the authority is always right, and this is very very important in war to get everybody on the same page and work as a unit. on the other hand, i see various health care people arguing about who is right all the time. could seans "victory" be because of his gender? hmmmmmmm. let's see, guys are "studs" and girls are you-know-what. guys are are assertive and manly and girls are agressive rhymes-with-witches. his story would have played out very differently were he a woman. as i mentioned before, there are many things to reccommend men into the profession - so many. but sean jumped in, was presumptuous, accusatory, and finally said something to the effect that if i had behaved just like him everything would have worked out and i would be treated like a "god." guys do that, don't they? men who enter the profession have much to learn from women, and i applaud their joining a traditionally female profession. it takes a lot of guts to do that.
god bless!

we don't have enough info about's sean's situation to determine why he was victorious. some people, regardless of gender, do put up a fight when trying to keep what's theirs.

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[color=#483d8b]i think it's sexist to say his story would have played out differently if was a woman.:angryfire

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[color=#483d8b]your situation stinks. i've read a lot of horror stories about nursing school here on the forum. nothing that i ever witnessed at my own school. but then again, i got along with everyone, did my work, and had no problems:smilecoffeecup: . i guess we never get to hear the whole story anyway, certainly not the school's. good luck in your endeavors. no matter what happened, i'm sure you learned, we are all human after all.

[color=#483d8b]btw, as far as "getting what you paid for", i went to a community college, had an excellent adn program, always a wait to get in and no problems at all. great professors too!

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nurse_nan · Feb 19, 2007

Actually this whole thing smells to high heaven to me. How can someone be in their last semester and be 'rusty', 'needing to improved skills'? For crying out loud, she's nearly ready to graduate! If I were in my last semester and ran into a 'personality conflict' I'd never just tuck and run.

More to this story than meets the eye.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 19, 2007

Think some people missed this info in OP follow-up post:

Yes, it is minutia. That said, after a pow-wow with the dean, she said I was supposed to strengthen my med-surg skills throughout February in order to remain in the program. I might have mentioned I was back in med-surg after a two and a half hiatus, in a psych unit, then a one month vacation. It is toally my fault that my med-surg routine suffered. I don't question this for one minute. But the "contract" told me to work with the lab woman on my assessment skills, etc. I did so, and after one session was booted out.
..... The dean said as much in an email to me which said I did not prepare for the lab session. ... Had I known, I would have spent the weekend preparing for it, but I thought the lab sessions were supposed to be a remedial workshop.....

This info is most likely why they met with the Dean and why no longer in program.

Diahni · Feb 19, 2007

On which planet are men and women treated equally in the workplace? To say that they're not treated equally is not sexist, it's just stating the obvious. Look at the stats. And last I checked, it was still 69 cents (correct me if I'm wrong) that women make relative to the dollar men make for the same task.