Hi all, I need some advice. I will start my second semester of a bsn nursing program in january. Today I signed off on my official offer letter of employment for a nurse tech position. My last day of orientation is on the first day of my health and assessment class. The class is only on mondays from 10am-12pm. My labs do not start until the week of jan.25th. I wanted to know:
1. Should I see if the hospital could arrange for me to do the orientation on a different day the same week? It's from 8am-430pm. It's still hospital orientation, not for my unit.
2. Contact my instructor for next semester to see if it would be okay to miss the day, but to get notes from a classmate?
3. Contact the nursing department to see the policy on attendance?
The hospital is 10 mins from my home, pays over 3 dollars and some cents more an hour than the hospital I currently work for (without shift deferential), and 12 hr shifts!
Has anyone been in this situation before? What did you do? What was the outcome? Any regrets?
Ask yourself, what is important. Money is great but they may make you forfeit your spot in the class...plenty waiting to get in. I would think that asking the instructor to be absent is not going to look good and missing orientation at the hospital before start is going to mean a dismissal. Rock and a hard place for sure. Personally, I would see when the next orientation at the hospital is and see if I could move to that. Schools aren't very forgiving
I was thinking since this will be my second semester, I would not forfeit my spot. I never missed a day last semester, so I am unsure about what the attendance policy is. I will contact the hospital tomorrow morning, explain my dilemma & hope they can move the last orientation day to that Wednesday when I have an evening class.
I would contact your instructor, explain the situation, as well as your director. In most case missing 1 class is not that big of a deal, especially for a valid reason.
If we miss the first day, we lose our spot in the program
I'd take the school over the job if you can't reschedule the orientation
I just don't think that's fair to lose your spot in the program. I was use to instructors going over the syllabus, student expectations, course objectives, class introductions, hear the instructor speak on what he/she has accomplished, etc. It's scary
I just don't think that's fair to lose your spot in the program. I was use to instructors going over the syllabus student expectations, course objectives, class introductions, hear the instructor speak on what he/she has accomplished, etc. It's scary[/quote']
I agree, especially if it is noted ahead of time.
Another note I had a possible job opportunity, but it meant I would have to miss clinical. I was freaked out at having to choose between the two, the job was a great opportunity for my nursing career. I immediately emailed my director to let her know the situation. Her response was a BIG congratulations on such a great opportunity, and assured me we could work to make it up. Communication in these situations can go a long way!
I would personally go for #1, 3, and then 2. But I hate missing class for any reason, even the first day. It always gives me a good feel for what to expect and how the instructor is going to be on certain issues, etc.
If you only have the class 1 day a week you will certainly be doing more than just going over the syllabus/course objectives/etc. Frankly, it is like missing a week of school, not just a day. That being said, ditto to trying to get the orientation changed.
Some schools that I have attended in the past have had a 1st day attendance policy where the course instructor could drop anyone from the roster that didn't show up that first day. Most of them waited until the end of the 1st week to make those changes to the roster. However, nursing schools that I'm familiar with have a pretty low number of days that you can miss before you incur a penalty. The program I'm in has an 8 hour classroom and/or 20 hours clinical before they get to the point where you could be dismissed.
If I were contemplating missing a day, it wouldn't be the first day or any day in the first week. If I have to miss a day, I'm going to choose that missed day very, very carefully.
My advice is simply to fix it from the employer end.
I really would hate to miss class. Especially the first day. I'm so worried about failing. I barely made it through this semester. I don't want to lose this job opportunity. However, nursing school is my priority. I just hope the hospital can move it to a different day.
If you're worried about failing, don't miss the first day. Most profs go over things in depth that day as far as how the class is structured, expectations, and will often give out tidbits and helpful hints that aren't in the syllabus.
It may be boring, but of all days, the FIRST day is not the one to skip!
If you only have the class 1 day a week you will certainly be doing more than just going over the syllabus/course objectives/etc. Frankly, it is like missing a week of school, not just a day. That being said, ditto to trying to get the orientation changed.
You know, I never looked at it like that. I didn't realize how much material I would miss.
It's so hard for other people to understand the intensity of a nursing program. My boyfriend thinks I should also keep my registry position that's 4 days a month. While I think it MIGHT be possible to do it since one of my classes is 8wks. That's 32 hrs I could be studying more a month if I quit. I would like to say that I worked at this place for at least 1 year to put on my resume. Unfortunately that 1 year is not until the beginning of August next year for the registry position. Uggggh
Two of the universities that I have attended had strict policies: Anyone not present on the first day was disenrolled from the class to permit someone else to add it.
brianna1
24 Posts
I was thinking since this will be my second semester, I would not forfeit my spot. I never missed a day last semester, so I am unsure about what the attendance policy is. I will contact the hospital tomorrow morning, explain my dilemma & hope they can move the last orientation day to that Wednesday when I have an evening class.
Fingers crossed