Students who don't come to class

[kristen38]

There is a student in my program who never comes to class, except on days of tests and presentations, she even has other students drop off her assignmnets. She was at one Patho, and one mental health class the whole semester. I don't know how she passes (I know that she does with very poor marks). I was wondering if there are other students who you know of who do this.

I know that every student misses class on occasions, but not every class. She has never missed a clincial day.

She was almost caught last year when she was not signed up for a group and met with the program co-ordiantor in which she outright lied to them and they bought it.

How condifdent would you be with her as your nurse.

Just venting,

Kristen

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

I would agree with some previous postings in that people are too quick to judge and point the finger at those who don't come to class on a regular basis. The underlying presumption is "He or she must be lazy, or that they think they can get by on other people's notes or work". I cannot stress how hurtful this assumption can be.

I don't go to many of my lectures because of a chronic disability which leaves me with very little energy; however, I am far from lazy. Many of my classmates shake their fingers at me when I show up for examinations, saying "shame on you". The problem I have with this is that not one of these people bothered to try to understand why I was not attending class. I would shamefully admit that I had medical issues and they would look at me sort of blankly as if this concept was entirely off their radar screen.

I am an extremely conscientious person, and maintain an 80+ average. I never, never miss clinicals and receive outstanding evaluations. Most of my time is spent recovering from the few days of clinical per week which I throw my whole self into. This is the most difficult thing I have ever worked through, and I know that there are many of my classmates that look at me with disdain. It really hurts - especially when you have a disability that is not readily visible to the whole world. And I am terrified that I will not make it in the real world of nursing - the whole 12 hour shift thing is daunting.

Well, I'll get down off my soap box now. Thanks for bringing up this topic.

Yes, and you have decent grades, a legitimate reason (which I infer you have discussed with your professors), you're not lying to instructors to get out of missing group project assignments, and you're not relying on others to turn in work for you WITHOUT a legitimate reason. All things that the person in the OP's post clearly (at least according to the OP) does NOT have.

So I don't think folks are being quite as judgemental as all that. We are assuming the OP has a good grasp of the facts (and she doesn't seem to be going off half cocked), but I think we're all in agreement that this person isn't quite the angel she perceives herself to be.

[nurse_clown]

okay, i'm really going out on a limb here. at the risk of getting people very upset with me here, i'll admit that i was one of those students you are talking about.

for the life of me, i just couldn't get myself out the door in time to get to class and when i was on my way to class, something always stopped me from getting there. i'd walk by a store window or run into an old friend. i mean, if i even showed up for class! my teachers were very understanding and didn't mind my "tardiness". and yes, and for some classes, i just showed up for the exams. we had to obtain the minimum of 75% in all our classes and there was a correction factor for biology and nursing theory. i managed to pass everything with an 88%. i was fine being on the low side of the acheivement scale. i didn't expect much and i didn't really want to work very hard. in those days, i was very interested in having fun with my life. i didn't feel it was necessary to study for 12 hours a day and always have the answers in class. i just listened in class or i'd just read the text book at home. life was just so interesting and i wanted to experience a lot. i did a lot of partying then. most of my illness were caused by hangovers. i have no regrets. i passed school. i passed my board exam with five errors. i didn't study for that either.

i also noticed that i really put out a lot of my class mates. a lot of them were overacheivers and very uptight. i didn't find them very interesting either. but they complained about me a lot. "how is she going to be a nurse when she misses so much school?" blah blah blah. i never complained about their irritating habits. really, why did it matter to them what i did? we all wrote the same exam. they studied for hours and hours. we all passed anyways and we're all nurses. in both of my jobs, i get my work done. i can do my work and part of someone else's. both of my performance appraisals were considered "superior" and i also have ten years nursing experience under my belt. i've done six years as a childrens aid nurse and four years of hospital nursing and long term care.

so, as for the students who miss a lot of classes and don't put in the same effort as everyone else, don't worry about them. either they pass or they don't . you don't need to worry about what they are doing. focus on your studies and doing well so you can get the job you want. nobody's the same. i would have gone crazy if i had to study all those hours and probably would have disrupted a lot of classes. but i made it.

[kristen38]

I am suprised to see how much of a response this got. I did not know that it would cause people to think that I was judging someone about why they don't show up to class, even though I guess that it makes sense based on the original message.

The particular girl that I am speaking of does not come to class because she is smoking weed and doing other kinds of illegal drugs. Those who know her can't understand why she is in school, especially a difficult program like nursing (other then her father telling her that she has to be in school for him to financially support her), or that she really wants to be a nurse.

This is not a serious addiction, because the few times she has broken up with her boyfriend (who deals these kinds of drugs) she has shown up to class not stoned, and has said she has no desire to smoke, but as soon as she gets back together with him it's the same routine.

And yes she has been known to smoke stuff in her car on the way to clinical (though I have never actually seen her do this, so I can't verify that it is true)

I haven't actually seen her at all this past two semesters, but I hope that she has cleaned up her act.

Kristen

[nurse_clown]

i am suprised to see how much of a response this got. i did not know that it would cause people to think that i was judging someone about why they don't show up to class, even though i guess that it makes sense based on the original message.

the particular girl that i am speaking of does not come to class because she is smoking weed and doing other kinds of illegal drugs. those who know her can't understand why she is in school, especially a difficult program like nursing (other then her father telling her that she has to be in school for him to financially support her), or that she really wants to be a nurse.

this is not a serious addiction, because the few times she has broken up with her boyfriend (who deals these kinds of drugs) she has shown up to class not stoned, and has said she has no desire to smoke, but as soon as she gets back together with him it's the same routine.

and yes she has been known to smoke stuff in her car on the way to clinical (though i have never actually seen her do this, so i can't verify that it is true)

i haven't actually seen her at all this past two semesters, but i hope that she has cleaned up her act.

kristen

wow. hopefully, she wont get arrested for drug related charges. that's a real risky lifestyle to be involved with. i'm not sure what you could do about that. at some point people realize that drinking and doing drugs just doesn't help the career. i stopped that binge drinking a while ago and now i take my life and responsibilities a little more seriously. but i do like a good party now and then.

i'm not sure if you are her friend or not. but try not to worry about her. stay away from her if you aren't her friend and don't interest yourself in such situations. illegal activity and nursing just don't mix. she has to decide for herself where her life will go as will you. if she continues with this drug dealer boyfriend and you know she has a cycle, then stay away. at the ltc home i work at, we have a psw that smokes in her car. no one can catch her smoking but it's common knowledge that she does. life with a drug dealer boyfriend isn't good either. if he's arrested in the home and she's with him, she could get into trouble too.

and people who smoke pot become very lazy lazy people without any motivation.

[GrnHonu99, RN]

My school doesn't tolerate absences or tardiness. We have a strict policy..one absence is ok but past that you lose 1% of your grade....

I think the attendance policy is a little silly...we are all responsible adults and none of us miss class on a regular basis...I feel like if I can not go to class and make A's then that is my choice...I go to class bc I actually enjoy it, but to those who dont have to and can still make A's...more power to you!

Tardiness is absolutely annoying. We have a small class and when someone comes in late it totally disrupts class...every now and again, well it happens but we have a few that are chronically tardy....irritating...you know what time class starts so get there!

[smk1, LPN]

okay, i'm really going out on a limb here. at the risk of getting people very upset with me here, i'll admit that i was one of those students you are talking about.

for the life of me, i just couldn't get myself out the door in time to get to class and when i was on my way to class, something always stopped me from getting there. i'd walk by a store window or run into an old friend. i mean, if i even showed up for class! my teachers were very understanding and didn't mind my "tardiness". and yes, and for some classes, i just showed up for the exams. we had to obtain the minimum of 75% in all our classes and there was a correction factor for biology and nursing theory. i managed to pass everything with an 88%. i was fine being on the low side of the acheivement scale. i didn't expect much and i didn't really want to work very hard. in those days, i was very interested in having fun with my life. i didn't feel it was necessary to study for 12 hours a day and always have the answers in class. i just listened in class or i'd just read the text book at home. life was just so interesting and i wanted to experience a lot. i did a lot of partying then. most of my illness were caused by hangovers. i have no regrets. i passed school. i passed my board exam with five errors. i didn't study for that either.

i also noticed that i really put out a lot of my class mates. a lot of them were overacheivers and very uptight. i didn't find them very interesting either. but they complained about me a lot. "how is she going to be a nurse when she misses so much school?" blah blah blah. i never complained about their irritating habits. really, why did it matter to them what i did? we all wrote the same exam. they studied for hours and hours. we all passed anyways and we're all nurses. in both of my jobs, i get my work done. i can do my work and part of someone else's. both of my performance appraisals were considered "superior" and i also have ten years nursing experience under my belt. i've done six years as a childrens aid nurse and four years of hospital nursing and long term care.

so, as for the students who miss a lot of classes and don't put in the same effort as everyone else, don't worry about them. either they pass or they don't . you don't need to worry about what they are doing. focus on your studies and doing well so you can get the job you want. nobody's the same. i would have gone crazy if i had to study all those hours and probably would have disrupted a lot of classes. but i made it.

i agree with this post. everyone is responsible for their own learning. now where i would have to take issue is the person who is constantly missing class and then calling me up begging me to email or fax my notes or let them borrow them, oh and turning in their assignments and picking up the handouts for them. once in awhile is ok, but constantly expecting others to put themselves out for you takes its toll on my good will. i must admit that i have found that if i am in class and listen and take good notes, i don't ahve to put forth a lot of study time later because i can key into what the teacher is going to test on. this doesn't work for all classes though and then there are some classes where you may as well sit home and study and not be present for lecture because they aren't going to say anything useful anyway. if there are no repercussions for absences then i kind of gauge how often i need to be there and sometimes i will engage in a little hooky myself. as long as it isn't going to harm myself or the teachers planned activities, i don't see the problem. i start nursing school next month and know that unless i or my child is deathly ill, i will be front and center everyday, because i have a feeling these will be the sort of classes where it will be important to hear the lecture and have the opportunity for clarification of the reading. i could care less if someone else is absent or not as long as they don't expect me to run myself ragged picking up the slack for them. if they can pass without being in class, more power to them, i love distance learning classes where i can learn on my own as well.

[smk1, LPN]

I am suprised to see how much of a response this got. I did not know that it would cause people to think that I was judging someone about why they don't show up to class, even though I guess that it makes sense based on the original message.

The particular girl that I am speaking of does not come to class because she is smoking weed and doing other kinds of illegal drugs. Those who know her can't understand why she is in school, especially a difficult program like nursing (other then her father telling her that she has to be in school for him to financially support her), or that she really wants to be a nurse.

This is not a serious addiction, because the few times she has broken up with her boyfriend (who deals these kinds of drugs) she has shown up to class not stoned, and has said she has no desire to smoke, but as soon as she gets back together with him it's the same routine.

And yes she has been known to smoke stuff in her car on the way to clinical (though I have never actually seen her do this, so I can't verify that it is true)

I haven't actually seen her at all this past two semesters, but I hope that she has cleaned up her act.

Kristen

OK i would stay FAR away from this girl! You don't need to have your name associated with hers when (not if) the stuff hits the fan. Doing illegal drugs on your own time is bad enough and we have already had a talk about professional behavior during our orientation and school hasn't even started! The fact ath she has been known to do this at clinicals in her car is just horrible! If you haven't seen it you can't report it, but don't engage in any conversations about her or with her, because you don't want the trouble that is going to come your way for knowing about her drug abuse and not reporting her.

[Shastalee99]

Some students don't care about their education as much as others. Especially when compaired to older or returning students vs recent HS grads. Who cares though if your grade isn't affected and you're doing well in clinical? Why upset yourself about other students' shortcomings. Nursing school is too stressful to rent space in your head when it could be consumed with something else, like graduation lol. I've realized those students that skim by semesters/rotations by the skin of their teeth when not doning gloves or being plain irresponsible will not succeed on the boards and get a wake up call in the real world of nursing. I'm glad I'm not like them and have good character. Sounds like you do too. So who cares? You're doing it right, and safe. Their loss.