Transfering Nursing Courses

[didiko]

I need some help/ advice. I recently got dismissed from my Nursing program. I misjudged a situation and, unfortunately, the school decided to dismiss me. I was in a BSN program. I have taken over half of the classes in my curriculum and was nearing my graduation date. I have called schools around the area but unfortunately most of them say i have to start over again. I really do not want to do that since ive already invested alot of time and money to where I am at.

Any advice? or experience any of you can share?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Welcome to AN! The largest online nursing community!

I am so sorry you are going through this....((HUGS)). I have no advice on this but someone will....I moved this to general nursing student for best response.

[SleeepyRN]

Were you dismissed from the university as well? Did you finish all your gen-eds? Have you considered the ADN programs as well? If you have all your pre-reqs, such as your A&P, Microbio, Chem, Psych, English, Nutrition...those all SHOULD be transferrable to most other schools and your university may have a transfer guide on their website. Then, you might be able to get right into an ADN program in the fall. Yes, you would be starting your nursing core courses over again, and it would then take 2 years, and undoubtedly that sucks. It IS a set back. But you would be way ahead of the game in your new program and learn even more. Look at the positives, and I don't mean this sarcastically. You will get more clinical time. You can request the instructors to find skills you haven't had chance to do much of. You'd have care plans you can go back to, papers already written... I myself was set back a year because at the VERY END of the semester, I had to have surgery. I had to withdraw and come back the next year. After the tears I had to start looking at the positives or else I would sink into a serious depression. In that year of waiting, I worked more to make money and studied studied studied. When I came back to school, I was more confident than the first time around, and my grades were better because (besides all the extra studying time) I knew what to expect on the exams (the NCLEX style questions that is a jolt to new nursing students who are used to clear cut science questions.) Aside from that, is there an appeal process? Whatever you decide to do, short of a miracle happening and you get immediately reinstated, if you really want to be a nurse, its going to suck at first. Maybe they exhist, but I've never seen a program that accepts transfers of nursing courses. All programs are set up so differently. So, you will go through the grieving process. Denial, anger, bargaining.... you get the picture. In the scheme of life, 2-3 years of your life may not mean much 10 years into being a nurse. Best of wishes to whatever you choose

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

The reason that nursing courses are not usually transferable is that they are not standardized. Nursing education is a program, not a major. The accreditation folks have outlined what has to be covered in a nursing program, but the how is left up to each program. So, even though a course may be called the same thing (e.g., foundations), it is not the same. Sorry, I know that it doesn't make it any better but thought it may be easier to cope with if you understand why it exists.

I agree with SleepyRN, 'reframing' negative things to look at the potential positive aspects is a great way to cope with setbacks.

Best of luck with your efforts to re-start your nursing education. We're here if you need to vent.