Want to appeal an F in clinical. Thoughts??

[finallyfound10]

I want to appeal a clinical "fail" through the appeal process at my school which consists of faculty and students. Tell it to me straight: Do they ever work in the student's favor??

My instructor is a good nurse but is young (not 30), worked as an RN for only 4 years after getting a bachelor's in another field and then going to an accelerated BSN program and we are only her second clinical group. The first group were also one level higher. The students of new teachers tend to not have the best experiences. I was teacher in public school so I'm including myself! It's a necessary evil but I do not think a more experienced instructor would have failed me because they would've known how to really mentor not just tell you what you've done wrong and give a learning contract without any follow-up. Also, all our other instructors more than once, shared a mistake(s) that they made and showed empathy. We never heard anything like from this girl but did hear her toot her own horn a few times regarding her experience.

Never was a pt in danger or at risk-ever!! It was more little things like not telling my pt nurse that I was passing meds early enough and she started to pass them. I had a computer problem and couldn't open up a needed document one time and a documentation thing in the beginning of the semester like assessing at 7:30 am but not charting on the computer until 10:00 am. For all of these- I was told one time and it never happened again.

I think the big, fat F is excessive. I will, however, be allowed to move on to the next rotation next week but have to repeat this one next year so I'm not unsafe. In fact, those words were never mentioned. Ever. I also have to pay $8,000 because I'm losing a loan-forgiveness deal.

Thanks

[llg, PhD, RN]

When I was in graduate school, I served as a student representative on an appeals committee. We almost always helped the student a little. We never overturned a grade outright ... but we usually made arrangements for the student to be evaluated by an objective outside party. We had other instructors evaluate the student's work and re-grade that work.

Students were given the chance to show that they were worthy of a higher grade ... rather than just giving them a higher grade based on the testimony at the hearing alone. So, be prepared for that possible outcome.

While I don't expect you to share all the gory details here ... I have trouble believing you got an "F" and your only problem was that one medication incident and one computer problem. I suspect that the instructor will cite other reasons for failing you. You need to be prepared to address ALL of the reasons for the "F" and probably acknowledge some mistakes and weaknesses on your part for the committee to be sure that you fully understand what happened in this class. If your interpretation of events seems overly uncritical of your performance, you will lose credibility and the respect of the committee. So be prepared to "meet the instructor half-way" and not blame her for everything.

[finallyfound10]

thank you for your quick response. yes, there were mistakes made by me but nothing that wasn't addressed and pt safety wasn't part of it. i absolutely agree w/ you that i need to meet her half-way and not blame her neglecting to see my role. i do fully recognize and own the mistakes that i made. i do not think that they are fail worthy, repeat the course worthy or $8,000 worthy.

the instructor was really into the paperwork that we hand in. she changed my grammar and deleted phrases that she thought were unnecessary to make it sound better- to her. i think there was way too much subjectivity. also, i just finished rereading my evaluations again and noted that some of the times that i asked her to clarify something or i asked a question, it was noted on the evaluation and now i see it wasn't interpreted by her as a good thing. at the time, i didn't think much of it but one of my classmates had even mentioned to me that she had stopped asking our instructor things and went to ask her pt.'s rn or other rn's on the floor as she felt that her questions were held against her.

you said that: students were given the chance to show that they were worthy of a higher grade ... rather than just giving them a higher grade based on the testimony at the hearing alone. so, be prepared for that possible outcome. what kinds of things were the students asked to demonstrate? on you? real patients? that would be fine with me.

thanks so much!! i appreciate you!!! :)

[llg, PhD, RN]

Paperwork grades were reviewed by 2 or 3 other instructors to determine the final grade. Students were given extra clinical time with other instructors to evaluate their performance. etc.

Students were never given the opportunity rewrite paperwork or do "extra credit" assignments. That would be unfair to the other students. They had to go with what they had originally written for the class and/or an additional clinical evaluation with real patients.

[finallyfound10]

Thanks! I don't know what my school does.

What was the original instructors' reactions to being questioned about their judgment? Is it win-lose scenario? I really don't want to create bad blood nor make it bad for my clinical instructor or the the student reps in the eyes of the administration and/or instructors.

On the other hand, I don't want to the instructors to close ranks blindly and not give me a fair appeal. Were you or the other students ever afraid to vote against what an instructor on the committee thought should happen? I am worried that the other instructors on the committee will biased against me going forward.

THANKS, THANKS, THANKS!!! :)

[cnmbfa]

We have had students successfully appeal, including one I failed. Along with another instructor, she approached me sincerely, apologized for her clinical lapses (did not do teaching I clearly directed her to do on the last day of clinical, despite having plenty of time and opportunity to do so, plus turned in a poorly done care plan). I agreed to go back with her to the clinical site for a second chance, but told her she would have to really impress me. She surely did.

Others who failed because of repeated tardies (4 out of 6 days) and coming to clinical unprepared on more than one occasion were not given a second chance, as the pattern of behavior suggested they needed to learn a tought love lesson. And, they had been warned that they were in danger of failing.

Without knowing more, it's hard to say what will happen. Most department chairs and faculty care about being fair, and try to be even-handed and use clear criteria for clinical failures. Were the criteria made clear to you? Any verbal or written warnings? If yes, how did you respond?

Ask if you can go back to clinical with another instructor, and be re-evaluated by that person. Offer to pay for the 4 hours of time this would involve.

Let us know how this turns out.

[llg, PhD, RN]

As a graduate student, I was not really intimidated by the undergraduate faculty. So, I felt free to voice my opinion -- but tactfully, of course -- and remembering that faculty have both the right and the obligation to set standards for their courses.

The decision-making process was more of a discussion that tried to reach concensus rather than a simple vote. After the key players left the room, the committee discussed it, made compromises, etc. until the majority opinion became clear -- at which point a vote was taken to officially endorse the general consensus that had developed. It never became heated or tense within the committee.