Weeding out of nursing students

z's playa · Jul 18, 2005

Do nursing instructors deliberately try to weed out students, by doing things like testing on material they haven't gone over yet, deliberately making it hard, picking on students?

Not here.

Yet :)

Our instructors like to help the students succeed. The course lign up like putting two ANPs in the same semester might suggest this..... but the proffs are aware of the difficult load and help out big time.

They are aware we (society) are in need of nurses. What's the point of setting them us to fail?

Z

Sheri257 · Jul 18, 2005

What's the point of setting them up to fail?

Because it's no fun to be in power if you can't abuse it.

I've had to put up with so much BS in nursing school it's pathetic. One of our instructors forced the entire class to help a student with her senior project. This meant we actually had to skip clinical time in the hospital which, I'm sure, violated BON rules. Of course, the senior turned out to be his wife. Talk about nepotism.

Another class failed the final exam ... and I mean the entire class failed ... after the instructor told them certain material wouldn't be on the test that, in fact, was on the test. The teacher refused to correct the situation and the students had to go all the way up to the dean to try to remedy the situation. It's mid summer and the controversy still isn't resolved.

I've often thought of reporting all of this to the Board of Nursing, which would come down on the school in a heart beat. But then, you also risk shooting yourself in the foot if they suspend the program, especially if you want to graduate on time.

Once teachers have tenure, they can pretty much do anything they want. And, as a student, you don't have many remedies.

:coollook:

BETSRN · Jul 18, 2005

Because it's no fun to be in power if you can't abuse it.
I've had to put up with so much BS in nursing school it's pathetic. One of our instructors forced the entire class to help a student with her senior project. This meant we actually had to skip clinical time in the hospital which, I'm sure, violated BON rules. Of course, the senior turned out to be his wife. Talk about nepotism.
Another class failed the final exam ... and I mean the entire class failed ... after the instructor told them certain material wouldn't be on the test that, in fact, was on the test. The teacher refused to correct the situation and the students had to go all the way up to the dean to try to remedy the situation. It's mid summer and the controversy still isn't revolsed.
I've often thought of reporting all of this to the Board of Nursing, which would come down on the school in a heart beat. But then, you also risk shooting yourself in the foot if they suspend the program, especially if you want to graduate on time.
Once teachers have tenure, they can pretty much do anything they want. And, as a student, you don't have many remedies.

It saddens me to think that there are instructors out there who do this. However, nursing is a demanding profession and I do think that there is probably natural weeding out process which occurs anyway. It is better to get out before you graduate if you know nursing isn't for you. Why waste your time and energies?

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 18, 2005

IMO, The "weeding out process" is in part a natural process and one that is deliberately impossed by the instructor. I cannot disagree with anyone that believes in either side.

I know that nursing is not for everyone, and that the school wants to make sure that the "best" gets in so that there is an increased chance of NCLEX pass rate, looks better for the school etc.

The natural process occurs all the time when you see students (some who are forced by parents to take the nursing route when indeed they don't want to), and with others who think it is going to be a "joyful ride", the one's who are always late or missing class (and expect to pass), and the bunch who think they are so smart they need not study. Pretty much with the intensity of the classes beginning at prenursing, these folks are pretty much wrapping a rope around their necks!

On the other hand, you might be greeted by an instructor who (in my personal experience) is either a seasoned nurse or even an MD.....who flat out tell you the first day of class "to look around" cause pretty soon there will be about 20% of you left cause it's my goal to fail you.

The way I look at it is (HA!) I take you up on that challenge, but remeber not everyone is the same. Others become fearful and slowly start to leave, while others stick to their guns and even they know they are failing stay and wish for the better. (This to me is weeding out process). The staff even refers to Chem, A&P's and Micro "the filter classes". (You'd be amazed at how many people have to attempt them more than once and you only get 2 chances) Mind you I used to work there prior to becoming a student and know what the motto is all about. Too many applicants very little spots. They want to keep claiming there is "no waiting list" (and there is not)......so in order to keep it that way the weeding out process kicks in, because when you are done with the natural weeding process, there are still plenty of outstanding and qualified candidates (but too little spots)......now you must do something to shorten the list even further :rolleyes:

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2005

Lizz you go to a rotten school, plan and simple. Perhaps that's how myths are born from schools like that. Thank goodness not all schools are like that. Best of luck to you and I'm sorry you're going through that.

An entire class failing? That's obsurd. Heck I just took a test in research where the majority of people missed the same two questions and they threw them out, knowing in retrospect they weren't the best questions. Instructors are human and make mistakes sometimes and I'm glad I'm going to a school that acknowledges their mistakes and doesn't punish the students for it.

Good luck.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 18, 2005

Lizz you go to a rotten school, plan and simple. Perhaps that's how myths are born from schools like that. Thank goodness not all schools are like that. Best of luck to you and I'm sorry you're going through that.
An entire class failing? That's obsurd. Heck I just took a test in research where the majority of people missed the same two questions and they threw them out, knowing in retrospect they weren't the best questions. Instructors are human and make mistakes sometimes and I'm glad I'm going to a school that acknowledges their mistakes and doesn't punish the students for it.
Good luck.

I'd love to go to your school. Sadly not all are as organized, balanced and just like yours

Enjoy it and treasure it. :)

Sheri257 · Jul 18, 2005

Lizz you go to a rotten school, plan and simple.

Unfortunately it's true. I used to think it was a good program, but not anymore. If they keep doing things like this, I probably will risk going to the BON.

:coollook:

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jul 18, 2005

Unfortunately it's true. I used to think it was a good program, but not anymore. If they keep doing things like this, I probably will risk going to the BON.

Lizz, I hear ya! but sometimes we have no choice but to deal with what we have and do your best. Without the abuse of course. If push comes to shove then yes the BON should be notified.

ChadleyNC · Jul 18, 2005

My opinion, however misguided, is that weeding out is a necessary evil and a natural process. I have always appreciated professors who are no-nonsense in their approach and state things like.."These are our class requirements and if for any reason you can't meet them the registrar's office has drop add slips available during regular business hours." You know where you stand and exactly what to expect. I do not however deal well at all with attitudes of no one ever passes my class. That's literally setting someone up to fail. If one feels challenged to prove onseself, however then one will strive harder I think is the idea.

I have had professors like this at the university level and I believe the issue of nursing is similar in that people become accustomed to one type of class while taking pre-req's and then get full on into a program and find it was nothing like they expected. The military calls this "Failure to Adapt" and it has happened to a lot of people i know in different programs not just nursing.

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 18, 2005

it is not a myth.

leopold · Jul 18, 2005

At my LPN school if you get below a 77 you are out of the program. Period. If you want to do it again you have to start the entire thing as a new student and take every single class over again even if you passed. So far we've lost 9 of 36 students in the past 6 months.

My problem with this system is that they base admission on completing the pre-reqs, which means anyone who has completed the pre-reqs is in line for admission no matter what their grades are. (There were 200 people vying for 36 spots). I got straight As in my pre-reqs and I was in the same position as students who scraped by with a 77. It seems pretty clear that those students are going to struggle and probably fail so other students who did really well on the pre-reqs got passed over for admission in order to let these students in. I'm sure the school has a logical explanation for this but that means that the students that flunk out have literally thrown $3000 down the toilet and a bunch of deserving students are left hanging out to dry. I really don't think that's fair and I don't know why they do it that way.