2 year student to 3 year student

[clucito01]

I'm just trying to find out if anyone has gone through this before! I am currently a Junior in a BSN program in KS and I'm not sure how other schools regulate their testing but we were told the very first day that in Pathophysiology we must meet a 73% average to pass the class. It doesn't matter if we had a B in the class, if we didn't meet the test average we technically "failed" the class and became a 3 year program student instead of 2.

Well through the semester I was doing great in all of my classes except for Patho. Fundamentals was like second nature to me and I partly think because I've been a CNA for 9 years and have always asked my charge nurses if I could watch the procedures or assist in any way. Health assessment seemed like a lot of memorization and repetition and thankfully our lab instructor was amazing! My instructor for Patho was an amazing teacher as well! She was funny, upbeat, knew how to keep us involved and awake and simplified it for us. But when it came to test taking time I just bombed!

I would study as much as I possibly could and did her study guides by hand but nothing seemed to help. Then when it came time for the finals my professor told me that I needed to get an 85 to be able to reach my test average, so I studied as hard as I possibly could and reviewed with my friends at school and the morning of the test I was so confident and ready to go I was probably the only person in the room excited to take the test! (I know that is weird!) But I was heartbroken when she posted our test scores that night to see that I had only gotten a 81.

So now instead of graduating in may 2012, I am getting pushed back until May 2013. I still get to take nursing classes this spring and next fall but I won't be in any of my clinicals classes until I retake and pass Patho. And that sucks big time because I was SO excited for my med-surg clinicals in the spring semester! :)

I think what upsets me the most is that I have gotten so incredibly close with many girls in my class and I am just devastated that these girls, who are now like sisters to me, will get pinned without me. They all managed to pass, and I failed. I have cried, yelled, been depressed and done anything I can think of to make it better (even had a few Texas sized vodka & iced teas). I just need to know that there are other nursing students out there who are facing something like this as well or have gone through it and are still doing great in classes! Or that there are professional nurses working in the healthcare field today who have gone through this and maybe I will start to feel a little better about myself!

[daniedi77]

Yes, I have been in the same type of situation. But let me just say that you need a STRONG foundation in Patho. It is a huge part of nursing. I know it sucks but if nursing is where your heart is, just press on. You can still be friends with these people you have built NS relationships with. It's not about friends, its about you completing your nursing degree. Repeating a class with only HELP you become a stronger nurse. Keep your head up!!!!! Keep your eye on the finish line!!!!

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I just graduated after failing a class my senior year while in nursing school. Have a job all lined up ready to start when I get back too. You can do it, its just a mild sidestep is all. And I did this in KS also! I too grew very attached to my class and had a lot of them that were my close friends. It was hard to see them get pinned and not be joining them. But in the end the new class i joined was very nice, and I made new friends through the process. Stay positive, learn from your mistakes and apply it to this time around. Once you see where you have messed up, it is easier to fix it. I cant stress it enough, stay positive and it sounds like you have the right mindset to do perfect next go round.

[SweetNSassyRN2B]

i have been in your shoes. it sucks! i started my nursing school journey in august 2008, and i am just now getting to go back for my second semester. during february 2009 i came down with pneumonia and had to be hospitalized. i had to take a leave of absence from nursing school. this pushed my graduation year to 2011 instead of 2010. i was beyond ******. i never get sick and i was angry, sad, etc. then that same spring i got pregnant and was due in the middle of january. well our spring semester starts in the begining of january! how the heck was i supposed to give birth and come back to clinical the next week?? so i was forced to take another leave of absence. i have seen my good friends get pinned, pass their nclex and get their dream jobs as rn's. it hurts. it's hard.

that being said, you can do this. it is not the end of your nursing career; just a little detour. who knows, you may find great friends in your classes this round. definitely keep in touch with your friends who are still taking nursing classes. they can give you heads up on which professors to take, what topics are really tough, where the good clinical sites are, etc.

best of luck to you!!