The Catskill Chronicle

To the editor:

I am a current nursing student at SCCC in the LPN-RN program and I would just like to correct some of the information in the letter entitled “31% Fail Out of Nursing Program at SCCC.”

The first thing I would like to address is that I do not feel any student was given special privileges for testing. Although I did not pass on the first try, I was treated in a fair and dignified way by the nursing instructor who was proctoring my exam. She was even helpful during my test and at the conclusion, she provided a detailed explanation as to why I failed and how to correct my mistake for the next test.  She was gentle but firm in her explanation and for each criticism; she also offered something positive to say about my performance.

Although I was very upset about not making it on the first try, I felt the decision was fair. I was not alone in my testing experience; many other students expressed that their exam was given in a fair way and that they understood why they had failed. They and myself only sighted our own shortcomings and anxiety as the core reason for failing not the instructors.

In terms of the handbook and what it says regarding the  competency exams, I do acknowledge that it does say that the exam was to have two skills not the three that we were given. However, this was not a surprise to anyone in our program. We had been told this information early in the third semester by our previous instructor. This subject only became an issue when people failed the competency exam.

We were also told frequently throughout the fall semester that we should all take advantage of the nursing lab for practice. The lab was open at least twice a week to do so and many people, (some of which failed), did not utilize this resource.

One of the few things that was correct in the cited letter to the editor was that the supplies in the lab were not sufficient for testing and that struggling with broken or overly used supplies could have cost people time.

I think going forward, SCCC should have new supplies such as IV tubing and fluids for each student for their own test. After all, we do pay a lab fee and I think that money could be put towards supplies for testing.

I also think the lab needs to be organized and students should be allowed to have access to the supply area prior to the test date in order to familiarize themselves to the location of various supplies.

I will close by saying that all of this has drastically changed our experience in the nursing program.  Almost each day one of our instructors mentions the competency testing.

We have had our lectures interrupted by administrators from the school to tell us their position on what has happened.

We have missed clinical days to accommodate another test date.

I understand and feel for those that did not make it but I feel the rest of us are entitled to receive the education that we are paying for without distraction.

In the end, all nursing programs have some form of testing of skills learned and shouldn’t it be that way? After all, we will be responsible for the health and well being of human beings in settings and situations that are by far more stressful and unpleasant than in the nursing lab …

Silent Student (Name withheld by request)