Being forced to take a year out of my nursing degree- is this allowed?

Basically I am at the beginning of my second year of my nursing degree and I do love it however due to personal circumstances and poor mental health I have had to take a few weeks off of placement.

i have spoken to the university and they have basically said that there isn't enough time for me to be assessed for this placement as I only have a set amount of weeks scheduled for placement and there isn't any other opportunity for me to resit it during this academic year so I would effectively have to take a leave of absence for an entire year and return with the cohort on the year below in the next academic session.

I really feel as though this is unfair and a very drastic option. I am a disabled student and I also do not think it's right to be penalised against due to something I have no control over. Furthermore I receive additional support for exams etc and was wondering if there was any adjustments that could me made in regards to the amount of hours I am obligated to complete by the end of my degree- I know that students have to complete something like 3000 hours over the 3 years but surely there should be a revised total for students with disabilities because the expectation should be in line with what they can complete and adjusted accordingly to their needs just is the case in exams and for deadlines.

I wanted to find out if anyone else has had similar issues and managed to resolve this situation or who I can get in contact with because I do not want to have to take a leave of absence due to a few weeks off when I desperately needed it. I was a model student in my first year, passed everything first time with glowing feedback and high marks and it just really feels like a kick in the teeth to be honest but I am not ready to give up the fight just yet.

Thanks!

Basically I am at the beginning of my second year of my nursing degree and I do love it however due to personal circumstances and poor mental health I have had to take a few weeks off of placement.

i have spoken to the university and they have basically said that there isn't enough time for me to be assessed for this placement as I only have a set amount of weeks scheduled for placement and there isn't any other opportunity for me to resit it during this academic year so I would effectively have to take a leave of absence for an entire year and return with the cohort on the year below in the next academic session.

I really feel as though this is unfair and a very drastic option. I am a disabled student and I also do not think it's right to be penalised against due to something I have no control over. Furthermore I receive additional support for exams etc and was wondering if there was any adjustments that could me made in regards to the amount of hours I am obligated to complete by the end of my degree- I know that students have to complete something like 3000 hours over the 3 years but surely there should be a revised total for students with disabilities because the expectation should be in line with what they can complete and adjusted accordingly to their needs just is the case in exams and for deadlines.

I wanted to find out if anyone else has had similar issues and managed to resolve this situation or who I can get in contact with because I do not want to have to take a leave of absence due to a few weeks off when I desperately needed it. I was a model student in my first year, passed everything first time with glowing feedback and high marks and it just really feels like a kick in the teeth to be honest but I am not ready to give up the fight just yet.

Thanks!

Basically I am at the beginning of my second year of my nursing degree and I do love it however due to personal circumstances and poor mental health I have had to take a few weeks off of placement.

i have spoken to the university and they have basically said that there isn't enough time for me to be assessed for this placement as I only have a set amount of weeks scheduled for placement and there isn't any other opportunity for me to resit it during this academic year so I would effectively have to take a leave of absence for an entire year and return with the cohort on the year below in the next academic session.

I really feel as though this is unfair and a very drastic option. I am a disabled student and I also do not think it's right to be penalised against due to something I have no control over. Furthermore I receive additional support for exams etc and was wondering if there was any adjustments that could me made in regards to the amount of hours I am obligated to complete by the end of my degree- I know that students have to complete something like 3000 hours over the 3 years but surely there should be a revised total for students with disabilities because the expectation should be in line with what they can complete and adjusted accordingly to their needs just is the case in exams and for deadlines.

I wanted to find out if anyone else has had similar issues and managed to resolve this situation or who I can get in contact with because I do not want to have to take a leave of absence due to a few weeks off when I desperately needed it. I was a model student in my first year, passed everything first time with glowing feedback and high marks and it just really feels like a kick in the teeth to be honest but I am not ready to give up the fight just yet.

Thanks!

Hi,

I was in a similar situation, just started 2nd year and I missed 3 weeks of placement and due to physical and mental health problems I was given 3 options which, although all very similar, of taking "temporary withdrawal" and returning at a later date. One of the options was to remain in my own cohort but defer the exams from that semester and give up my time off the following summer to complete the necessary placement hours (something which might be worth mentioning to uni if you were willing to do so and see if there was a way this could be encorporated).

Like the others who have replied said, your health is priority and as long as you feel you are well enough to continue on it would be worth discussing other options with the university like I mentioned above.

I have been off for a year but due to unfortunate circumstances with my health and ongoing treatments, etc. I have extended my leave and can do so for up to 2 years before I will have to forfeit my place on the course.

If you do have to take the rest of the year out try not to think about it too negatively, you could do a bit more paid work as bank/agency staff in the hospitals, complete training (venepuncture, cannulation, ecg readings, etc) through the job roles if you haven't done so already, which will also give you more confidence in completing your future placements, etc. This and being able to earn and save a bit of money to make it a bit easier throughout the next year of the degree.

I completely understand the frustration of the situation as I have been there but if you are determined like you have said, any setback is just an obstacle to get around and remember you have the rest of your career ahead of you when you do finally graduate 😊

Having to take a full year out does seem ar bit drastic.
You definitely don't need to do 3000 practice hours - as Tracey says, it's 2300 over 3 years. Talk to the uni (and student rep/student union) - surely there's the option of deferring placement, ie being assessed for this placement and the next one on your next placement, and make up any hours at the end of the course (if needed).

Hi sorry to jump in do you know the maximum time to complete a nursing course if you are a drop out. Started in 2019. I drop out 2021 because of health issues, which was at the end of academic part. My course is 2years. I have finished all the academic side, just half of the NMC hours left. Course finished in 2021.

It used to be five years, but the NMC dropped this in 2016 and left it to individual universities to decide on limits, so this is something you need to be asking your university about.

Hi sorry to jump in do you know the maximum time to complete a nursing course if you are a drop out. Started in 2019. I drop out 2021 because of health issues, which was at the end of academic part. My course is 2years. I have finished all the academic side, just half of the NMC hours left. Course finished in 2021.