When Failing Twice Led to Excellence: Carolyn’s Journey to Nursing

When Failing Twice Led to Excellence: Carolyn’s Journey to Nursing

Some success stories are straight lines. Others are winding roads with detours that make the destination even sweeter. This is one of those stories.

*Carolyn sat in her car outside the nursing building, staring at the letter. Failed. Again. This was her second dismissal from nursing school—both times for failing clinical. While her test scores were adequate, the hands-on environment paralyzed her with anxiety. Two instructors, at two different times, delivered the same verdict: “Perhaps nursing isn’t for you.”

At 32, working as a nursing assistant at the very hospital where she’d failed her clinicals, Carolyn watched nurses she’d attended school with care for patients. The sting was almost unbearable. Her family gently suggested other careers. “You’re so smart,” her mother said. “Maybe healthcare administration? Medical coding?” But every time Carolyn saw a nurse comfort a frightened patient or skillfully manage a complex situation, she knew: nursing was still her calling.

The Decision That Changed Everything

Instead of giving up, Carolyn made a bold choice. She applied to a nursing program at a college one hour away, known for its supportive environment. Upon acceptance, she learned the college would not accept any of the core nursing courses from her previous program.

Building Differently

This time, everything was different. Carolyn approached each class as if she’d never seen the material before. She sat in the front row. She formed study groups immediately. Most importantly, she was honest about her past failures.

“At my first Foundations of Nursing skill lab, I told my instructor about my history,” Carolyn shares. “I said, ‘I’ve failed clinical twice. I get anxious. I second-guess myself. I need your help to succeed.’ Instead of hiding my weakness, I made it visible so we could address it.”

Her lab instructor, Mrs. Henry, didn’t coddle her. Instead, she created a plan. Carolyn would attend open lab once per week and stay 30 minutes longer during lab days to review procedures.

The Power of Starting Over

Retaking courses she’d already passed revealed something profound: Carolyn hadn’t really learned the material the first time—she’d memorized it. This time, she understood why potassium levels mattered, not just the normal ranges. She grasped the pathophysiology behind symptoms, not just the symptoms themselves.

“My previous failures made me humble enough to truly learn,” she reflects. “I stopped trying to prove I was smart and started trying to become competent. There’s a huge difference.”

Her clinical performance transformed. The same hands that had trembled while taking blood pressure now moved with careful confidence. The voice that had stammered through patient education now explained procedures clearly. She wasn’t just passing—she was excelling.

Graduation and Beyond

Carolyn graduated and was selected as one of the student speakers at the Pinning Ceremony. At the ceremony, Mrs. Henry commended her: “Your courage to try again after failing twice has taught me more about resilience than any success story could. You’ll be an exceptional nurse because you know what it costs to become one.”

Today, eight years later, Carolyn is an excellent nurse. She specifically requests to serve as a preceptor to nursing students during their rotations.

The Gift of Failing

“Failing twice was initially emotionally painful; however, in retrospect, it was the best thing that happened to my nursing career,” Carolyn states with conviction. “It taught me:

• Humility: I never assume I know everything. This makes me a safer nurse.
• Empathy: I understand what it’s like to struggle. My patients feel that.
• Persistence: I know that failing doesn’t mean failure—it means ‘not yet.’
• Growth mindset: Every shift is a chance to learn something new.
• Courage: If I could face nursing school after two failures, I can face anything this career throws at me.”

Her Message to Struggling Students

“If you’ve failed once, twice, or more—listen to me,” Carolyn says, leaning in with intensity. “Your failure doesn’t disqualify you. It’s preparing you to be an excellent nurse who empathizes with patients and families facing struggles.”

The Truth About Third Chances

Not everyone gets a third chance at their dream. But for those brave enough to take it, that third chance often reveals who they were meant to be all along. Carolyn wasn’t meant to be the nurse who never struggled. She was meant to be the nurse who overcame—and who helps others do the same.

Today, when new nurses ask Carolyn her secret to success, she smiles and says, “I failed until I couldn’t fail anymore. Then I became unstoppable.”

Sometimes the longest road to your destination becomes the most meaningful journey. Just ask Carolyn—or any of the nurses she’s mentored who almost gave up but didn’t.

Because she didn’t.

*Name changed to protect the identity of the nurse.

Remember: Your failures aren’t full stops. They are commas in a sentence that’s still being written.