Failing to Fail in Undergraduate Nursing: Understanding the Phenomenon

AIM: The aim of the study was to explore and understand the phenomenon of "failing to fail."

BACKGROUND: Phase 1 of a mixed-methods study suggested faculty in clinical settings instructed students that should not have passed preceding placements; students in didactic settings also passed exams that merited a fail. Phase 2 explored this phenomenon.

METHOD: A multisite qualitative case study targeted baccalaureate and community college faculty to support analysis using replication logic. Data collection was conducted via semistructured interview.

RESULTS: Eighteen demographically diverse cases were recruited (including age, experience, and full-/part-time status). Factors supporting failing to fail included being good enough, clinical/didactic dichotomy, team grading, and being the bad guy.

CONCLUSION: The consistency of enabling factors suggests a collective approach is required to address failing to fail, including pedagogical preparation and cross-school mechanisms for ensuring grading parity. Effort must address integrity and teaching excellence in all aspects of nursing education.