I would first like to thank the administration and staff for keeping students safe at this time by closing campuses and offering us the opportunity to continue our semester online. We thank you for your commitment to our education during these moments of uncertainty. 

*If you are a friend, family or community member, I encourage you to sign the petition and show your support for LMU students during this difficult time. Especially those of us in the nursing program so we can get into the workforce and begin serving our community in a much needed way.*

During this time of angst, unrest and fear, we are still pressing on to achieve our goals because we do still believe life will go on. 

According to the Hierarchy of Needs theory Abraham Maslow proposed in 1943, during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic the majority of us are trying to fulfill our need for safety or even basic needs. Our nation is in a state of emergency in which we are all trying to protect our health and the health of our loved ones, we are thinking about our resources as some of us have lost the ability to earn a living. Based on this theory, we cannot psychologically move to a higher level of achievement with success because we are currently in a state of unknown. 

With that said, as a senior nursing student with (as of today) four weeks until what is supposed to be graduation, I have not lost sight of my desire to become a nurse because it is who I am meant to be. But even my deep desire to be a nurse cannot overshadow my personal fears for myself and my family during this pandemic. And I believe that about my fellow senior nursing students as well.

We, as students of the Caylor School of Nursing at Lincoln Memorial University, are petitioning to have the option of choosing a Pass/Fail grading system implemented for this semester. 

This is not a novel request. Many universities across the nation have done this. There is an overwhelming need for healthcare professionals at this time, as evidence by the TN BON and NCLEX making changes in the application and testing process for new graduates.

We have a passion to begin serving our community in this time of need. Achieving a letter grade imposes unnecessary anxiety right now. Some of us are distracted in the home environment due to different factors. Studying has become more challenging because of the lack of or limited availability of childcare, or other outside influences.

Above all, concentrating on a test when worrying about basic needs is not conducive to success. Please let us have the choice of a Pass/Fail grading option to alleviate undo anxiety during this time and still achieve our goals.