Do you think physicians could pass the NCLEX-RN?

With, like, 2-4 hours of studying the nurse specific stuff, yes. Absolutely yes.

No I don't, but they are trained to think a diff way. Even in real world nursing we don't do things the way nclex says is the best.

For what it's worth, physicians are increasingly excluded by the courts as experts on nursing care in legal cases. They have no education in nursing, no licensure in nursing, and no experience performing in the nursing role supervised and evaluated by nurses. Ergo ... they have no standing in such matters.

Sure, there's overlap in what we all know and in an increasingly-large number of tasks (BTW, did you know that up to 1959 in CA, it was illegal for nurses to give injections or start IVs, because the extant practice acts limited broaching the skin to physicians? Our practice acts tend to follow, not lead, practice).

But as we are not held to physician standard of practice due to lack of education and training in physician work, they cannot be held to nursing standard of practice due to lack of education and training in our work. The sooner everybody understands and embraces that -- and judging by the above comments, that includes nurses-- the better off we will all be.

I don't really see the point of this question. I am sure I could not pass the USMILE. Different fields, different requirements for licensure

My friend was taking critical care nursing competency tests online in the military and one of the field surgeons was looking over his shoulder and couldn't answer any of them. kinda funny.

Would a nurse be able to pass the MCAT?

Why does it matter? The two fields are different. Both are equally valuable. I think it's an unfair, loaded question.

Would *I* be able to pass the NCLEX right now? Probably not.

Without studying, probably not. They'd get the pathophys questions right, though :)

Probably not, but as a nurse I probably couldn't pass the tests they have to take. Why would we expect a physician to be able to pass a test for licensure in a field that they did not study?

Would a nurse be able to pass the MCAT?

Why does it matter? The two fields are different. Both are equally valuable. I think it's an unfair, loaded question.

Would *I* be able to pass the NCLEX right now? Probably not.

Most nurses probably could do well on the MCAT, as it's the pre-test to apply for medical school. The various USMLE step tests are the licensure tests. I also think most nurses could pass NCLEX again. NCLEX tests minimum requirments to be a safe beginning nurse. That's it. I was helping a friend study for it recently and was surprised at how much easier the questions, particularly prioritization, seemed now than then.

Yes, I do think most physicians could pass the NCLEX-RN (or PN) without too much difficulty. The NCLEX just isn't that hard. I know some bright CNAs who could probably pass the NCLEX with a week of intensive study. Does this mean CNAs or doctors or paramedics or whoever should be allowed to challenge the NCLEX without attending nursing school? Of course not. Just being able to study for and pass a test means nothing.

In California, there is a law that allows CNAs with 5 years of experience to take one pharmacology class in order to be eligible to challenge the NCLEX-PN. This bears repeating, an experienced CNA can take a single college course in pharm, and this entitles them to sit for the PN boards and become a LPN (or LVN or whatever they're called out there). I think that's horrible. Not a single class on assessment, or the nursing process or anything.

I feel this way about LPN vs RN, too. I know many of my LPN colleagues with experience feel they should be able to challenge the NCLEX-RN. I disagree. Not to sound arrogant, but I know for a fact that I could pass the NCLEX-RN if given the chance. But I don't think I should be allowed. Advanced placement in a RN program ahead of "traditional" students, yes. But LPNs still need to go through RN school. And CNAs and medics need to go to PN school. No free passes.