How do I tell my first nursing job I failed NCLEX

Nursing Students NCLEX

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Hello all,

So I failed the NCLEX at 265 questions. I am heartbroken but I've decided not to loathe anymore and study hard to pass. But, I had a new job lined up to start next week and I am lost on how to notify the supervisor. We communicate via email.

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Just email your supervisor and explain the situation. Don't vent or be too emotional, but stress that you are committed to passing in 45 days (or as soon as your state permits you to re-test), and ask where you guys go from here regarding your position. Do you know if your state/facility will permit you to work as a graduate nurse while working towards obtaining your license? Is this job in a nurse residency program? You are certainly not the only person to be in this situation, and your supervisor may have dealt with this before with other new nurses. It's unfortunate, but not uncharted territory, so hopefully you might be able to work out a later start date. It's always a good idea to simply be up-front with your employer and just ask these important questions.

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Do you know if your state/facility will permit you to work as a graduate nurse while working towards obtaining your license?

In the states which still allow graduate nurse status, it is only good until you take the NCLEX. Graduate nurse status is based on the presumption that you're going to pass the NCLEX when you take it. Once you have taken the exam, you either passed and got your license, or you didn't pass and the GN permit becomes invalid. There is no such thing as a graduate nurse permit/status once one has taken the NCLEX, in any state.

OP, I agree that you need to let your new employer know ASAP. You are not the first person to be in this situation. Some employers are able and willing to push back a start date; some allow individuals who didn't pass NCLEX to work in an unlicensed position (as a CNA or some other non-nurse position) until they do pass the NCLEX, and some employers just let people go if they can't start on their planned start date (because they don't have the license). I hope that you won't lose your job over this, but, either way, it's best to know what the plan is as soon as possible.

Best wishes!

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