After Graduation?

yes you can take it thereafter

you can take the NCLEX any time. The earliest I've heard is 2 weeks post grad

I think you find out online within a week. correct?

my understanding of working prior to licensure is that you are doing hospital policy orientation in the meantime, so it's not so big a problem with med passing, etc.

good luck. hope to hear what other info ppl can offer

At the hospital were I work, they had a position of GN. You work under a RN until you get your license. You are actually doing the work. The RN has to supervise you though.

In my state you get a paper from your school at graduation which allows you to work as a GN until you take the NCLEX-RN, if you don't pass you have to let your GN position go. I think taking it here just depends on when it is given. I don't know how many times a year they give it here, I have friends who have taken it 1 month to 3 months after graduation. Results take about a week, sometimes less, and you can find them online. I don't believe you have to have your hard copy to begin working as an RN.

I hope this helps clarify some stuff for you and answers your questions....

Once you graduate nursing school you can sit for the NCLEX as long as you have received authorization to take the test. Your school should be sending the state proof that you've completed the nursing program and you need to fill out the application for a nursing license and send that in to your state board of nursing.... the requirements will vary from state to state. In NJ we needed to also have a background check, fingerprints, and a passport picture sent in with our application. Also, you need to go online and register with Pearsonvue. This is where you will be registering and selecting the date and place to take your test. But you can not select a test date or site until you have received your ATT number which is your authorization number. You will receive this number when your state has received all your information and says its ok for you to sit for the NCLEX. Once you've taken the test... you can get your results in a few days online but you have to pay like $8 or something to see your results.

Some hospitals will allow you to work as a graduate nurse out of school as long as you are registered to take the exam within i think it's 6 months... (this may vary from state to state and in different hospitals) BUT if you take the exam and don't pass you can no longer work as a graduate nurse. You won't be able to work again until you pass the exam.

I don't think you have to have the hard copy of the license to start working, but they do at least want the license number. You should get a letter in the mail with your license number and it usually says you will get the hard copy within 10 days.

Hope that helped! :wink2:

It depends on your state's BON...here in IL, they have done away with the position of GN. You must have your license in hand to even be on the floor. During my last week in class, we filled out the state application for the RN license as a class. It was 3-4 pages, and then was sent to the state after graduation by the school with our proof of passing. We then had to wait for authorization to test (ATI) from Pearsonvue...then we could schedule our exam, and pay our extra 200 bucks for the exam. Once we took the exam, we could pay the extra fee online to find out if we passed...but were unoffical until we got our letters(took 2-3 weeks to get letter) then another week to get our license.

Hope this helps.