Can I retake the NCLEX in another state?

Nurses General Nursing

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I found out last night that I didn't pass the NCLEX-RN...I live in GA & the Pearson website is saying I have to wait ~ 90 days before I can retake...I thought I remembered someone saying we could retake in another state that has a shorter waiting period....is this true? I'm hoping it is & if not, is there any other way around "the waiting"?

Signed: embarrassed & frusturated :confused::banghead::bluecry1:

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My wife didn't pass the first time...took the test in OHIO. She had to wait for the term outlined for OHIO. She ended up getting licensed both in OHIO and PA, and she was glad she didn't take the test in PA because their waiting period was almost double.

Hope this helps. I would also recommend taking the Kapplan NCLEX prep course, both online and the real classes. She passed the second time under 75 questions, while the first time she was there for the full 4 hours. Kapplan gives you all the tips and tricks for what type of questions they give you from educators that actually make the test. It's all a money making scheme I think, but you want your license don't you.

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.

You can absolutely test in any other state. To quote the woman at Pearsonvue that I talked to after I didn't pass the 1st time, "You could take the test in Texas if you wanted to." (I live in MN).

Good luck!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

If you want to retake with another state then you have to apply for exam by licensure and meet all requirements by the time that is done the 90 days will have passed. May as well spend the time studying and stick with the same BON

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.
If you want to retake with another state then you have to apply for exam by licensure and meet all requirements by the time that is done the 90 days will have passed. May as well spend the time studying and stick with the same BON

I don't think that's necessarily true. If you want to be licensed in another state, that's a pretty big hassle. As far as just testing in another state, though: I graduated from a school in WI, took my NCLEX once in WI, then took the NCLEX again in MN. The only difference I had to make is changing the testing center (from WI to MN) on the pearsonvue website.

Because I had my schooling in WI, I am licensed in WI.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Reading back to the original letter the OP says they have to wait for 90 days to resit. If that is the BON requirement going to another state to sit the exam is not going to make any difference will still have to wait 90 days. Yes you can sit the exam anywhere even overseas but still have to meet BON/BRN requirements for resit.

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In Arizona the wait time to re-take the NCLEX is only 45 days. Their website is: azbn.gov

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.

Oh, yeah - duh:selfbonk:. I was answering a different question, I guess.

I'd agree with Silver, that the hassle of getting everything transferred from one SBON to another isn't worth waiting the extra time to test in the same state.

I thought about getting licensed in another state, so I looked into it. According to the MN SBON, I would have had to get all my school records transferred to them & fill out a bunch of paperwork - some of which had to be notarized. And there are fees attached to all that paperwork.

I hope this all works out for you - hope you can wait the whole 90 days. Try not to fall into the same trap I did - I got so depressed after not passing the 1st time & waited almost a whole year before I tested again. If I could do it over, I would have just bucked up, studied for & took the test again as soon as I could have.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

But by the time you fill out license paperwork for another state...etc...it would be longer. Also, you would have a license in that state....i.e. If I failed in IL, and got IN to approve me...my license would be from IN, not IL...

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.
Signed: embarrassed & frusturated :confused::banghead::bluecry1:

Oh, & please try not to feel too embarrassed. It's soooo common to not pass the 1st time. Now that I'm actually working, I hear from wonderful, seasoned nurses all the time that they didn't pass the 1st time.

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I am CA resident and I graduated in May 2008, sat for the Nclex in July '08 and failed, waited 45 days and sat again in Sept '08 and failed.

I just applied to take it in NY so I had to complete the application, pass 2 state mandated classes and have my school send NY my transcript.

I am waiting to get the okay from NY and I will have sat 3 times for the NCLEX.

I chose to apply in NY bc I am moving there and time was cutting short.

So hopefully after using Kaplan and Suzannes plan i will pass on my third try!

I am determined!!!!

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