Challenge NCLEX

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I want to challenge the NCLEX and the board wants a form signed by the DON, verifying that I completed the coursework (which in my opinion is redundant since I have provided unofficial transcript and course descriptions, but oh well), but the DON refused to sign it. 

Backstory: I moved states right before COVID to attend a direct entry MSN program. I got into a serious car accident and stopped for nearly 2 years. I returned to the program this past January and I just completed semester 4 out of 5 and was supposed to repeat med surg 3 (failed by 2 pts) this Summer, which would have added an extra semester as it needs to be taken alone before moving on. However, a few days prior to the start of the semester, I had to drop the course due to family/health situations.

I'm now at $100K deep in student loans. I can't afford to lose everything I've worked so hard for. I felt so relieved to have found that option since I can't find a school to accept my credits. And because the school won't sign the form, I can't sit for that exam. Have you ever been in this situation? What did you do? 

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Community Health, HIV.

I'm a bit confused... are you trying to challenge the NCLEX-RN or the PN? I don't think you will be successful for the RN if you didn't finish med surg, but I'm not sure, since it's an MSN program. What reason did the DON give for not signing? 

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I can challenge either because I have the # of credits required. I actually learned about that from someone who didn't pass med surg 3 and had done it.

Her excuse was "I'm not comfortable signing a form from out of state that permits you to take an exam." Meanwhile, the cohort is mostly made of people from out-of-state (including myself) who go back home and sit for their boards. Which means she just doesn't want to do it.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Looking at it from the DON perspective I can't say as I blame her.  I wouldn't be comfortable signing official forms attesting information provided is complete and true from anywhere much less  a state I am not a resident of or licensed in.

At least not without being able to review to pertinent documents, which in this case would be official school transcripts that provide proof that the coursework required was completed.  By your own admission you have only provided unofficial transcripts and course descriptions.  This does not provide somebody without first hand knowledge of your education the required proof that you completed with passing grades the necessary credits to challenge the test. Heck, anybody could print course descriptions from a college catalog, that doesn't even prove you attended the referenced classes so the documentation you are providing is not in my opinion anywhere near adequate proof that you passed these required courses. 

Just a thought here as I am not too familiar with challenging the NCLEX, but if you actually had the official school transcripts to submit to your BON would you be able to complete your quest without a third party, like your DON needing to sign off on it?  

Final thought: Since you are already so deep into your education and have spent a lot of time and a lot of money to get as far as you have why not just finish it. You already took a two year break and then returned to take another course. 

 Now it sounds like you are just two semesters away from being able to graduate since repeating med-surg is a semester by itself before you can take the final semester's classes. I am just guessing here but I get the impression from your post that any kind of remote learning to complete the required coursework is not an option? Honestly unless it is impossible to return to school it seems like your best best would be to complete the required coursework and graduate. 

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Specializes in CEN, Firefighter/Paramedic.
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I can challenge either because I have the # of credits required. I actually learned about that from someone who didn't pass med surg 3 and had done it.

Her excuse was "I'm not comfortable signing a form from out of state that permits you to take an exam." Meanwhile, the cohort is mostly made of people from out-of-state (including myself) who go back home and sit for their boards. Which means she just doesn't want to do it.

I'm curious - when did the person successfully challenge the exam, was it recently?

I want to make sure I understand your post correctly,  you did not complete all of the coursework for their program, but you think you should be granted completion and the ability to take the NCLEX because you have the correct numerical total of credits?

By this logic, if I just took and passed med surg 1 ten times but kept failing everything else, I'd have 30 credits of nursing (or whatever the required total is), and I should be able to test?

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How does one fail a nursing course like med-surg and able to challenge the NCLEX? Just trying to wrap my head around that one. So a student who gets all the way to the end of their program but fails by a point on that last exam unable to graduate, can they challenge the NCLEX?

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There is no way any BON or school is going to grant you a nursing license without completing med surg. You need to finish and pass medsurg to sit for a license, that is part of nursing core curriculums.

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Specializes in Critical Care | CCRN-CMC.

Just to clarify, I guess I'm with many people here on this one...

Did you pass all of the classes in the nursing school?

If you passed and graduated then you ought to be qualified to sit for the licensing exam.

If you didn't pass, then you don't get to sit for licensing exam, yet. 

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Specializes in Occupational Health.

So you didn't finish the required coursework but you want the DON to sign a form saying you did?  

I'm gonna go with that's NOT going to happen. Your best bet is to complete the program if eligible to do so. 

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Dy-no-mite Nurse1 said:

How does one fail a nursing course like med-surg and able to challenge the NCLEX? Just trying to wrap my head around that one. So a student who gets all the way to the end of their program but fails by a point on that last exam unable to graduate, can they challenge the NCLEX?

I haven't met someone who was able to do it. In fact, some students had to repeat the entire course for failing one class. 

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