Conflict of interest between NCSBN & NCLEX

Published

Does anyone else see the conflict of interest between NCSBN and NCLEX?

FOr those who don't know already, the NCSBN is the organization that creates the NCLEX-RN, pearsonvue are the people who administers the NCLEX. The conflict of interest issues arises because NCSBN directly profits from the NCLEX through testing fee's. So in the interest of NCSBN, they will increase the passing standard rates every 2-3 years, in order for people to fail so that more income is generated. Sure we all would like to think that NCSBN increses the passing rate because they want to promote more competent nurses into the nursing field but is this really why they increase the passing rates and make the questions confusing and difficult?

The other issue in regards to NCSBN is that NCSBN offers a NCLEX review called learning extension that fasely informs NCLEX candidates that since the test is written by NCSBN that the learning extension NCLEX review will be very much like the NCLEX...NCSBN may not say this directly but they students are under this impression. NCSBN should not in anyway promote a NCLEX review on their website...this is a prime example that NCSBN is out for one thing, money.

If NCSBN doesn't make any money from their test or offer any review courses on thier website, then this wouldn't be a conflict of interest. However, NCSBN is like any other organization. They want to make money by constantly making is confusing and difficult for people to pass so that they have to pay the $200 fee to take the NCLEX.

We read so many people who post and say that they passed, but I am guaranteeing that there are many people who fail and don't post up and I am sure that there are many people who take it numerous times.

Now for those people who take it numerous time, have it really bad because the NCLEX knows you and your test taking abilities. The NCLEX knows what your weaknesses are and the NCLEX will take advantage of this by asking you questions that you are weak on. Now, my question is does this really make you a competent nurse by asking you questions that even many senior nurses will not even know? I think not.

There are other issues I have with the NCSBN...

Who decides that if I don't answer a question correctly on the NCLEX that I am an incompetent nurse?

Just because I don't know the lab values for all the conditions, does not mean I am incompetent. The lab values are listed on the patients results.

If I receive 4 pharmacology questions and I miss 2 out of 4, then I automatically fail the NCLEX because I got a 50% on my phar questions...and this goes same for other type of questions like med calculation question. If you receive 2 med calculation questions and you answer 1 incorrect you fail the entire exam because you fall in the 50% percentile...its ridiculous.

The driving force for the NCSBN to make question confusing and difficult and also increase the passing rate is for one purpose only...that is to make more income. If NCSBN is so worried about putting out competent nurses out on the field, NCSBN should charge nursing student's a 1 time NCLEX test taking fee and with the one time fee, the nursing student can take the test as many times as they can without paying the fee ever again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

Interesting perspective.....

All I know is I need to pass... after I pass then I can question their methods and motives, but for now, I need to focus on passing.... if I start asking questions about why things are the way they are, i will lose focus....not that we, as future RN's can't make a change but we have to set priorities as to when those inconsistencies should be addressed. :mad:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sorry, but do not agreen with your interpretation of how things are done with the NCLEX exam. First of all, the average rate of passing is about 85%, the same that it has been for years, that has not changed. Even with the changes in the exam, they have changed the level by only a decimal point for the passing level. And each person that writes the exam gets 50% correct and 50% incorrect. How they determine your score is if the majority of the ones that you get correct is over the passing level. Nothing more to it than that.

Pearson-Vue has nothing to do with the exam or how it is designed, other than to administer it.

And not sure how there is a conflict of interest if they are the ones that design the exam in the first place?

Have not seen any difference in the pass rate in all of the years that I have been helping students pass this exam. Pass rate is still the same for American-trained nurses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Tele.

sometimes I do think that some people are chosen at random to fail, just because.....

but then I think "no way"

my friend who failed said that she thought she was going to pass, but then after she received her results she took a step back, realized what she did wrong in her studies, changed her ways.... and voila! passed the 2nd time with 75Q

So I think that if you study really hard, put your heart and soul into your studies, nothing will get in your way of passing that test.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Sorry, but do not agreen with your interpretation of how things are done with the NCLEX exam. First of all, the average rate of passing is about 85%, the same that it has been for years, that has not changed. Even with the changes in the exam, they have changed the level by only a decimal point for the passing level. And each person that writes the exam gets 50% correct and 50% incorrect. How they determine your score is if the majority of the ones that you get correct is over the passing level. Nothing more to it than that.

Pearson-Vue has nothing to do with the exam or how it is designed, other than to administer it.

And not sure how there is a conflict of interest if they are the ones that design the exam in the first place?

Have not seen any difference in the pass rate in all of the years that I have been helping students pass this exam. Pass rate is still the same for American-trained nurses.

It is quite interesting that you can't register the reasoning behind the issues. Plain and simple...NCSBN creates the NCLEX, NCSBN has a conflict of interest. This conflict of interest is that they create the test and also regulates the test. The motivation for NCSBN to make a difficult test is so that people will fail and will have to pay for additional test fee's. Like I said, if NCSBN isn't in it for the money then have the nursing students pay a one time test fee, and if they fail then they don't have to ever pay for the test again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I feel if it was a one time fee people would not take it as seriously. I know that I am taking it very seriously because I do not want to have to pay again or be one of my classmates that do not make it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
It is quite interesting that you can't register the reasoning behind the issues. Plain and simple...NCSBN creates the NCLEX, NCSBN has a conflict of interest. This conflict of interest is that they create the test and also regulates the test. The motivation for NCSBN to make a difficult test is so that people will fail and will have to pay for additional test fee's. Like I said, if NCSBN isn't in it for the money then have the nursing students pay a one time test fee, and if they fail then they don't have to ever pay for the test again.

I see your reasoning quite clearly, but that does not mean that I need to agree with it. The test is not that difficult as states before, the average pass rate is 85% on the exam and that has not changed thru the years of the exam existance.

There is also more than goes into being a nurse now and more responsibility with that, in terms of meds and procedures from when the exam came out. Medications also evolve. And the NCSBN does not make all of the rules concerning the exam, they have input from each and every Board of Nursing as well, and members of the NCSBN also come from the different BONs as well.

So questions can change in their format, and they have done so to make sure that they feel the nurse can practice safely when they get their license. The fact is that the same percentage still pass and do not pass, that has not changed.

If you had passed the exam, then none of this would ever be coming up. And you are not going to change them, you need to focus on passing the exam.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Andn there is not one state or country that gives unlimited test taking. In addition to paying for the exam again, you also need to pay the licensure fee again to all, except CA if for the PN exam.

And this is in every country as well, there are always fees added in. And if look at other professions, there are many that do not pass their licensing exam the first time and they go on to become excellent in whatever their specialty is. The focus should be on passing and being able to use what you have learned in school.

You are not going to change any of the board's requirements. And a decimal change in the raising of the level of the questions that need to be passes really has not made a difference here in the number that pass and do not pass.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/ER.

Interesting post, I had worked with a lady who shared with me the same thought process before, but I disagreed with her. FYI she failed it 8x and was insistent that Nclex "knew" she had the money to keep taking the test and they looked at her as a money tree. As soon as she said that anything else she said no longer seemed credible.

One thing I dont believe but maybe I am wrong, was the statement "if you are given 2 math questions and miss one-you fail the entire test"

I was under the impression that as long as you got 51% correct or better on the TOTAL test you would pass.

From what I understand it is a random test--sometimes I feel like I got the dumby test because I actually thought my test was easy---or was it that I just overly prepared? Or did my random test just happen to be on topics I was well versed on? I find this interesting, I swear from what I recall I had only 1 maternity question, and it was more of a psych question too boot, the patient happened to be pregnant and was debating not finishing the pregnancy to term, what is the appropriate response. Now how does Nclex know that I am qualified for maternity if I didn't have a single maternity question. Not one. At least not one that I recall, but out of the 75 I have a pretty good memory and I swear I didnt get one. Maternity is my weak spot, so I was prepared for a ton of those questions. Now what if I did have a ton, would I have passed with 75? I will never know.

One interesting note, I took my test on a Tuesday and a class mate took hers on a Weds, while the test were very fresh in our heads we compared questions and we had at least 4 questions that were identical. We each took the minimum 75 questions, so what are the odds that we know of at least 4 that were the exact same?? maybe they were part of those 15 sample questions. I dont know.

As far as the one time fee? No that would only give people the comfort of not really having to study, cause they could use the excuse "oh I will just take it again in 90 days"....I only wanted to pay once. So i did questions like a mad woman. It worked for me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Your argument makes sense at face value, but it doesn't hold up when you thoroughly understand the NCSBN mission, values, and purpose.

"The purpose of NCSBN is to provide an organization through which boards of nursing act and counsel together on matters of common interest and concern affecting the public health, safety and welfare, including the development of licensing examinations in nursing." https://www.ncsbn.org/about.htm

The NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN are one aspect of protecting the public. The passing standard on NCLEX is established to protect the public, not to generate revenue for the NCSBN. Each state establishes their individual benchmark on what an appropriate first-time pass rate on the NCLEX should be. Schools of nursing are held to that benchmark by both the state in which they are located and the national accrediting agencies. If each state is a member of the NCSBN then they too would want NCLEX candidates to fail. That makes no sense when they are requiring a minimum first-time pass rate for nursing programs and will hold schools accountable when they fail to meet this.

The detailed NCLEX-RN and PN test plans are published and available for educators, students, and NCLEX candidates. There is no surprise concerning potential content on the exam nor the level of difficulty or type of question the NCLEX candidate will face.

Concerning the need to pay a fee each time a candidate retakes the NCLEX, although I don't have inside information just considering the personnel involved from start to finish in the process (test generation, which is a detailed, time consuming and expensive process; processing the application; testing; results report; answering phone calls and emails of candidates; etc.) I don't believe they make much if any money on the NCLEX. What revenue is generated is certainly put back into test development and other important aspects of ensuring that the NCLEX is valid, secure, and in keeping with the mission of protecting the public.

Although the NCSBN offers a rather inexpensive NCLEX preparation program compared to other commercial NCLEX prep programs my sense is that the majority of NCLEX candidates use other resources to prepare (i.e., Kaplan).

I would suggest that you thoroughly review the information on the NCSBN website, including exacty how the a candidate's passing status is determined and the content of the exam.

By the way I do not have and never have had any connection to the NCSBN; however I am involved in nursing education which requires that I understand the NCSBN and NCLEX. Best wishes for success on the NCLEX.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Whether or not if I passed the NCLEX on my first try...I would have still brought up this issue. I am all about finding the truth and justice.

To others this post may sound like that I am regretful and salty. However, I am not and want people to know that NCSBN needs to seperate themselves from any conflicts of interest that they may have in regards to the NCLEX. This is the only way NCSBN will have credibility towards their name and that they are not in it to make money off of newly grauated nursing students.

As for the person that said that people will not take it seriously or care about the nclex if they only had to pay a one time fee is ludacris. From my person expereince and I am sure for many others...when taking the nclex it means the world to them. So much anxiety,and fears goes through their minds. So much is riding on the nclex for many people and this nclex test is nothing but serious. I am sure if we only had to pay a one time fee it would take certain burdens off of peoples heads and shoulders but the seriousness, anxiety, fears and worries will still all be there. Most students take about 3-4 years to complete nursing school and are not working to support their familes and I am guaranteeing that regardless if a one time fee is granted or not that all the emotions and seriousness will still be there. Your heart will still be racing and pounding when you sit in front of that nclex test screen, your stomach will still be turning.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

This is an interesting thread to read.... but we definately need to focus on passing the test, despite CONSPIRACY THEORIES or conflicts of interest. :mad:

Genny

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment