Excelsior College Grad - NCLEX Now or Wait? Where? BSN?

[guest517235]

I will graduate with an ADN-RN from Excelsior College in December 2011. Currently prepping for NCLEX, but unsure how, where, and when to take it...

1) I'm concerned that passing NCLEX may make me ineligible for preceptorship, externship, and/or residency programs. Do these programs exist anymore? How does passing NLCEX effect eligibility?

2) I must pass NCLEX in order to *apply* to Excelsior's BSN and/or MSN program. I suppose I should just go ahead and take NCLEX, right?

-Would it be easier to find RN work as a BSN (or even MSN)?

-Could I become overqualified for entry level RN positions if I do the BSN-MSN bridge?

-In the 1-2 years that would take, the job market should get better, right?

-Or is it steadily getting worse out there? Should I look for something now?

3) Must I physically sit for NCLEX in the state I want licensure? Does Pearson VUE send results to any state? It's a national exam, correct?

FYI, Currently in TX and not sure what state I will work in.  

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

You can contact the licensing office at Excelsior for assistance in this: [email protected]

But yes, you should take your NCLEX. You cannot really work as an RN without it, at least not for long ... some states will let you work as an "RN Applicant" (RNA) while you are waiting for NCLEX, but that is after you have your Authorization to Test (ATT) and are awaiting your NCLEX, and is only good for a short period of time.

Texas is a compact state (https://www.ncsbn.org/nlc.htm), so it would probably be a good place to apply for your NCLEX. When you pick a state for licensure, go to that state's board of nursing (BON) website and find the application for licensure by examination. You will submit an application to that BON, and you will have to have Excelsior send your transcripts to that BON. At the same time, you will have to register with Pearson to take the NCLEX. You cannot use the same account under which you took your EC exams, by the way -- you'll have to create a new account, then register and pay for the NCLEX. After EC sends transcripts to the BON and the BON approves your application to take the NCLEX, they will send that information to Pearson and Pearson will send you your ATT. Pearson has info on the NCLEX, I recommend reading the exam candidate bulletin: http://pearsonvue.com/nclex/. You do not have to physically be in the state where you want licensure, no.

Again, contact the EC state boards folks if you have any questions. They are there to help you! Good luck.