Failed NCLEX 5 Times! Am I The Only One Who . . .

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Am I the only one who is concerned about someone who has failed multiple times, finally passes and then wants to share their experience with everyone else? Am I the only one who is concerned about working with nurses who finally pass on their eighth try? Granted, I'm so experienced that I took my licensing exam on paper eons ago when it was offered only twice a year, everyone answered all the questions over a two day period and it took six weeks to get the results. In those days, you only got two tries. That was it. So I could be someone biased and/or out of touch. I just wonder, though, about the knowledge base and learning capacity of a nurse that took the exam eight times to pass. Although perserverence is a virtue, and those folks obviously have plenty of that. Is nursing so different now that it's OK to take eight tries to get your license? Or is this a development of the "everyone gets a trophy" mentality? Keep trying and everyone gets a license?

Specializes in Geriatrics/home health care.
I think that mentality exists primarily on message boards.

Allnurses in general is a very supportive community. A (mostly) unintended result of that is that people can come here and get a lot of support for things, ideas, and actions that would get an "Are you kidding me?!!?" response in real life.

Are you kidding me? The majority of posters on this site are overly critical and snarky....I have probably gotten maybe one or two helpful poster responses out of about 20 (not counting my one popular post)...I have even gotten that on a opinion post for god's sake.

It's either that or, no responses, "skims", or common sense responses. For example, I could post "I can't get financial aid because my parents won't give me their SSNs" and I would probably end up with a response like: Did you try Fasa? Here's the link:link. No really? I totally didn't just mention why I couldn't in my post, not at all.....-_- Seriously? Don't even bother if you are going to skim.

I think nurses tend to help other other nurses and nursing students and be slightly more supportive....slightly. I have seen responses that just implied that someone was stupid just because they asked for help....right, VERY supportive....

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Specializes in FNP/FPMHNP-BC.
Passing the NCLEX is what makes you a NURSE.
Way to go.
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hi Ruby where i live you can only take nclex two times, i am actually surprised as well for the one who took it 8 times. i have to kind of chuckle at that one because like you said he/she didn't give up.........they finally......and successfully achieved that trophy.... a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.......they didn't give up. I wish i could say that i am experienced. these days nurses can hardly get a foot in the door. I have worked in longterm for two months and resigned recently fearing i would be fired for med errors. So again you are very fortunate to have a ton of experience I would be so happy to have that kind of experience and expertise and knowledge....thanks for your posting i found some humor in it

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Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.
Well when a patient codes, if we get anxious, we'll get to redo the code, right?

To be fair, I had my first code (still on orientation) a few weeks ago and the last thing on my mind was "how would I approach this from an NCLEX perspective."

/jumped at the chance to push meds

//...so I wouldn't have to do chest compressions...

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
No one want to remember the old days. And I bet you never use gloves either.

Really??? That's what you have to say. Everyone likes to remember "the good ole days" and yes we use gloves. That wasn't very nice.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/home health care.
If you don't believe in "bragging" about passing it the first time, may I ask why you felt the need to say you passed it the first time?

Many people replied this topic with opposite opinions. Not everybody needed to say how many times they took the test to pass. However, people who say there should NOT be a limit to take NCLEX have tendency to emphasize they passed it the first time for some reason, on this topic at least. :)

Um...maybe because she was at risk of being suspected of being one of those people who took the test several times to pass the test because she posted in denfense of people who had trouble with the test? She was posting clarifying that she is from the "other" side of things. Last time I checked, "Clarifying" and "bragging" were two different things...:rolleyes:

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.
Um...maybe because she was at risk of being suspected of being one of those people who took the test several times to pass the test because she posted in denfense of people who had trouble with the test? She was posting clarifying that she is from the "other" side of things. Last time I checked, "Clarifying" and "bragging" were two different things...:rolleyes:

I thought about this. But then what is the point of saying it doesn't matter how many times one takes it? If one needs to make sure and say "I am not one of those! I passed it the first time!", then it is NOT okay to take it multiple times. I am satisfied with her answer that she meant to say she is not biased, but anyway.

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Specializes in FNP, ONP.

I agree with Ruby, OCNRN and Leslie. Ideally, one would pass in two tries, but were I the grand poobah of all things nursing, I think I would allow some sort of appeals process to request a 3rd attempt in limited, proven, egregious circumstances.

I would also require reboarding for every nurse every 5 years or lose the license.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/home health care.
I thought about this. But then what is the point of saying it doesn't matter how many times one takes it? If one needs to make sure and say "I am not one of those! I passed it the first time!", then it is NOT okay to take it multiple times. I am satisfied with her answer that she meant to say she is not biased, but anyway.

It was so the original poster could understand where she was coming from. Not everyone who passed the test the first time is going to agree with her statement. In lue of being questioned on her testing status, she was clarifying herself and giving her view. Just because someone passed the first time doesn't mean they have to have the same view as the OP or they automatically do by clarifying that they passed on the first time. It may not matter to her how many times someone takes to past the test, but it obiviously matters to other posters and the original poster, or she wouldn't have asked it in the first place. I'm not sure why that fact in her post was questioned upon in the first place because it was really more like an after thought rather than a main emphesis in her statement....

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.
sorry, i'm not buying the excuse about not being good test taker.

if your nsg education/school didn't give you enough opportunity to confront one's weaknesses/shortcomings, then nclex isn't the time to start.

once you reach nclex level, you should have had more than enough time and opportunity to improve on test-taking.

i do agree about mandating remedial education, if you flunk nclex more than twice.

nursing IS the type of profession where one shouldn't have sev'l chances to pass by the skin of their teeth.

and yes, it's true that passing nclex doesn't automatically make you a good nurse...

but that's not the question or contention of this thread.

and it's not being prejudice against those who have difficulty passing.

but even if it was - big deal.

nursing should aspire to the highest of standards, where only the very best need apply.

unfortunately, that's not the case.

it just wouldn't be a bad thing, if it was.

leslie

I totally agree with you on this. Nursing shouldn't be something anyone can become, even if that means taking the boards 25 times. It shouldn't be that easy to become a nurse. People who obviously don't have what it takes should be weeded out. Taking boards 5 times is ridiculous.

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I bet it is the next to close. What is with so many lately. Going to get my fan - it is hot in here.

I saw the thread, saw the OP, and thought "oh, I bet this is another crab fest about entitled youth." I was not disappointed.

Maybe it's because I grew up before the horrible days of "everyone gets a ribbon" but I'm seriously sick of hearing about how an attempt to raise self esteem turned out to be poorly conceived in hindsight.

And why is the anger directed at the kids who all got ribbons and not the adults who gave them their fricking ribbons? If a generation got spoiled at least some of the blame has to rest with the adults that raised that generation.

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab.

Well Said !!

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