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

[Ruby Vee]

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?

[Aniva]

I agree that this test does not dictate whether you're a good RN or not. You pass, you PASS. You fail, you fail. Also, the test decades ago did not have the amount of medical/nursing knowledge today (which is still growing and changing)... I'm sure those in wound care are familiar with this evolution... 75 questions in 30 min = An all knowing nurse? No.

[DookieMeisterRN]

I passed NCLEX on the first try with 75 questions. I do not feel like that was enough to evaluate my knowledge of nursing basics, let alone specifics. I would rather have taken the two-day marathon event, because I think that would have given the "graders" a much better feel for whether I would be safe taking care of patients over a computer that determined I had the minimum proficiency required. Minimum proficiency does not always equal good or safe nurse.As for a limit to taking NCLEX multiple times, I can see giving one the benefit of the doubt on the first failure. Maybe you psyched yourself out too much. Maybe you let anxiety run amok. However, after the second failure remediation should be required, something along the lines of the refresher courses. Three strikes and you're out. Nursing schools these days are simply teaching students to pass NCLEX, and not worrying about teaching them to be nurses. And I'm not so sure I want many of those who are graduating working with me.

Exactly. I agree with all these points you've made. I sure didn't feel very confident passing the NCLEX in under an hour. My tests and ATI was way more difficult than the NCLEX.

I cringe when I see the local CC nursing students....they're so far from being ready to graduate yet only 1 term away by the time they come to our unit. None I've precepted have looked up any cardiac nor pulmonary meds prior to clinicals. They really haven't studied any diseases common to our unit besides what they've been assigned to do patho maps for. The instructor sits off in the corner reading a book and so the nurse assigned a student has to take care of their patients plus oversee and educate the students, what I feel should be the college's job. I really like to teach but when the student takes no initiative ahead of their clinical to bone up on meds/diseases common to the unit, yes I tell them to go look it up. Most have no clue to go above and beyond the other students to start 'thinking' about future employment. So I will have no empathy when they can't find a job.

I really can't figure out either why so many posts here lately are so snarky. An OP starts out with good intentions and valid points, such as this one, and heads south within the 1st page. Then another member starts a new post criticizing this post, complaining of being judged as 'young and entitled'. Well that post, to me, sure came off as immature.....

[33762FL]

I'd be concerned as well, although there is no way to know how many times a nurse took NCLEX. Isn't there a rule in Canada that if you fail the licensing exam 3 times you don't get a 4th try and have to go to nursing school all over again? I would support a rule like that in the US, if someone fails that many times I don't think they should get a re-try without another round of education.

[NurseCard, ADN]

Ruby your comment is rude and you have bad grammer.

Bad Grammer! Bad Grammer!

[mrr5745]

What if someone who failed the computer test was given the chance to take a pen a paper test? I took my CNA test on pen and paper (yes, much, much different and easier than the NCLEX) and my NCLEX on the computer. I can tell you the experience is completely different.

The worst part of the computer was not being able to look back and check my answers. I had the same question asked three different ways on my NCLEX. I still have no idea if I answered it correctly, nor do I know if I gave the same answer each time. Pen and paper I could have checked my answers to the other questions to be sure I was responding consistently.

On the other hand, the one hour of pen and paper test was absolutely exhausting. The gym filled with other test takers was also very intimidating. I can't even imagine spending two days like that!!! I could see how a potentially awesome nurse could struggle in either situation. So, maybe instead of offering the same format over and over, we allow once or twice on the computer and then a paper test. If you fail, you're done. This would eliminate any questions about the NCLEX weeding out "good nurses."

[Epic_RN]

I cringe when I see the local CC nursing students....they're so far from being ready to graduate yet only 1 term away by the time they come to our unit. None I've precepted have looked up any cardiac nor pulmonary meds prior to clinicals. They really haven't studied any diseases common to our unit besides what they've been assigned to do patho maps for. The instructor sits off in the corner reading a book and so the nurse assigned a student has to take care of their patients plus oversee and educate the students, what I feel should be the college's job. I really like to teach but when the student takes no initiative ahead of their clinical to bone up on meds/diseases common to the unit, yes I tell them to go look it up. Most have no clue to go above and beyond the other students to start 'thinking' about future employment. So I will have no empathy when they can't find a job.

I find that shocking -- the CC where I received my ADN degree is not like that at ALL. Our instructors were completely involved, had to sign us off on med passes individually before we were allowed to pass meds with the RN we were working with and heads would ROLL if any of us were to touch an IV without clearance prior. My experience through my rotations were that, overall, the nurses were grateful to have us assist them and relieve some of the stress of caring for their patients -- even the ones that weren't technically "assigned" to us.

The hospitals in my community will hire an ADN over a BSN d/t the fact that our ADN program is so much more hands on than the theory based BSN. That has been told to me by numerous staff nurses, charge nurses, and nurse managers. Sounds to me like the CC in your area is failing their students miserably in terms of their education.

[MPKH, BSN, RN]

I'd be concerned as well, although there is no way to know how many times a nurse took NCLEX. Isn't there a rule in Canada that if you fail the licensing exam 3 times you don't get a 4th try and have to go to nursing school all over again? I would support a rule like that in the US, if someone fails that many times I don't think they should get a re-try without another round of education.

Yes, here in Canada, you only get three tries on the licencing exam. You may get a fourth attempt under extenuating circumstances, but it's not common; each case is deliberated on by the College on an individual basis. I also believe that (and don't quote me on this), that after your third failed attempt, the College will direct you on possible next steps. The candidate who failed the licencing exam three times may work in a setting that requires no licencing (ie, not direct patient care), but those are far and few between.

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I agree that there should be a limit on NCLEX attempts. 3 strikes and you're out.

If it's test anxiety that's the problem, I would think by the time you got to the boards you would have figured out how to deal with tests. Seriously, it's the last test of nursing school. Speaking of which, I thought the NCLEX was the easiest test I took in my nursing education. Now the CEN, that was a hard test.

[Fiona59]

I've never met or heard of anyone who recieved the mythical fourth attempt. That theory has only appeared recently on our side of AN with people complaining that three tries weren't enough.

The reality in my province was the example I gave of IENs who failed the CRNE x3 and then failed CPNRE x3 resulting in total removal from the hospital.

If you failed a total of six times on two different exams, I don't care how well you were passing the instruments in the OR or doing basic care on a unit, there is something seriously wrong.

Yes, here in Canada, you only get three tries on the licencing exam. You may get a fourth attempt under extenuating circumstances, but it's not common; each case is deliberated on by the College on an individual basis. I also believe that (and don't quote me on this), that after your third failed attempt, the College will direct you on possible next steps. The candidate who failed the licencing exam three times may work in a setting that requires no licencing (ie, not direct patient care), but those are far and few between.

[macgirl]

emtb2RN

I have to say I think you may be off about test anxiety, I did fine, great in fact in nursing school taking tests. I knew I could bomb a test and due to my consistantly high average be fine for the semester. Yet when I took, the NCLEX-RN I was shaking through the whole thing.... So much so, had I failed, I would have gone and taken something for it, before retesting. For me the NCLEX was so much pressure because it was my future, a lot of money, and I didn't want to be the person who failed.

[leenak]

I posted earlier but I think test anxiety may get you once, or even twice but beyond that it really must be something else or time to get help. I'd be all for 2 strikes and you need to take some course before you can test again. It would seem to benefit the potential nurse most of all.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

I'm sorry that you're finding that the CC-educated nurses in your area seem to be unprepared for graduation/NCLEX/working in the real world. I am an ADN RN and I can assure you, my experience was NOTHING like what you describe. Accredidation for nursing programs hinges, in part, on the success rate of the candidates they are turning out for the NCLEX. That the instructors sit on their heinies reading books make me wonder about the quality of education those students are paying for/receiving =(