Failed 5th time is there God I can't study anymore!!!!!!!!

Beautiful_Soul · Feb 9, 2015

I agree. They wouldn't let you keep retaking a test in nursing school until you passed it. If you failed a test, you failed it. Then once you're failed out, then you're out. The NCLEX should be no different.

I'm not a nurse, but I don't think you should only get one chance to take the test I do, however believe that It should only be able to be taken 3 times max! Op I don't really know what to tell you right now, but 5 times is A LOT, I probably would've threw in the towel by now but that's just me and maybe easier said than done. Keep trying if you REALLY want it, if not then find something else that might interest you. Life's too short to stay stuck on one thing. I wish you the very best of luck! BTW God is ALWAYS for you and NEVER against you! XOXO

npham82, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2015

Flame suit is on so I'm ready to be flamed. I think after not passing 5 times you need to re-evaluate. There really should be a cap on attempts at the NCLEX. The test is supposed to indicate the minimum standard for being a nurse. Even baseball has 3 strikes and you're out.

I actually don't agree. There are tons of nurses that took it several times and are great nurses. Maybe this person isn't the best at taking exams... maybe this person has anxiety issues that causes her to fail... every situation is different and I feel that this test is about being a good test taker.

From the post, it seems like there is something wrong and it isn't about her intelligence. She was close to passing most of her attempts. She just needs to find her way to pass.

npham82, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2015

I agree. They wouldn't let you keep retaking a test in nursing school until you passed it. If you failed a test, you failed it. Then once you're failed out, then you're out. The NCLEX should be no different.

If everyone had only one chance to pass the exam, there would be fewer nurses and of course, a huge nurse shortage. Not everyone passes on the first time, hence so many posts stating that fact on all nurses.com. Not every nurse is book smart or the best test taker but they are good nurses in real life situations. My anxiety got to me during my first.

Anna S, RN · Feb 9, 2015

If everyone had only one chance to pass the exam, there would be fewer nurses and of course, a huge nurse shortage. Not everyone passes on the first time, hence so many posts stating that fact on all nurses.com. Not every nurse is book smart or the best test taker but they are good nurses in real life situations. My anxiety got to me during my first.

I surely do wish there were a nursing shortage, instead of a surplus!

Anna S, RN · Feb 9, 2015

Flame suit on here, too. But I think two times to take the test should be the max allowed.

I think that failing over and over again is a big red flag.

Palliative Care, DNP · Feb 9, 2015

Flame suit on here, too. But I think two times to take the test should be the max allowed.
I think that failing over and over again is a big red flag.

Exactly, test anxiety doesn't fly as an excuse after 5 times. I know plenty of people with test anxiety that passed the second time because they knew what to expect and got it done. Five times not passing is an indication that this really may not be your thing and that's ok. That's why it's such a process to become a licensed RN because everyone shouldn't be in charge of other people's lives. This test is to determine minimal competency if after 5 times one has not passed that speaks volumes. Now go on and scream NETY....Flame On!

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Feb 9, 2015

I didn't mean 1 time & that's over with the NCLEX. I was just saying in nursing school they don't give you multiple opportunities to pass the same test. So why should there be more than 3 tries with the NCLEX?

As for the test anxiety, that doesn't fly. She passed nursing school. By the time she graduated she should understand NCLEX style questions.

I'm sure there are great nurses out there who took 2-3 tries. It took me 2 tries to pass the NCLEX. But honestly if I failed a fifth time, I would be looking for something else. I wouldn't be putting my time & energy into nursing any more.

Mr. Murse · Feb 9, 2015

3 times seems reasonable, only because the NCLEX is drawing from a massive number of questions and the fact is that you just simply can't study it all so it seems fair to give people 2 or 3 chances.

To the OP, what really helped me more than anything was an online thing (I think it was Kaplan) that had a "decision tree". This helped most because you simply cannot study all the potential content that will be on the test, but this teaches you how to approach questions of which you don't know the content very well. It helps you understand how to look at the question itself, and not just the content of the question. Many questions will basically give you the answer in the way they're phrased, or at least show you how to definitively rule out a couple of the options.

Seriously though, I don't say this maliciously, but 5 times is a lot. If you're going to take it again then be sure you're approaching it completely differently, like I mentioned above. Unless you have a valid excuse like English is your second language or something, you may just not be getting the thinking process involved in nursing. As nurses, there's a whole lot more intellectually going on than just "taking care of people".

FinallyIcanAddRN · Feb 9, 2015

Wow wow wow! I can't believe some of you are nurses!! Where's the love? Poor woman/man comes here looking for help and you shoot her/him down. The Nclex is NOT, I repeat is NOT an accurate parameter of your nursing abilities. I do believe, however, that after the third attempt, one should go in front of a panel interview board and be tested orally.

OP, I passed my Nclex the 5th time, was desperate and doubting myself. I now work for a magnet hospital, the ultimate credential for nurses. Somehow, I seriously doubt that any of the posters that shot you down work for a magnet hospital. They simply don't care enough for people and it would've shown in their interview. Don't give up! Change strategies and buy yourself the Lacharity book Prioritization, delegation and assignment. Best of luck!

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Feb 9, 2015

Wow wow wow! I can't believe some of you are nurses!! Where's the love? Poor woman/man comes here looking for help and you shoot her/him down. The Nclex is NOT, I repeat is NOT an accurate parameter of your nursing abilities. I do believe, however, that after the third attempt, one should go in front of a panel interview board and be tested orally.
OP, I passed my Nclex the 5th time, was desperate and doubting myself. I now work for a magnet hospital, the ultimate credential for nurses. Somehow, I seriously doubt that any of the posters that shot you down work for a magnet hospital. They simply don't care enough for people and it would've shown in their interview. Don't give up! Change strategies and buy yourself the Lacharity book Prioritization, delegation and assignment. Best of luck!

Finallyicanaddrn,

Why should there be love for the op? Life isn't unicorns and rainbows, not everybody wins and sometimes the answer is no.

The nclex is a basic test with the premise of "are you safe to be alone with a patient"? Inability to pass it multiple times means something is wrong.

And exactly how would an oral exam work? Someone fails 3 times so now they become a special snowflake and get a customized test?

And magnet is not the ultimate credential for a nurse. Certification in your specialty is the ultimate credential.

RNfindingherway, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2015

Press on my Sister/Brother. Please don't be discouraged and don't give up. Change your study strategies. Remember, the race is not for the swift nor battle to the strong but to those that ENDURES to the end. ENDURE! ENDURE! ENDURE!

RNfindingherway, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2015

I will PM you.