Failed twice, only one more chance...

SirMiggy · Apr 26, 2013

go back to the drawing board. study right away and keep doing practice questions.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Apr 26, 2013

I have already taken the NCLEX twice and failed it in the past 6 months. I can only take it one more time this year and then the Michigan state board of nursing requires me to "complete an educational program that is acceptable to the board before you are approved to take the test up to 3 times more." Does this mean I have to retake nursing school? I don't understand.

The best place to get an accurate and factual answre to the question above is the Michigan State Board of Nursing.

ePerfect · Apr 26, 2013

That is where I got the above information. Not sure where to look up what they mean by "educational program" in their rules. Could just mean a remediation program but I don't know.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Apr 26, 2013

In most states, it means a nurse refresher program and the course has to be BoN approved so that the school/site can confirm that you successfully met the requirements of course completion. However I did look at the BoN website at it could also be interpreted as returing to nursing school to get an additional 3 attempts at the NCLEX. (6 tries and you are done). I know in Canada the law is 3 failures and back to nursing school to repeat your education.

I found this on the BoN documents online

"Completed a registered nurse education program acceptable to the board" means 1 of the following:
(i) That the applicant is a graduate of a registered nurse education program which is located in this state and which is approved by the board.
(ii) That the applicant is a graduate of a registered nurse education program which is located in another state or territory of the United States, as required by 333.16186, and that program is substantially equivalent to the program requirements of article 15 of the act and the rules promulgated by the board.
(iii) That the applicant is a graduate of a nurse education program which is located outside of the United States and that the applicant is in compliance with the requirements for a certificate from the commission on graduates of foreign nursing schools (cgfns) pursuant to the requirements set forth in the document entitled "Path to CGFNS Certification: Applicant Handbook, Edition 29" August, 2001.

Have you tried contacting the board of nursing directly either via phone or email as they would have the definitive answer?

ePerfect · Apr 27, 2013

Yeah, I'll have to do that. I'm not going to retry taking the exam for at least 90 days and I'm planning on taking Kaplan this time. Last time I took Hurst, which is a really good program but I think my problem isn't not knowing the content, I think my problem is not being able to properly answer the questions. I don't know. But I'm not giving up until I get my license. If I have to take the exam in all 50 states then so be it! >

ePerfect · Apr 30, 2013

I asked the head of my former nursing department. He said they put it that way before the educational program that you are required to take after failing three times depends on the individual involved. You need with the nursing board and they review your scores and tell you what you need to do, which can be anything from an RN refresher course to a kaplan review session.

BORI-BSNRN, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2013

Yeah I'll have to do that. I'm not going to retry taking the exam for at least 90 days and I'm planning on taking Kaplan this time. Last time I took Hurst, which is a really good program but I think my problem isn't not knowing the content, I think my problem is not being able to properly answer the questions. I don't know. But I'm not giving up until I get my license. If I have to take the exam in all 50 states then so be it! >[/quote']
I will take the nclex rn for the 3rd time also so you aren't alone. And well say " if I have to take the exam in all 50 states then so be it!" I'm from Florida, but they required 3 attempts only that's why I'd applied in NY which its unlimited.
This time I will use hurst along with Saunders to review content then kaplan ( which is very similar to the real test) to practice q's as well as Nclex 4000.
Good luck to us!!! This time I will start studying before get my ATT cause knowing the date of the exam make me so anxious!! Lol so because I took it recently on 4/20 I have to wait 45 days to re apply w/ PearsoN VUE.

CLamplough27 · Apr 30, 2013

I will take the nclex rn for the 3rd time also so you aren't alone. And well say " if I have to take the exam in all 50 states then so be it!" I'm from Florida, but they required 3 attempts only that's why I'd applied in NY which its unlimited.
This time I will use hurst along with Saunders to review content then kaplan ( which is very similar to the real test) to practice q's as well as Nclex 4000.
Good luck to us!!! This time I will start studying before get my ATT cause knowing the date of the exam make me so anxious!! Lol so because I took it recently on 4/20 I have to wait 45 days to re apply w/ PearsoN VUE.

You lived in fl? N tool ny? Asking NYC on number 3 in fl.

ePerfect · May 1, 2013

I'm getting ready to take Kaplan now. I took Hurst first and it didn't seem to help me. It was a wonderful program but I don't think that's what I needed. I also got into contact with one of my nursing instructors and he's going to sit down with me for a couple of hours and go through questions with me to see where my thinking is going wrong on the exam. He helped a few other students the same way so I'm hoping it'll help me as well. And an RN friend of mine is going to sit down and go through questions with me once a week. I just took my exam two days before I posted this on here so I have a while before I can take it again but I am determined to be as prepared as possible this time.

Miniangel2 · May 2, 2013

I'm getting ready to take Kaplan now. I took Hurst first and it didn't seem to help me. It was a wonderful program but I don't think that's what I needed. I also got into contact with one of my nursing instructors and he's going to sit down with me for a couple of hours and go through questions with me to see where my thinking is going wrong on the exam. He helped a few other students the same way so I'm hoping it'll help me as well. And an RN friend of mine is going to sit down and go through questions with me once a week. I just took my exam two days before I posted this on here so I have a while before I can take it again but I am determined to be as prepared as possible this time.

Thats Right dont give up!! You will be an RN because of your POSITIVE attitude GOODLUCK!! i failed too and i study hard again!

ePerfect · Mar 23, 2014

Sorry I didn't update sooner!!! I passed on my third try (yay!) and have now been working as a geriatric/hospice RN since September of last year. Yay! Let this be a lesson to those who don't pass on their first try. NEVER GIVE UP!