National Petition to Change N-CLEX Exam Process

Nurses General Nursing

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hello all!

this discussion thread is to seek out those who have graduated from nursing schools/programs who share the same feelings in regard to the n-clex examination. has anyone noticed how unbelievabley unfair and restrictive this exam is? i have taken and failed my n-clex for the third time on may 28th, 2009. through viewing many of the posts from other prospective nurses, i can see that i am not the only one. i truly believe that the n-clex examniation is nothing but a money-making exam scheme that is literally designed to help people fail and keep people from becoming the great nurses they can be. it is a non-sensical method of exploiting graduates for money, time, and of course, more money.

i have taken every single n-clex rn practice exam that i could get my hands on. i have spent more money than i can count on review books, which are no where near consistent as far as providing the correct information about the exam itself. i have taken the kaplan n-clex rn course, and i still failed. this seems to be the case for a lot of people, and it is absolutely unacceptable! let me throw this question out there: what is the point in spending money, blood, sweat, and tears to get through an already almost impossible nursing program, whether it is a two year program or a bachelor's program, only to continuously pay and fail for a license that should already be earned through our education? to add insult to injury, there is a fee to actually get the results of the exam. is it not enough that the exam itself is incredibly expensive? i guess not if the ncsbn (national council of state boards of nursing) has the audacity to ask for even more money from us only to display a single word of "pass" or "fail" after waiting an agonizing two or more days.

i am ready and willing to begin a national petition to change the entire set up of the n-clex. it does not test the knowledge of prospective nurses, but rather uses "strategies" and "tricks" in questions. i have had friends who have told me they knew absolutely nothing when they tried practice tests, yet they passed because of "tricks" learned to eliminate specific options. is that the way our health care system (as bad as it is already) screens important health care workers? having a license that is not based on true medical knowledge should be absolutely prohibited! i would furthermore like to know who it is, exactly, that is picked to formulate these n-clex questions. though it is told that these select group of nurses have "great quality nursing experience", then it is fair to say that they should be smart enough to know that this type of testing is beyond asinine and brutally unfair.

please, any of you who agree with me, let me know so that i can begin the process of bringing this to national attention. we have worked hard enough to get to where we are. we know that we love and care for our patients. it is time to take a stand against getting taken advantage of financially, emotionally, and mentally!

Specializes in Derm/Wound Care/OP Surgery/LTC.
It's far from arbitrary. The exam tests critical thinking and (to a lesser degree) knowledge.

Someone needs an attitude adjustment.

No. Someone needs encouargment.:D

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Specializes in L & D, Med-Surge, Dialysis.

My own advice is very simple and basic. If you think you still want to be a nurse, stop pursing:offtopic: what i think in the next 200 years is not, never gona happen:no:. Majority carries the vote. The purpose of the test is to make a safe nurse. Failing/passing the test is just to be sure you are safe with your patient. :thnkg:Focus more on how to pass this test first and practice more question........:igtsyt:practicing question is not the issue but to go over your med-surge and fundermentals. I think some of us think we no stuff, but some cram to pass while some understand the topic better than craming. Read and understand what the question is asking and crown it up with ABC, Nursing process and :typingstrategy on how to pass with kaplan, hope that might help.

:nono::nono::nono:

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Specializes in Critical care.

I also have reservations about only 75 questions and then your given a license. I took the written exam, 2 days 360 questions...it was difficult and challenging...But having reviwed questions I learned that it works...

As a item reviewer for the NCLEX-RN, I can say it is fair, reliable and valid.

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When I first became a nurse (early 90s) there was a campaign with the slogan, "If caring were enough, anyone could become a nurse." I've heard others describe necessities for nursing as "heart and smart". So no, nursing is NOT (just) the art of caring, OP.

I'd like to think I'm usually empathetic and supportive, but I could never sign on to a petition which made the NCLEX even easier than it is to pass; Frankly, I think it's a joke when compared to other professions or even when compared to itself "back in the day".

Prior to becoming an RN I was a CPA. At the time, only about 15% passed (all parts) on the first try. (Incidentally, I was NOT among that group. lol) For grins and tickles I checked and only about 20% of today's CPA candidates pass the first time. The test has four parts; each part has about 90 questions and 2 simulations (case studies). You have 14 hours to complete the exam and many folks need all of it.

Compare that to today's NCLEX. For 2009 (1st quarter) 88% PASSED on their first try. Many nurses I work with completed their exams by answering fewer than 75 questions correctly. (Yes, I realize 75 is the minimum you must answer but you don't have to answer all 75 correctly to pass). And several remarked that it took less than an hour to do so.

I recall spending 2 full days in a huge convention center to pass NCLEX.

I'm sorry but I have to think today's NCLEX is a farce. Perhaps your mistake was not training at a diploma school----over the past decade their graduates seem to score a couple points higher than those otherwise prepared. . lol

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I hated NCLEX-style test questions. And I think being able to pass with just 75 questions is ridiculous, regardless of whatever statistically sound program is behind the question selection. Nonetheless...

while you may have some valid complaints about the NCLEX, your first order of business is to pass that darn test! You passed nursing school, so you CAN pass that test! AFTER passing the test, then go right ahead and do what you can to help design a better test!

I know I got terribly fed up with NCLEX-style questions that purport to test critical thinking but can sometimes feel more like "trick" questions. Even though I was able get good scores in school and passed the NCLEX on the first try, I still thought many questions were frustrating! For myself, I had to let go of my insistence that test questions be straight forward with an undebatable correct answer. I had to look for the answer that seemed like an NCLEX answer based on previous experience with NCLEX style questions, as opposed looking for a definitive correct answer based upon the data given.

Nonetheless... your fight to change the licensing test will hold a lot more water AFTER you have passed it and hold that license yourself. Most folks, once they pass the test, just want to get on with their careers. If you're serious about wanting to change the NCLEX, then you'll still be ready to fight for change AFTER passing. I'll be with you there! You can do it!

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

NCLEX questions are not about choosing the one correct answer, but rather, choosing the best answer from those you are given to choose from. Being able to memorize information and regurgitate facts is a completely different skill set from being able to examine a problem and choose the most appropriate course of action from the available options. While the former might be appropriate for science or mathematics, the latter is more appropriate for real world nursing practice.

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Specializes in Oncology.
No. Someone needs encouargment.:D

Probably both.

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Specializes in Oncology.
I went fast too. I walked in, saw a few people already there from my class, answered 100 ?'s, took a 10 min. break, went back, answered 2 more ?'s and got cut off.

Whole process took like............oh, 45 minutes. The people there when I walked in were still there. lol

I arrived at the testing center about 30 min before my scheduled test time. They took me early, and I was leaving before my scheduled time. I called my mom when I got out. She asked if I was calling for some last minute encouragement.

"Nope, calling to let you know I'm done!"

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OP why don't you look at the NCLEX forum and look up Suzanne's Plan. I did her plan and Hurst review and passed the first time with 75 questions in 1 hour and 20 minutes. I think NCLEX is very fair. And waiting 2 days is nothing. I remember my aunt back in the 80's having to wait for 6 weeks. And she had to take the exam over the course of 2 days. I don't know how far you will get with changing the NCLEX. Because the majority of people DO pass on their first try and more and more people are not failing. We just know of people because we have gone through it and we have websites like this where you can talk to people who did not pass on the first time. Good luck to you and take my advice about Suzanne's plan.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
OP why don't you look at the NCLEX forum and look up Suzanne's Plan. I did her plan and Hurst review and passed the first time with 75 questions in 1 hour and 20 minutes. I think NCLEX is very fair. And waiting 2 days is nothing. I remember my aunt back in the 80's having to wait for 6 weeks. And she had to take the exam over the course of 2 days. I don't know how far you will get with changing the NCLEX. Because the majority of people DO pass on their first try and more and more people are not failing. We just know of people because we have gone through it and we have websites like this where you can talk to people who did not pass on the first time. Good luck to you and take my advice about Suzanne's plan.

Suzanne's plan is no longer available on the site https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/suzannes-plan-373424.html but the NCLEX forum does offer much in the way of help and support to take the exam

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Suzanne's plan is no longer available on the site https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/suzannes-plan-373424.html but the NCLEX forum does offer much in the way of help and support to take the exam

Oh sorry I did not realize it was no longer available. I have not been to that forum since passing NCLEX. It was great though.

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