Help, my school won't allow me to take Nclex.

[Jdv13]

Hey, so I am a graduate of a Pa. practical nurse program. I completed the program in full, paid off the balance of my tuition and attended the pre-graduation mandatory Nclex preparation course. Unfortunately the day of my graduation I had a family emergency and was unable to attend the actual ceremony; shortly thereafter I ended up putting off nclex and spending the rest of the year caring for a terminally ill family member. Throughout that time I periodically kept in contact with my school and told them about my situation.

Now a year later I am finally ready to take Nclex and my school is refusing to allow me to do so. I called and talked to the head administrator of my program yesterday. She was initially glad to hear from me, I explained my situation again and she mentioned that It had been a year since my graduation and that they hadn't cleared me for Nclex with the SBON yet. But she said that she would and for me to call back today. Today I called and she talked to me for a bit before telling me that the director of the nursing program was worried that since it had been "so long" I had forgotten my skills and that I would fail at my first attempt (effectively dropping their pass rate). The solution that they came up with is that they want me to come in and take a competency test on all areas and pass it with at least a 90% before they approve me for nclex. I feel like that is unfair since I already completed their program and I said as much. After going back and forth for a bit, she said that she and the director would have a conference call with me tomorrow. My questions are can they do this and what options do I have for recourse? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

talk to a BON member. If you have completed the course requirements the school should not have any reason to hold your transcript, etc. The ceremony is just that, a ceremony. It has nothing to do with your knowledge. I did not go because I thought it would be a waste of time. As for taking a test, if you fail NCLEX then you can deal with what to do for remediation. It is not their call, in my opinion. I have a feeling they are afraid you WILL fail and that will reflect on their stats. I would consider an attorney. We had local school hold transcripts based on exiting HESI exams. Someone sued and won, as the exit exam did not take the place of all the time and tuition already spent. If graduation hinged on the exit exam then people ought to be allowed to challenge it and get a degree without going to school.

[Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM]

It sounds like you never took the exit exam, that's what it sounds like they want you to take...but you're freaking out and your school is only trying to help you...If you take the competency test find your weakness...they can help you to so you can pass you nclex....One year of after graduating is a long time and i think your school is only trying to help you....Good Luck hope everything works out for you

READ the OP's original post!

She never said she missed any exams..she was 100% done...she just didn't attend the graduation ceremony.

All she did was wait a year....what I don't understand is why the OP contacted the school first rather than the BON for the forms to register for the exam.

[swansonplace]

In florida the students register with BON, get a background check, and register with pearson vue. Bon in florida takes official transcripts and reviews them themselves to give ATT dates. Contact your BON first.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

In florida the students register with BON get a background check, and register with pearson vue. Bon in florida takes official transcripts and reviews them themselves to give ATT dates. Contact your BON first.[/quote']

^That occurs in PA as well...OP is in PA.

I hope that the OP is able to update us as far as whether she contacted the BON for her ATT, instead of going to the school.

[chicagoboy]

Talk to your State BON . If things are not cleared up yet, I'd consult an attorney. I have known 2 people who graduated years ago and took the Nclex recently and they were allowed to do so.

But one thing confuses me. At our school, the DON sends our paperwork to BON after graduation. So if one takes the exam a year or so later, the paper works are already in.