HELP! TOOK NCLEX-RN 9 times!!!!! Keep failing!

chtzu, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2016

As nurses we *should* judge them. It's obvious that they can't pass the minimum competency exam to become a nurse after *nine* tries in *six* years! That's a huge red flag. There is nothing complicated or difficult about the NCLEX. Instead of wasting her money on study guides, review classes & applying for her ATT wouldn't her money be better spent on something she would actually do well in? Some people aren't meant to be nurses, that's why there is the NCLEX.
You have your BSN so you took statistics. Since you have you should know that the OP's chance of passing for a tenth time is very low. I'm not judging her passion or desire, but the fact that she would probably be a danger to the patients or coworkers. She has no work experience & only her clinical & lab experience. Which by this point I'm sure any memory is fading & fast. Since she never worked as a nurse she doesn't have the muscle memory of how to do procedures. So *if* she did pass the NCLEX whatever job she got would pretty much have to train on how to do everything nursing, not just on how the unit works.

This is a person, not a statistic. My god. As a nurse, you need a little more compassion. You don't know the situation enough to straight out tell someone to give up on their choices. Also, anyone can be a danger. You could've passed your NCLEX on the first try and still be a danger. If you want to keep going at her, then go ahead. But I'm not that person. If I want to encourage someone and analyze the situation better, let me be. And did she say she had no work experience? She might be doing something else that could relate to nursing. You're making assumptions.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Dec 11, 2016

This is a person, not a statistic. My god. As a nurse, you need a little more compassion. You don't know the situation enough to straight out tell someone to give up on their choices. Also, anyone can be a danger. You could've passed your NCLEX on the first try and still be a danger. If you want to keep going at her, then go ahead. But I'm not that person. If I want to encourage someone and analyze the situation better, let me be. And did she say she had no work experience? She might be doing something else that could relate to nursing. You're making assumptions.

But it's in black and white. She *most likely* will fail again. There is documented proof of that. So yes, she is a statistic whether you want to acknowledge it or not. And honestly, you telling her she will pass is not helpful. Because clearly, she can't & hasn't & won't.

Could anyone be a danger? Yes. But when a bright red flag is waving in my face, I like to notice it. That bright red flag is the failure to pass the NCLEX. That should tell *anyone* that she does not have what it takes to hack it as a nurse. Doing something *related* to nursing is no & never will be working *as a nurse*. If she's working as a CNA great! But she is not using the skills she learned in her nursing program to *become* a nurse. So she will basically have to be trained from the very beginning because she won't remember all of her skills. I don't know any manager that would want to waste money like that. Not to mention hiring managers have their pick of nurses. Anyone with a 6 year gap is wearisome to managers. Why hire her when there are brand new grads with all the information fresh in their heads?

We need to be advocates for our patients & look out for our coworkers. Would you *honestly* feel comfortable working with the OP or having the OP be your/your family's nurse when she had such a huge gap between graduating & passing school. Six years! I mean, BSN programs aren't that long.

gabrieltripp.rn · Dec 15, 2016

I say think about what you would like to do. If you are willing to spend the money, try UWorld. I graduated in Dec 2014. My school held me from NCLEX testing for 6 months after I graduated because I had complete my nursing courses May 2014. I lolly-gagged for those 6 months after graduation. Once I was authorized to test, I attempted to study with Kaplan (2nd time). I went to take the test September 2015 and failed at approximately 240 questions. I didn't attempt the test again until August 2016 (waited because I was scared I would fail again). I waited until 3 months before my purchased test would expire to start studying. I used UWorld, NCSBN learning extend, and ATI pharm and medical surgical books (got when i was in college). I studied by reading material, answering questions from UWorld then writing down the questions I got wrong and the questions I got right that I felt I had lack of knowledge about. I went for my second attempt of the test and passed with 75 questions. I'm not sure if you have a family, but in your situation it will take total dedication, meaning isolate yourself from any distractions and study at least 7 hours a day. I studied from sun up to sun down for 2 months. If you want it, you can do it. Its all up to you.

FISH2 · Dec 28, 2016

What I learned about the exam after falling Was that most study programs dont teach you the basics that you must know to pass. What I used after going through kaplan and hurst and still failing was nclex rn mastery and Uworld! I only studied 3 subjects as my core med surg, fundamentals and priority. The nclex mastery is by far the best because it erases previous answers and it will teach you core must know items. I then used uworld studied only the 2 subjects Med, fundamental at least 3 times. passed in 83 questions. For me the key was focused studying. For peds and maternity i listened to a instructor named mark klimek who will teach you LION, left side, iv, oxyg, notify and stop pit. I suggest you study the core topics listed first and then study pharm, peds etc. After you master the core items such as endocrine. Must people fail because they don't have the foundation down and we spend too much time trying to memorize drugs,peds,etc. The mastery will give you the core and it costs $30.

Baba-baba · Dec 28, 2016

Try Uworld. and get study partner.

Dani0618 · Jan 2, 2017

Someone stated they do not believe life could get in the way for that long, you are wrong. My husband is a paranoid schizophrenic and I have attempted to take my test for four years unsuccessful. See every three months he has an episode and is hospitalized after attempting suicide and one time he almost killed me in the process. I have one hell of a time consistently studying when I have to work, take care of him and somehow muster up the strength to believe in my ability to have a normal life. See we don't get to choose our situations he was not I'll when we married and its not his fault. He had one of the most scarring childhoods you can imagine and is the kindest person I've ever known but because I had to keep him alive and safe I may never be a nurse. This is God's plan though and I trust it, life isn't fair. I just wanted people to know that yes life can be getting in your way and that's OK you are still a nurse in your heart and in your actions if you so choose. Please do not give up ever if you want to be a nurse because you want to deliver good and loving healthcare to people you ******* do it if you have to take it twenty times you better do it! Because people who truly have the heart for this profession are few and far between.

FISH2 · Jan 10, 2017

Dont give up, I failed 3 times before I passed. What I realized is that I did not know the basics. What I did was use the nclex mastery rn cost $30 and I studied medsurg. fundamentals and priority over and over on my cell phone. I then used uworld and studied med surg and fundamentals and that was it! Know airborne and droplet google spiderman and my children has TB. for maternity and pharm I did not study, i just knew the basics. Focus on core knowledge over and over before spending time on maternity, peds, pharm and u will pass. The mastery is great for studying on the go!

sianee · Jan 10, 2017

I took my NCLEX RN on 1/6/17 for the 13th time. I gone over my break time which I was trying to relax and come down by exercising. When I returned to the test center, the TA says the computer NCLEX gets worry when you return after 15 minutes. I tried quick result, it says that my result is not available. Would this be a big or major problem with the Board because I went over my break time. Help

FISH2 · Jan 10, 2017

How many questions did u answer. Most likely you failed since if you passed you would be able to see your license # the next day. See early post by me and use those programs. I have used hurst and kaplan and the rn mastery and uworld are the best by far. Know the core info first - med surg, fundamentals and priority then study the others.

Extra Pickles · Jan 10, 2017

How many questions did u answer. Most likely you failed since if you passed you would be able to see your license # the next day. See early post by me and use those programs. I have used hurst and kaplan and the rn mastery and uworld are the best by far. Know the core info first - med surg, fundamentals and priority then study the others.

Where did you come up with this? License numbers are posted on individual state board of nursing websites and while some do it the next day, others take several days, weeks, several weeks. Also, the number of questions she answered has nothing at all to do with whether she passed or failed.

If she failed, it's got more to do with the fact that it was her 13th attempt and the odds of passing at that point are statistically extremely small.

Extra Pickles · Jan 10, 2017

I took my NCLEX RN on 1/6/17 for the 13th time. I gone over my break time which I was trying to relax and come down by exercising. When I returned to the test center, the TA says the computer NCLEX gets worry when you return after 15 minutes. I tried quick result, it says that my result is not available. Would this be a big or major problem with the Board because I went over my break time. Help

I assume you know if your state allows the Quick Results or not right? If you've paid for Quick Results before and this time your results are not available, does it say the results are on hold? the computer doesn't "worry" about anything, it's a computer, but if you did something that flagged your test for additional review it might hold up your results for awhile. I would think if you've failed 12 times already you would do everything under the sun to not invalidate your exam but what's done is done. If quick results are normally available and it's been this long you can always call your board of nursing and ask what's holding it up.

NICUismylife, ADN, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2017

How many questions did u answer. Most likely you failed since if you passed you would be able to see your license # the next day. See early post by me and use those programs. I have used hurst and kaplan and the rn mastery and uworld are the best by far. Know the core info first - med surg, fundamentals and priority then study the others.

This is not true in all states.