NCLEX Test Centers

[ddkted]

Hi, I'm DDkted and this is my very first posting.

After the US National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) decided to allow NCLEX testing outside the US, several countries in Asia are now conducting these tests. The Philippines is not one of them. Filipino nurses have to go to Hong Kong or Seoul or Taipei, a vast improvement from when they have to go to either Guam or Saipan.

I do not believe that this could be because of the fiasco in the most recent (2005) Philippine Board of Nursing examinations, first because the decision to hold NCLEX outside the continental US & its territories was done well before 2005 and second, the NCLEX exams are computer adaptive tests (CAT).

While it is true that nursing schools in the Philippines have mushroomed, and the quality of nursing education may have gone down, this should not deter the NCSBN from conducting NCLEX CAT in the Philippines. It is precisely these examinations that serve as the "quality control" for Nurses going to the US. Conducting NCLEX in the Philippines will, in my view, tremendously help prevent nursing schools from being mere diploma mills preying on unsuspecting Filipinos. It will also make it more affordable to qualified nurses who with the present system have to spend a lot of money (which most don't have) and time going through a lengthy process----Philippine Board/CGFNS/English Proficiency exams/Visa Screen/ NCLEX.

One more point is the fact that a lot of our neighbors come to our country to "learn English".

I am sure that the integrity of the NCLEX computer adaptive tests can and will be maintained, and there will more qualified nurses who can help solve the nursing shortage the US is faced with for years now.

I suggest that we write the National Council of State Boards of Nursing or the individual state boards on this issue.

Best regards to all.

DDkted

[pinoy_guy]

. . . that the Philippines did not make it into the next batch of countries to hold the exam.

They made a visit in April, they do not make several per year related specifically to approving a site.

argh.

the issues are confusing enough without these officials adding to the mess by making such statements.

these statements sound good in the news...but can cause a lot of heartbreak.

sigh.

[suzanne4, RN]

argh.

the issues are confusing enough without these officials adding to the mess by making such statements.

these statements sound good in the news...but can cause a lot of heartbreak.

sigh.

They were there is April for the official review, and the statement was issued in Auguat that the Philippines was not accepted to have a center for the exam.

They do not make trips every six months to evaluate a country. Think about that. As I keep saying, things get publiushed on a daily basis there, but change as the needs change. And to put them in a more favorable light.

With all of the issues going on there in the recent months, do you realistically think that a center is going to open there soon?

[RNHawaii34]

they have been doing it and writing them down when they leave the test center, this has been well documented and the board that writes the exam is also well aware of it. and it can be easily done...........each has to remember five questions and the choices for the answers.

unfortunately, there are a few review centers in the us that have no started to copy the same idea.

you memorized enough when you were in school, this is something that is being done and needs to be stopped.

gosh, is that's really true? that's really sad, i cannot imagine how they can do that because for me, after all of the deep thinking, and confusion, all i wanna do is throw up and get outta there as fast as i can and pray that i passed!!! :chuckle

[ddkted]

After a couple of possible reasons why the NCLEX is not conducted in the Philippines, it remains clear that it will help not only Filipino Nurses but the American healthcare facilities for the NCSBN to approve the holding of the exams in the Philippines. There are, I'm sure, institutions that will uphold the integrity of the NCLEX exams. What I have realized in the recent days is that there were more discussions on why we are failing and not on how we could show that we deserve a test center. Although I admit that these (discussions) too are healthy, is it not about time that we dedicate our energies to writing the NCSBN that we and they need to have a test center in our country?

Mabuhay and best regards,

ddKted

[suzanne4, RN]

gosh, is that's really true? that's really sad, i cannot imagine how they can do that because for me, after all of the deep thinking, and confusion, all i wanna do is throw up and get outta there as fast as i can and pray that i passed!!! :chuckle

unfortunately it is, and the ring leader of that has been the same as the one inolved in the scandal over the nle exam.

[suzanne4, RN]

After a couple of possible reasons why the NCLEX is not conducted in the Philippines, it remains clear that it will help not only Filipino Nurses but the American healthcare facilities for the NCSBN to approve the holding of the exams in the Philippines. There are, I'm sure, institutions that will uphold the integrity of the NCLEX exams. What I have realized in the recent days is that there were more discussions on why we are failing and not on how we could show that we deserve a test center. Although I admit that these (discussions) too are healthy, is it not about time that we dedicate our energies to writing the NCSBN that we and they need to have a test center in our country?

Mabuhay and best regards,

ddKted

Not sure if you have been doing any reading or following what has been going on there over the past few years in regards to a test center. The Board was there in April to review the country, in August they issued a statement that it was denied for this round.

They have been there in the past as well, the first time that the Philippines was turned down was because of security, and that in terms of terrorist activities which were going on during that time. Now there are security issues with the exams themselves. Until the Philippines puts into place safeguards to prevent this, they are going to be hard pressed to get an exam there. Common sense dictates that. When you have schools that are selling licenses, review centers selling questions or including them when you pay for their program, fraudulent documents that are submitted, etc. Why in the world would there be a center placed there?

I have worked with nurses from there for too many years to count, and most are horrified at what they see going on over there right now. Placing a testing center there now would be opening a major can of worms that would only make things even worse.

From the LPN programs that are opening, but you do not have LPNs in your country, and telling them that they can work in the US when there is no possibility of that, unless they come over as a slave..................and that is fraud as well.

The ADN programs in your country are not accepted here for immigration, and your country requires the BSN to work as an RN.

What would you do if you were in a position of authority? Things there need to be cleaned up first and foremost. And until a few years ago, there were no test centers out of the US except for US territories. So it is not a priority that one be there. Thousands have managed to get it done.

And the most important fact that you are forgetting, it does not help the US Healthcare System to offer the exam there.............importing of foreign nurses does not help the system........it is a privilege to be able to work in the US, it is not an automatic right given to anyone, even if you pass the exams. It gives you an edge in getting to the US, but it is not a right.

[RNHawaii34]

the adn programs in your country are not accepted here for immigration, and your country requires the bsn to work as an rn.

what would you do if you were in a position of authority? things there need to be cleaned up first and foremost. and until a few years ago, there were no test centers out of the us except for us territories. so it is not a priority that one be there. thousands have managed to get it done.

and the most important fact that you are forgetting, it does not help the us healthcare system to offer the exam there.............importing of foreign nurses does not help the system........it is a privilege to be able to work in the us, it is not an automatic right given to anyone, even if you pass the exams. it gives you an edge in getting to the us, but it is not a right.[/quote]

with jcaho always breathing behind our neck...i hate to say i agree on the comments above. i will not, and i hope will not be the one who will get interrogated on their next visit. patient safety is always a big issue when you work as rn in u.s. hospitals. and even you are already working in the hospital, you still have to face many tough, complicated problems at work..it could be internal problems, such as patio-ratio, work conditions,salary issues, mandatory overtime blah,blah, blah. if you are foreign grad ( like me), it is very hard to understand what's going on in the u.s. health care system. we from the philippines may say, we want to work and earn dollars, do you really want to put up with all that b.s. going on right now in the u.s. hospitals? think again. shortcuts is not a good answer, get your bsn degree, and it will take you anywhere..don't settle for being an lpn, ( i dont have anything against them, just to let you know). i also don't recommend a new grad to work abroad asap, because it is hard, i mean really hard...get at least a year or 2 of experience in medsurg dept back home.better yet, get an icu experience.. at least you will have a clue what it is like to be a nurse...don't cloud your mind by saying " i do not want to work here in the philippines"..this country is not fair, everything is bulok ( rotten)..but think what will be like when you live in a country who have totally different culture, people speaks different language...weird foods, everything is fast, and don't think life here is easy, it takes a lot hardwork to survive in this country. u.s. gov have a lot of problems of their own, homelessness,high crime rates, and many people have no medical insurance, and guess who takes care of them when they're sick? us nurses!!! ....think about that..i know many of you will hate me for saying this, or i will risk myself being banned.but that's the truth. okay, i talk to much already, but get your bsn, pass all the necessary exams..no shortcuts.trust me it will guide you to right the path.:wink2: