Is the NCLEX Harder in California Than Elsewhere?

Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN · Mar 5, 2010

The NCLEX is a nation-wide test with the same standard across the board and I do not believe that it is 'harder' in one state than another. The test is hard period. It's unlike any test you've ever taken in your life, maybe comparable to the SATs, but in the sense of how you should study. Meaning that the best way to pass is to either take a course like Kaplan or just grab a NCLEX review book like Saunders or Lippincotts and do literally thousands of questions to understand the format and learn key words and things that will help you arrive at the right answer. I know someone who took the NCLEX something like 3-4 times before passing, and this is in New York. I don't think your step-daughter is stupid but i think she perhaps needs to study in a different way or go sit in a kaplan class and learn different test taking strategies to help her succeed.

caliotter3 · Mar 5, 2010

No. The NCLEX is a national, standardized test. It is the same if you take it in Des Moines, IA or in Phoenix, AZ or for that matter, Manila. Your daughter just needs to be persistent. She will pass as long as she does not give up.

RaycerX · Mar 5, 2010

Thanks for your quick reply.

I know that my step-daughter took the Kaplan course and has been plowing through thousands of questions from various review books. I can't tell you her study methods though since I'm not around to see how she does that part of the preparation.

I'm glad that you stated that the NCELX is the same from state to state. That's what I thought originally, but then my wife was saying the test was different in Illinois than in California. That didn't make sense to me, but I couldn't be sure until now.

Anyway, she's going to have to do some soul-searching and figure out where she's going wrong. I suspect, too, that the test has gotten harder over the years because I have several relatives who've been nurses for quite a long time and they are definitely not the brightest bulbs in the room. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Well, who knows. Maybe the third time will be a charm.

Thanks,

Ray

foxygirl · Mar 5, 2010

Ray, I know how frustrated your daughter is. I have failed 3 times now in MI. I did great in school and all of the nurses I worked with said I really knew my stuff. The test is just horrible. It is not a reflection on her other than the ability to pass it.

Please tell her that she is not alone there are tons of people in the same position as her. In fact there a lot of RN who failed and retook the test over and over. She just has to keep with it. That's what I am doing, I know I can do this and will be a great nurse someday.

Best of luck to her!

rn4ever? · Mar 5, 2010

Sorry to hear that your daughter's going through this. I also attended Kaplan review school in the Philippines and nailed the test in one attempt. But, I actually used the book entitled Exam Cram which I bought at Barnes & Noble (If I remember it right, it's actually a book with more than 300 pages, and not exactly for cramming-----just entitled as such). Being a top student does not guarantee passing the NCLEX, nor does it single out students who are not very brilliant. I believe that the test is just plain and simple tough and cannot be passed by mere guessing-----one has to really devote time and use an approach that will work.

No, the NCLEX in CA is not harder than other states. That is a myth. It is a nation-wide test. But I would say that what helped me the most in my review is the time I spent reviewing on my own.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 5, 2010

Just to add to what others have stated, it is also documented that International nurses have about a 45% chance on passing the first time and there are stats to show this on the NCSBN website. Best thing she can do is not give up and maybe get her to join the site and check out the NCLEX forum where she will find much in the way of support etc from people both studying for the first time and people resitting the exam

RunnerNurse09, BSN, RN · Mar 5, 2010

I am sorry to hear she is having problems. 70-75% correct really isnt high, however. As a PP stated, international students have a harder time with NCLEX. Perhaps different review books can help?

RaycerX · Mar 5, 2010

Thanks for the advice everyone is giving. I'll make sure to pass it along to my step-daughter.

It's interesting that 45% of International students fail on the first try. I saw some stats in another thread stating that 85% of people taking the NCLEX for the first time here in the States pass. I wonder if there are cultural reasons for this. My daughter is fluent in English so I don't think it's a language thing.

In any case, she's going to have to put her nose to the grindstone and study in a more proficient way. And also not get worked up when exam day comes. I think that's been part of the problem, as well.

Ray

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 5, 2010

The NCLEX is the same, regardless of which state you decide to take the exam. Contrary to popular belief, the NCLEX questions come from the exact same massive test bank and they do not change from state to state.

Therefore, it is an absolute myth when someone says that the "California NCLEX" is more difficult or much harder than the "North Dakota NCLEX."

NurseGloria · Mar 5, 2010

Here are some suggestions for review materials and study plan that may help you.

I was required to take the NCLEX-RN for the first time at age 59 because I had been out of practice in Illinois for over 5 years. I had taken the Illinois state boards at McCormick Place in 1974 that was a two day long test and not NCLEX. I had never heard of the NCLEX until I found out I was required to take it.

I purchased a set of CDs from the Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professionals. It is a review course that the faculty give to their graduating students. The CDs are on 18 discs. I created an index for it as I went along. I stopped the CDs when I needed to review from my texts or from the Saunders, Kaplan, and Stein review texts with practice exam CDs to practice the test taking on my computer.

The nearest test center for me was in Wisconsin and about 90 miles away. So we rented a room at a hotel with a water park. The water slides were fun and helped me relax the night before the exam which was scheduled for 8 AM.

I used my own math shortcuts that I learned while actually caring for patients for over 25 years and was very good at those practice questions. It also helped that I could visualize the patient care situations presented in the test questions because I had experienced them in most cases. I memorized the lab values although I learned that the norms vary from lab to lab.

The Kaplan NCLEX-RN medications you need to know for the test was helpful. I made flash cards for myself.

This old lady passed the test in 75 questions the first time. I then took a hands on ACLS certification course and passed. I am still unemployed. I learned from reading comments on allnurses.com that there is no nursing shortage at the present time.

Now I find that I must take a refresher course in Wisconsin if I want to renew my license there. Last time I checked, there are no refresher courses offered in Wisconsin. I have spent quite a bit so far for not having a job.

And I only had to take the NCLEX once. Somebody has sure figured out more ways to exploit nurses without actually improving patient safety or working conditions. KEEP TURNING OUT THOSE NEW GRADS and bring us some foreign nurses. Dream up ways to discipline and make nurses believe they are at fault for their lack of success. Run experienced nurses out of the profession that have been lifting for seven or more years because they will probably have spinal stenosis. Got to save that worker's comp pool for the bankers so they can lose it.

There are many more young spines out there to hire.

Rank and file nurses need their own organization in order to advocate for themselves and their patients. APNs, nurse educators, and administrators have done a good job of looking out for their own job security, for doctors, and for insurance, but not for patients and nurses. Nurse to patient ratios and lifting devices would probably save dollars overall when you consider the constant flow of new nurses that is required. But when the student nurses or taxpayers are spending the money for educational expenses, why should hospitals or insurers care? Why should our nurse leaders care. They don't.

Unless you have a job, nurse unions don't care. How many nurses are there that have been pushed out of nursing? We know how many are licensed. Does anybody have an idea how much wasted education and experience is out there? How many RNs are on Social Security Disability rather than making the decent salaries they were promised when they made a huge investment in time and money to become RNs? Has anybody even bothered to study that?

This is major discrimination of women in a primarily woman's profession. Millions of women have been exploited so that everybody else can make a profit in healthcare. Even nurse educators and nurse entrepeneurs have participated in this horrible injustice.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 5, 2010

Thanks for the advice everyone is giving. I'll make sure to pass it along to my step-daughter.
It's interesting that 45% of International students fail on the first try. I saw some stats in another thread stating that 85% of people taking the NCLEX for the first time here in the States pass. I wonder if there are cultural reasons for this. My daughter is fluent in English so I don't think it's a language thing.
In any case, she's going to have to put her nose to the grindstone and study in a more proficient way. And also not get worked up when exam day comes. I think that's been part of the problem, as well.
Ray

The reason International nurses have a higher failure rate is because the US schools will gear up for NCLEX where as other countries will gear up for their exam. Take the Canadian RN exam CRNE that is totally different than NCLEX and therefore the approach to studying for the exam is different.

Here are the stats for 2009 https://www.ncsbn.org/Table_of_Pass_Rates_2009.pdf