NCLEX Before Graduation

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2015

You can't get your ATT until you've met all the requirements of your particular school and that school has sent the paperwork to your State BON. If those 12 precepting shifts are a requirement of your school and the particular class, then you haven't met the requirements until you finish that up.

sadly, you won't meet the requirement of passing the nursing program until that is done.

MedicalPartisan · Apr 25, 2015

You can't get your ATT until you've met all the requirements of your particular school and that school has sent the paperwork to your State BON. If those 12 precepting shifts are a requirement of your school and the particular class, then you haven't met the requirements until you finish that up.
sadly, you won't meet the requirement of passing the nursing program until that is done.

Right, but come September, those shifts will be complete. Then I have absolutely nothing until graduation in December. My question is if I can obtain an ATT even though I will not be graduated, and all requirements have been met.

Our schedule was:

May - Intro

August - AH1 and MH1

January - AH2 and MC

May - AH3 and MH2

August - Precept

SWM2009 · Apr 25, 2015

It will depend on when your school submits the required paperwork to the BON. You need to check with them.

klone, MSN, RN · Apr 25, 2015

Why do they allow your class four months to complete 12 shifts?

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2015

I'm not sure if your school will send the necessary paperwork to the BON before your official graduation.

The way my classes and required things were structured for my LPN schooling, I was technically done with everything 3 weeks before our set graduation date. My school did not release the paperwork until the DAY of our actual graduation ceremony which was 2 weeks from our last require portion of the program. For my RN program, again, I was done with everything but the school didn't release the things the BON required until a week AFTER our graduation ceremony. Our grad ceremony was a week or so after our last class was completed and final grade were in and posted.

MedicalPartisan · Apr 25, 2015

Why do they allow your class four months to complete 12 shifts?

We have been the guinea pig group each term. It also depends when you start. It's awful that we have to have AH3 and MH2 together starting next month during the shortened summer term. And this time they are even putting the classes on the same day, back-to-back. So we take exams and HESIs in one and must be present in the next class 30 minutes later to do it all over (on exam days, of course.)

But anyway this is the first time they've paired AH2 and MC. Previously they were 8 week crash courses in the same term, but for us, the decided to make the classes a full 16 weeks. This is not better, in my opinion. Not only do you have two classes each week now, but you have two simulations, two clinical days, and no time to even think about studying. This is exceptionally bad for those of us, like me, who work 12-hours shifts (I support myself solely).

Well starting next term (May, for me) they are also combining MH2 and AH3. This term previously was only comprised of AH3 and the last term was MH2 and preceptorship. Again, the worst part of it all is that they are cramming it all into summer, and leaving us with nothing to do the last term.

It sucks, but I don't care at this point. But I need to figure out if I can test after the requirements have been fulfilled. If not, it's going to be a long and boring four months. People say just use the time to study, but if you can't schedule a test date, and you know you have over five months before you can do anything, no one is going to put their all into studying as hard as they can every day with that much time off.

rob4546, ADN, BSN, MSN · Apr 25, 2015

I don't think this will happen but you should talk to your school. Until you have completed transcripts in hand, and the nursing school alerts the BON that you have successfully completed the course requirements, then you will not be able to test. If you have your ATT in hand then all of the requirements are fulfilled. So the question becomes will your school produce the required paperwork before the official end of term? I have not know schools to be that flexible..

You can however get all the NCLEX prep completed that you can and pass on the first try!

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2015

As far as I know, you have to graduate from your program before you can apply to take NCLEX. Why do you assume that you will be able to complete 12 precepting shifts in a month? What if your preceptor doesn't work full-time? Or goes on vacation for 2 weeks? You also say you work 12 hr shifts, what if the only shifts she works conflict with your work schedule and you can't start doing your precepting shifts until your next work schedule comes out and you are able to rearrange your hours?

MedicalPartisan · Apr 25, 2015

Why do you assume that you will be able to complete 12 precepting shifts in a month?

It will not take 5 months to complete 12 shifts.

What if your preceptor doesn't work full-time?

Not likely. But even if that's the case, it will take a MAX of 12 weeks, even if they only work once a week.

Or goes on vacation for 2 weeks?

Then it will take a max of 1-2 months + 2 weeks.

You also say you work 12 hr shifts, what if the only shifts she works conflict with your work schedule and you can't start doing your precepting shifts until your next work schedule comes out and you are able to rearrange your hours?

I plan to take the entire month or two off to focus only on clinicals, I have almost 300 hours in the bank. I also work in the ED here, have been told by the clinical director of SINU that they have no problem letting me precept there. The possibility for your mentions to be a reality is there, but not likely.

All of that is beside the point, though. I was just curious if any has heard of situations similar and had any relative knowledge or experience.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Apr 25, 2015

The BoN requires verification of graduation before they will consider your application for a nursing license by examination. If your school places graduation on say December 15, 2015 then you are not eligible for an ATT until the school registrar certifies your graduation on or after 12/15/15. Many recommend applying to the BoN ~4 weeks prior to graduation but the BoN will not consider or act on your application until verification of successful graduation from an approved school of nursing.

There are schools that offer accelerated terms but fixed graduation. Official graduation is required to be considered for a nursing license.

So no, you cannot receive an ATT or sit for the NCLEX prior to graduation even if you complete requirements early.

MedicalPartisan · Apr 25, 2015

So no, you cannot receive an ATT or sit for the NCLEX prior to graduation even if you complete requirements early.

Any sources to confirm that? I definitely plan on talking to the school when possible but it seems like this could vary from state to state as each have different requirements.