NCLEX after 14 years?

I hope it's alright, but I wanted to post what I wrote to you here in hopes that if another lovely, hard-working nurse comes to your page with discouragement and feels lost I hope it finds them too ?

OMG, YES, DO NOT GIVE UP! Find other options. It might be a little harder and a little longer journey, but I assure you it's nowhere close to being as hard as your nursing school. I agree with @RaiRN with the states; also, NY allows you to retake it.

I googled a couple of things and found this:
https://testprepnerds.com/NCLEX/many-times-take-NCLEX/

Kansas: Must pass within two years of graduation in Kansas
Michigan: Maximum of 6 attempts and no more than three times per year
Louisiana: Must pass within four years of graduation and can only be taken a total of 4 times
South Carolina: If you don't pass your first time, you have one year to pass
Texas: Within four years of graduation

SOOOOO! Since I see that in your state, you are allowed to take it a max of 6 times, and you only took it two times! That's great news. So then I went to your board and saw this on this.

link https://www.nursinglicensure.org/state/nursing-license-michigan/#RN
"After three attempts, an NCLEX review course is required. After six attempts, a candidate is no longer eligible for licensure in Michigan (unless the candidate redoes the whole RN program). Unsuccessful candidates will receive a score breakdown which may help them prepare."

Which means that YOU CAN RETAKE. You only have to take a refresher course if you have failed 3x. But maybe you'll still benefit if you take it again now since it's been a few years. I personally don't know any, but it'll be a good start to Google "NCLEX RN refresher course in Michigan" and then see what comes up.

If you have any other questions regarding your state, you should definitely call the board of nursing in your state; they will lessen your anxiety and fear by answering all of your questions.

*IMPORTANT* Being too afraid to ask is always the BIGGEST hurdle. Once you start asking, you'll begin to know what is and isn't possible for you. I really think that might be something to tackle first (your fear of possible failure and possible anxiety regarding this) because the information you asked for was definitely easy to find. I understand that you know that and that you might've really needed (deep down) our confirmation instead. I came to allnurses.com because I HONESTLY and REALLY needed it too, I knew it was possible, but I needed my community to put the fire in my back when I still felt down and low...and only had a little spark. Nurses are a family; we should always stand by each other.

So, this is your confirmation to keep going and move forward and try again! Your state definitely allows it now. You just have to allow yourself to BELIEVE it's possible. YOU GOT THIS SH***********T!!

?

Thank you for responding! This is what the state of Michigan sent me after I messaged them: 

Quote

Erin,

In the state of Michigan, you need to take and pass the examination within two years of either graduation from a board-approved registered nurse education program under subrule (2)(a) or after obtaining certification from the certification program of the CGFNS.

Based on the information provided, you would not be eligible for licensure by examination in Michigan. We recommend reaching out to other states to determine if you would be eligible for licensure there. Once you hold a license in another US state, you can then apply for licensure by endorsement in Michigan.

Please let us know if you have any additional questions.

Respectfully,

(MODERATOR EDIT OF NAME), Departmental Technician

Bureau of Professional Licensing- #(MODERATOR EDIT OF ID)

PO Box 30670 - Lansing, MI 48909

Ph: (MODERATOR EDIT OF PHONE)

I am now confused?! LOL

Rose_Queen said:

Basically, you cannot apply for licensure in MI until you have a license in another state. A refresher course is not an option to become eligible for obtaining a license by passing NCLEX. The CGFNS is for foreign nurses to apply for licensure in a state in the US, so it would not apply in your situation.

@Rose_Queen Thank you so much for the clarification!

@ejmoon7845 COOL! Now with Michigan out the way, all is certainly not lost because you said all that needed to be said. You "WORKED TOO HARD TO GIVE UP NOW" BOOM! Let's get to work!

OK, I googled how many times you can retake the exam, and you're right Ohio was difficult, LOL So I emailed them; we shall see about that state. But when I did look, it didn't say anything about the time frame. It mostly said that you need to send an official transcript to the Ohio BON and wait to see if it would be approved. They even seem to take some nursing schools that have closed down. But we shall see what they say when they email back.

Other states that have an unlimited amount of time would be New York, Pennsylvania, and California (like @caliotter3said above)  

I looked up Wisconsin, and this link shows the approved out-of-state nursing schools https://dsps.wi.gov/Documents/ApprovedOutOfStateNursingSchools.pdf

I honestly didn't see a time frame with Wisconsin, either. It does say that there may be a refresher course that needs to be done. I really think that what it comes down to is to reach out to each state individually to see what they say bc it seems like some of these states go case by case to see if the person is eligible to apply. It would be best to write out a standard email to copy and paste to send to each BON in each state. If you have more time, you can definitely spend the time to call each state's BON, but I personally would try emailing them at first, LOL. Then, if I do not hear a response in about 7-10 days, I would call. 

this is the contact form for Illinois
https://www.idfpr.com/profs/Email/prfGrp09.asp

Indiana says you might need to show up in person

https://www.in.gov/pla/files/RN - exam repeat 5.20.19 Online App Updates.pdf

hope this helps ?

I greatly appreciate all of your help so much!! 

HMC said:

OK, I googled how many times you can retake the exam, and you're right Ohio was difficult, LOL So I emailed them; we shall see about that state. But when I did look, it didn't say anything about the time frame. It mostly said that you need to send an official transcript to the Ohio BON and wait to see if it would be approved. They even seem to take some nursing schools that have closed down. But we shall see what they say when they email back.

Ohio BON doesn't have a great reputation for replying to emails or answering phone calls... or issuing ATTs. For reference, I graduated in December, and they haven't acknowledged receiving my background check or transcripts yet (about a month after they should have had everything). 

So, I guess what I'm saying is, if you are wanting to try to get licensed in Ohio, I won't wait for a response from the board. These are the legal codes that control licensing: http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/4723-7, and I didn't see anything about a time limit after graduation. You may want to read carefully to assure yourself that you wouldn't be throwing application money away and then just go for it.

If you have questions about applying in Ohio, I'm happy to share what I know, limited though it may be!

There's someone here who passed after 8 years, so it's doable. Take refresher courses.

I am confident I would pass it after taking a refresher course. It is just finding a location that will allow me to retest due to when I graduated that is the issue LOL.

ejmoon7845 said:

I am confident I would pass it after taking a refresher course. It is just finding a location that will allow me to retest due to when I graduated that is the issue LOL.

Find out what the statute of limitations is on testing in your state. Send an email to your state board of nursing and ask them.

I have emailed them already, and unfortunately, in Michigan and a lot of other states, you have to pass within three years of graduation.

@ejmoon7845

Then you may need to travel to NY, Cali, PA, or NJ. This isn't bad bc at least you can still take the exam again, and surprisingly! Finding a place to take refresher courses is pretty easy. I actually enrolled in one in CT. It's fully online. All I did was email them and told them my situation, and I just paid for the course. They didn't need my transcript, only the money, LOL. BUT! they couldn't give me credit for me, which personally I didn't need because, in NY, you don't need refresher courses to retake the exam.

This is their website

https://www.connecticutleaguefornursing.org/

don't be stuck on your limitations when you still have so many options and opportunities. What it comes down to is how much DESIRE you have to be a nurse. Be real with yourself. Ask yourself, "am I willing to do what it takes to be a licensed RN" if your answer is YES, then traveling to NY, CALI, PA, and NJ for 1 day to take 1 exam that will change your life will be worth it. If you say NO to the question, then you may have to be real and accept that maybe you don't want to be a nurse. Bc the reality is you CAN do it. Both answers and both decisions are OK. You need to do what's best for you. 

***We can only provide you with all of the support, help, avenues, and resources, but you have to be WILLING to accept it. Focusing on the closed doors does what? Nothing but keeps you stagnant. Now is not the time to sulk; you've had enough time for that...it's time to be resilient and to ACT. It's not over. YOU CAN DO THIS.