NCLEXRN After 12 Years

Nursing Students Student Assist

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NCLEXRN After 12 Years

I graduated 12 years ago and have never practiced being a nurse. I've forgotten every single thing I've learned from school and I do not know where to start. Now that I am a parent, I decided to try to take on the boards. This will be my first try. I just purchased simple nursing and I also have UWorld. Can anyone please give me tips, other review programs that worked for you after being out of school for so long and then passing the test or if you've used simple nursing, how's your experience? Should I add another resource to what I already have? I also see picmonics as an option to add. Thank you so much!

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Honestly, I would take a refresher course. Even if you can pass the boards, 12 years out of school and self-admittedly having forgotten every single thing you've learned, you would not be a safe entry-level nurse.

Do you know for sure that your state will allow you to sit for the exam after 12 years?

3 Votes

@klone Hello, I understand the concern but there are fresh graduates that makes the biggest life threatening mistakes on the floor. I believe it all depends on the person, their knowledge and willingness to learn and passion to genuinely help. I'm here to ask for advice on how to re-gain my knowledge and I am more than willing to take any course and advice posted here that's helpful for me to move forward. To answer your question, yes, I've reached out to our boards and they said there's no expiration to the degree and I can take the boards. 

1 Votes
Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.
klone said:

Honestly, I would take a refresher course. Even if you can pass the boards, 12 years out of school and self-admittedly having forgotten every single thing you've learned, you would not be a safe entry-level nurse.

I agree with Klone; the prudent option would be to take a refresher course and update your knowledge to current trends and expectations. I wish you luck!

2 Votes
Okami_CCRN said:

I agree with Klone; the prudent option would be to take a refresher course and update your knowledge to current trends and expectations. I wish you luck!

Yes I understand the need to take a refresher course. Can I get an advice of what's good ones if you all know any good ones. 

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
AspiringRNmama said:

Yes I understand the need to take a refresher course. Can I get an advice of what's good ones if you all know any good ones. 

It's geographically dependent. Google "RN Refresher Course <your community>"

They're often offered at community colleges.

1 Votes
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Some boards of nursing require that they approve nursing refresher course while others maintain a list of courses in their state so check your BON along with neighboring states for courses. Additionally, some refresher courses require active license in order to do hands on clinical content like University of Delaware RN Refresher Online Program   while South Dakota State Univ  Independent Study Refresher  does not require active license however needs to have clinical site lined up first to be able to complete clinical portion unpon passing NCLEX.

Best wishes in your journey.

Specializes in School Nursing.

I doubt you'll get approval to test without taking a full refresher course. 

Specializes in Med/Surg Ortho.

If it were me starting over again, working as a CNA or grad RN (if possible) would be good insight on the hands-on portion. I heard UWorld is a good resource. When I was in school, the ATI review session helped me tremendously as well. Good luck!

1 Votes

Nursing practice is a very fast changing body of knowledge. We were taking out failed attempts at foley insertion 10 years ago before restarting a fresh insertion. Now we reinsert with the old one still in. We were pulling the plunger before IM injections and discarding syringes if we saw blood. Now we are not. And it can go on and on.

Your board will let you sit, but will your college give you a letter to test? Colleges don't even accept prerequisites if more than x number of years old for the same reason.

Talk to both the board and your college before you start preparing. Convince yourself to take a refresher. 
Good luck with your endeavor.

1 Votes

@AspiringRNmama can you please share what state is allowing you to take?? I'm in the same boat and I was going to start to call around different states as I saw in FL you cannot after 3 yrs or so it says online I have to call the boards to check. 

But if you could sooo kindly let me know it would avoid having to call several states. I don't want to give up!!

1 Votes

Happy new year!

Any updates in your situation? In a similar dilemma as well, here in California. 

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