Nurses Please...Let's help each other to pass the NCLEX.

[Reizen]

First a brief story about me. I am foreign nursing graduate BSN 2012 second course. Married with one child. Lived here in Illinois. And I loved nursing. Even as a student I have tried as much as I can during our clinicals to lend an open ear to our patients and give a loving care. I read somewhere in nursing school that Nursing is a work of Heart. So let's begin. As I have navigated through this site, I noticed that some topics were so old. So I decided to start a new one. It seems hard at least for me to google some of the questions that's why I needed the help of the Nursing community. Some board of Nursing sites were a bit hard to navigate and does not answer all the questions. You must be dilligent to call them on phone and ask them specific questions. Also I tried that but got the machine most of the time. And as a father to a pre-school child, and a full time employee with resposibility to my family, I too do not have the luxury of timeI see a lot of desperate plea for help. Some does not know how to begin. Some seems to be misinformed and some seems to be frustrated of starting over again in cases of expired NCLEX application from states they lived in. Ok lets make a bullet of the topics and questions that frequently asked. And please feel free to add answer or make corrections. It will be greatly appreciated.

• Some questions were related to States that have expiration on your NCLEX application. For instance here in Illinois you have 3 years from the date of your application to pass NCLEX or it will expire. In that 3 years time you can take NCLEX q 45 days after your last attempt. And if still unsuccessful you have to go back to school.
  
• Is SSN required? Yes it is in most if not all the States.
  
• Is a Nursing License required if you are a graduate from a foreign country? Yes in most states if not all. And it must be current not expired or suspended. Also a follow-up question about renewing your foreign license if you live here in the US. Where do you go and how is the process on renewing your foreign license. Again please fill me in if I have the wrong info and please be specific on your correction.
  
• Which State have no expiration on NCLEX application?
  
• Which State does not require a refresher course if you had been a Nursing Graduate for many many years and still have not passed the NCLEX? Life happens, we cannot judge but let's try to help.
  
• If you are a BSN graduate you cannot take LPN/LVN Nclex. Here in Illinois and Iowa
  
• Which State require or does not require IELTS, TOEFFL or any langguage exam for foreign graduate nurses even if your Nursing books were english and mode of instruction was English as well...Here in Illinois is not required.
  
• We can talk later about NCLEX books and reviewer, Let's help others first to start the process. For those who are struggling to start lets give them a hand. I know a lot of this questions can be googled but again not everyone is computer savvy. That's why we are here to offer an extra hand. Let's keep the ball rolling. No questions is too embarrassing to ask. Let's go, let's help some friends. In life there were always be challenges and we can try to run away from it or welcome it with positive approach. God Bless You.
  

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Moved to the Nurse Registration forum as it talks much about registering as a IEN

[Reizen]

Thank You Miss Silverdragon...I wish to reach as many people I can.

[Reizen]

Info according to IOWA board of Nursing...

RN/LPN Licensure by Examination for Foreign Graduates

All applicants for RN/LPN licensure in Iowa must successfully complete the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN®)/Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN®). NCLEX® application materials will be provided when the following items have been received by the Iowa Board of Nursing:

Complete the Professional Report application of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools Credentials Evaluation Service (CES). For information about CGFNS CES applications please contact: (The Report will require validation of license/registration in the original country.) If you have not been licensed in the country educated in you do not meet the qualifications for Iowa RN/LPN licensure.

Test of English as a Foreign Language minimum score of 540 (paper test), 207 (computer test) and 83 (Internet Based Test) or International English Language Testing Services (IELTS) minimum score 6.5, unless exempt. If the language of instruction and the textbooks in the nursing program were English you are EXEMPT from the Test of English as a Foreign Language.

If you do NOT have a Social Security Number the document(s) that allow you access to the United States will be required prior to receiving authorization to test.

[Reizen]

There is no Info on how many times you can take the NCLEX...Or how many years you are allowed before your application expires...