Pass rate for the RN-NCLEX is 100%

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..(2) more classmates from my DEC 07 class just passed thier boards. (leaving only 5 more left) I, myself passed last month on my 3rd time. Many of my 65 gradauting classmates had to re-test to pass.

I just wanted to say to those that have yet to take it or have to take it again.

That no matter what ATI, or your school, or the BRN website says..

If you dont GIVE up on this dumb test, EVERYONE passes, !! and in yers to come no one really remembers that you took it X amount of times,

failing this test does NOT define you as a person OR a nurse, it does not prove "competence" in any way..just becasue i know for a test which pt i should see "first" or that i selected 'all that apply' to a M.I. pt

no way indicates, i will know what to ACTUALLY DO ! when the time comes up for me to apply my "book" knowledge.

so have faith and have hope.

JON

Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

TABRN

I am not the only person to say the NCLEX is "not the real world" EVERYONE SAYS IT !!! KAPLAN, SAUNDERS, LIPPINCOTT every single reviee course and RN will tell you.

my point about the 10 RN's taking th NCLEX again is this...since they all passed it, showing competence..they should be able to pass it again, every time right ? if they cant , then according to the NCLEX they are less competent ?? which is contradictary because logic dictates you would become MORE competent in nursing as your career goes on.

i know this is absurb just trying to prove a point that still no one has addressed.

Yes, i am angry that this test , that to (some) takes so much away from them..i am in contact with many people that have failed...and i feel their pain from their posts..i was there, thats something a first time tester will never know. I am tryley happy for you and all the others that passed the first time and did not have to go through the depression that many of us had to go through,

but please, do now sit high above and say that "80% pass rate on the first time, etc.." like its EXPECTED. and insinuate that we are less for not passing.

nursing is sooo much more than the NCLEX,

the "how" you got your liscense is really irrelevant,,,the most IMPORTANT thing about me (and other) about being a registered nurse is

keeping it

and what i do i with it.

JON R.N.

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Specializes in Cardiac Thoracic Surgery, Emergency Med.

I didn't say you were a bad nurse because you didn't pass the NCLEX the first time. I am simply saying that just because you didn't pass, doesn't make the test a "bad" way of showing competence.

Let's just say that you had a say in how they should rate you competent... what would you suggest they do to come to that conclusion.

This really is the only way to rate competence at an entry level. There really is no other way. If there was, I am sure there would have been an alternative to the way it is being done.

If you go back to your posts and read them, maybe you will see how you sound. You do sound like you are bitter... and the fact is more than 80% of anyone in the United States passes the NCLEX on the first try. That is a fact. I actually didn't make that up.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

Anyone that says if you dont pass the Nclex the 1st time is an idiot. Is not someone I would ever take any advice from.

I was lucky enough to pass on the 1st time, but I know some awesome great nurses that were not so lucky.

I still believe that your nursing school owes it to you to get you to pass. That is what you paid them for. I know at my nursing school if you were one of the few that were un fortunate to fail they would meet with you and give you one on one tutoring. and do so until they thought you were ready to test--- For free!!!

I believe one of the questions perspective students need to ask when applying for nursing school is "what is your pass rate on Nclex" as ultimately that is the goal of the school to make you a nurse, cant be a nurse with out passing the test.

I think so many people now for what ever reason just want to be a nurse that they will attend any school that they can get in to, and these may not be the best schools.

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Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

RACING MOM4

-sounds like you had a very supportive school, i would have like to have gone there.

where i live, there are ONLY (2) RN programs to choose from.

The one i went to which is (as most RN programs) HIGHELY competative to get into, i think they had like 430 applicats for like 80 spots..people have waited YEARS to get into, i was fortunate to get in the first time i applied, VERY fortunate.

The other school is a private school, that caters to the students that dont have the best GPA and cannot get into the school i went to.

--the cost for their RN program is 69,000 dollars !! payment due upon graduation (2 years).--so IF you didnt have the grades to get inot the school i went to, OR IF you had the money and didnt want to wait..then you went there...

Its a brand NEW school and havnt graduated any RN students yet so data for them is N/A on the boards...alot of us are curious to see how they fair.

Yes...i know that we all have to pass the NCLEX to be nurses. My whole point is, there has to be a better way to assess competency..i do not beleive that ONE single compter adaptive test can measure all that there is to be a nurse. ONE test.

back in the day the RN test was a 2 day pencil and paper test, personally i would rather prefer that than the current incarnation of the NCLEX..

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Specializes in Pediatrics (Burn ICU, CVICU).

I really hate that many of you missed out on so much in nursing school. I am one of the nurses who believe that nursing school did teach me things that make me the nurse I am today. Of course, there was the info that I will never need or use due to technology, time constraints, or ancillary staff, but that doesn't mean schools shouldn't teach it. However, I am also of the belief that one can never learn too much or have too much information.

As far as the NCLEX, is the test itself indicative of how safe or proficient the nurse will be in the real world? Obviously not, there will always be the exceptions to the rule. However, the NCLEX is a test that requires CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, and MOST of the people who take this test and pass the first time have at least grasped the idea of how to think critically (again, there are always exceptions). Does this make one a better nurse? Absolutley.

I've been out of school a little over two years, and I can honestly say, I frequently have moments where I think, "so that's why they taught me that in school". And to whoever said they bet that most working nurses couldn't pass NCLEX again, is dead wrong. This nurse could pass NCLEX any day of the week. Because I know how to think critically.

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Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

to me. "true" "critical thinking" is when you have a problem on the unit, you consult other nurses/manuals, etc. and choose a course of action..which if does not work, try something else

it is not always JUST answer 'A" on the NCLEX test,

it could also be answer B--which is my point, sure NCLEX will say answer A is better than B but mabye its not ? we have all seen those questions where answer A and B are SOOOOOO close..

Also, in school we are taught pt SAFETY is number 1...BUT in the NCLEX world it is MASLOW, food , water air and SEX are more important that safety which is number 2

soooo heres my (made up--exagerated question--using that line of logic)

1. A malnourished homelss man is stranding in the middle of traffic, he shows no sign of respiratory distress, what is the nurses PRIORITY action.

A. Move him out of traffic (safety)

B. Counsel him on why he shouldnt be in traffic (psych/social)

C. make him a ham sandwhich (Physiological)

D. Call the Dr.

well--we would move him out of traffic right ? nope, thats safety and NCLEX wants MASLOW--so the answer is , yup make him a ham sandwhich-cause hes malnourished..--

if thats NCLEX critical thinking, im glad i dont have that---

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The one i went to which is (as most RN programs) HIGHELY competative to get into, i think they had like 430 applicats for like 80 spots..people have waited YEARS to get into, i was fortunate to get in the first time i applied, VERY fortunate.

The other school is a private school, that caters to the students that dont have the best GPA and cannot get into the school i went to.

MaleNusresRock,

did you get your ADN or BSN? The reason I ask, is that you feel your program was more GPA competitive than the private school, right? Well, I believe most (if not all, and correct me if I am wrong) ADN programs in Ca are on a lottery system. This being said, yes, there may have been over 400 applicants for only 80 slots, but as long as you meet the minimum GPA, a 4.0 does not fair any better during the app process than a 3.0... And to say people without the GPA to get into other programs go to the private school in your area, seems kinda fishy. All the private schools in my area are GPA and merit based admission ONLY and VERY competitive... But I digress, maybe I am completely wrong in my thinking and if so, please tell me the name of the private school in your area. I have many friends who have yet to "win" a lottery for an ADN program and even their 3.9 GPAs and high entrance exam test scores are not enough in this competitive schooling market.

I know you graduated recently (within 6 months), have you started working as a nurse yet? If so, in what area? I am wondering because, depending on specialty, sometimes you do not have the time to go through all the critical thinking steps you mentioned. Sometimes, you just need to act, and throughout nursing school as well as in studying for NCLEX these skills begin to develop. Good luck to you and I hope one day you realize NCLEX should be viewed as a tool to sharpen and refine the foundational knowledge your school gave you and not just another hurdle you have to leap before you get your RN status. Also, I'd be curious to know your schools NCLEX passing rate to that of the private school in your area...

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RACING MOM4

From MaleNursesRock:

"The one i went to which is (as most RN programs) HIGHELY competative to get into, i think they had like 430 applicats for like 80 spots..people have waited YEARS to get into, i was fortunate to get in the first time i applied, VERY fortunate.

The other school is a private school, that caters to the students that dont have the best GPA and cannot get into the school i went to."

The school I went to did not have a lottery system it was purely based on performance. You were awarded points for your gpa and how many science classes you took, and how many prereq's you had finisihed. It is a hard program to get into and many do not ever get in if they dont score as well in their classes. You have to work hard to get in. yet we always have just a few that dont pass the NCLEX. I think it is sometimes the people that once they got into nursing school, the squeeked by with a 80%. Anything lower than that in our program was considered failing. I have not taken the NCLEX yet, I take it this fri. I am nervous as hell. I am more worried about letting people down then anything. I do think that some aspects of the test is ridiculous. Like having to wait to find out if you passed or not. Its computerized...why cant we have the results right then and there. Are they afraid we are gonna go postal??? But we do have to be tested. Doc have MCATS, accounts have their CPA test...its a matter about being professional.

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Are they afraid we are gonna go postal???

:yeah: hahaha! I could see it now, throwing your chair through the computer screen, punching out the guy who takes your fingerprint on the way out! hahaha! i never thought of it that way! :yeah:

I'm pretty sure this is not the reason they make testers wait, but its a funny thought!:chuckle

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SUZANNE--

true, good point i was not aware there were states that had a "limit" of times for the NCLEX. Thats pretty harsh. i f they dont pass in X amount of time , then what ? thats it ? thats unfortunate, very unfortunate indeed..and i gives me more reason to hate this exam, that good people and possibly great potential nurses are falling through the cracks because of a poorly constructed test (again, my opinion)...

i cant imagine any other proffession that does this, lawyer, doctor, cop, etc. that if you dont pass by the X time..ALL that school, money, time, sweat, and tears are just..............gone.

to critique someones competence, intelligence, and general humaness on a SINGLE test is bad.. What if a person is a english second language person, or a bad test taker, or simply just was just sick that day.

What a shame.

JON

No one ever said that the training was wasted, that is where you are assuming once again. If you read what I have posted, it states that one may need to complete a remedial review program or course before they can test again. And actually this is more common that you think, CA is one out of only a few that does not have limits on how many times that one can test.

Remember that first thing that I did state was never to assume anything and this is one thing that you truly need to follow as you start your career. Never assume anything, always ask or do your research first on it. Just because you suspect that something may have been done, that it was done. If not charted, then it does not exist.

No one is making personal attacks on you, but when you make assumptions that are just not valid and cannot come up with anything to back them up, then the ball is in your court and that is all that is being pointed out to you.

If there are that many from your program that did not pass the first time, then that is an issue with the program that you went to; not anything else. And another question for you is where you aware of their pass rate before you started the program, or had you even looked at that?

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Specializes in Cardiac Nursing.

Well again, it would not have really matterd if i knew the pass rate BEFORE i went to my school, It was the ONLY option.. period. either i went there or i did not become a nurse....all this "analyzing" my school is irrelevant.

NURSE SALT

Yes, there are some schools 60+ miles away that do lottery, my school has stated it will not do that..ever.

the way they do it is quite simple.

they tke the highes GPA , 4.0 student and simply go down the list--nothing fishy at all. Each semester its get more competative,

for example last year i beleive the cut off GPA was around 3.3 or so, when i got in i had a 3.4 , everyone in my area knows how hard it is to get into my school, even though it says min GPA to apply is 2.5, everyone knows that it is waaay higher.

As time goes on, it becomes more competative, last semester i believe the "cut off" was 3.6 or so.

eventually, i can imagine a day when they will have 100 4.0 students applying for 80 spots....at that point, then my school will have a problem.

--as far as me being a new nurse and aquiring the critical thibnking skills .

i beleive i have quite enough critical thibnking skilss

I am a 37 year old Desert storm veteran of 1991, i have a BA in socilogy, spent 5 years as a Psych couynselor for both children and in an acute adult level 14 setting, I spent 5 years as a police officer (which i beleive takes the highest level of "critical thinking"

i have been to war, put my life on the line onthe streests everyday and now i am a nurse. I am husband and a father.

so , yes..i TRULEY beleive i have critical thinking skills.

JON (jack of many trades)

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

I to am a veteran of 1991 Desert storm but went with the UK not US. I failed NCLEX 3 times despite being a qualified nurse in the UK since 1988. You may have critical thinking skills in the areas but the NCLEX is making sure that you are a competent nurse and know things by the book. We all know nursing in real life never follows the book but for the NCLEX we have to think otherwise. Life in general is better not to make assumptions, we have made the move from one country to another. We did not make the assumption everything would fall into place and it didn't, we researched a lot and asked many questions. I am still adapting after 2 months and know I have many more months to go before I truly feel at home but even now I don't assume and the same would go into my work place. Just because one patient fitted the text book diagnosis does not mean the next will. Sorry you feel the way you do but people here are just responding to your thread and their experiences

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