I often see where people have failed NCLEX 3 or more times. Some states require a remedial course of study after failing so many times. Arizona will allow multiple times in 1 year. In Kansas, you must petition the board if you take more than 24 months after graduation to pass NCLEX. In Louisana you can only take the NCLEX four times in four years. In Michigan, it is 3 years or a max of 6 tries. South Carolina is 4 tries in one year and then remediation.
Most of the states do not have a limit for retaking the NCLEX. You can keep going and going and going. Eventually the law of averages will catch up, and the test will be passed, IMO.
So, how do you feel about the number of times a person should be able to take the NCLEX exam? Remember, this is the same nurse that will be taking care of you or your loved ones. Should remedial education be required after 3 tries, 5 tries, a certain time frame?
This is a harsh world, there are some people who should not be nurses, and if the NCLEX is one way to prevent that, then I am in favor of a 3 try limit, followed by remediation and then one more try to pass.
I feel that the practice of allowing unlimited re-takes does nothing to advance the practice of nursing.
I'd say (after thinking about it) that after 3 times there should be some sort of evaluation of sorts, to figure out what to do or whaht the problem is.
I'd say (after thinking about it) that after 3 times there should be some sort of evaluation of sorts, to figure out what to do or whaht the problem is.
I agree.
Test anxiety might BE a factor, but just as likely, not being adequately prepared is a bigger factor. And THAT might well be a result of the whole anxiety package all along the way of a program.
When you are uncomfortable, due to anxiety or any other reason, with your learning environment, it can have marked effects on your ability to learn.
I don't think it's accurate to say failing means a person is not equipped with the potential to be a good nurse, but that it might be a potent statement about the current level of PREPARATION to be a good nurse.
And, after repeated failures, the only way to empower a student to pass is to remedially address that preparation failure. If you didn't pass NCLEX, you MUST re-examine within yourself WHY you didn't pass, and address those issues.
That doesn't or won't make you a 'bad nurse'; it makes you still a student of nursing and not prepared to be a nurse, YET. And whether you have a degree or not, it is an indication that you need more primary instruction, not just review.
Actually, I would recommend that an NCLEX failure ask his/her program for permission to 'audit' a core course that he/she has already passed. The ability to study without worrying about the grade might just BE the anti-anxiety environment to learn enough to slay the beast.
What I would like to see is the old paper test being made an option for those who failed the computer test.
That may be a very good idea..Or an oral type exam, something similar to a practical type test in the clinical area? I passed on my first try and was a very good student, but trust me, I had to take several very deep breaths to calm myself. I have no problem with someone needing more than one try, but I think after a certain number of tries(4 or 5), a refresher course or remedial classes would probably be a beneficial thing.
I think If you are paying for the exam then you should be able to take it as much as possible but if your getting past six times then that is starting to get a bit excessive and you should look at takeing a refresher class and maby take pratice tests.
I really believe it is the school that makes the difference with success or failure. If you have been properly tested with real NCLEX like questions then one or two tries should be all that is needed. I don't know about other programs, but my school is going on 4 years of 100% 1st time pass rate. I think it is the schools that should be weeding out those unable to pass the test.
I totally agree with you on all that Bob. God forbid I fall ill, I dont want my nurse to have passed only because the law of averages was on her side. I want my nurse to pass because she knew her stuff.....
So, if you failed the first time, and anxiety pressures were a concern, how much MORE would you make that an issue with a 2ND TIME AND YOU'RE OUT mandate?
There is a misconception that if you keep taking the test, you'll eventually 'luck' into passing. This is a highly technical test that measures levels of relative preparation to practice nursing to a fine degree. IF you fail this test because you aren't academically prepared to be a nurse, you will likely NOT PASS it on multiple tries without remediation. How likely not? With a 95% degree of statistical accuracy, the same level of accuracy for first time takers.
Bottom Line:
If we aren't assured that a nurse is minimally prepared to begin practice after taking NCLEX for the xth time, we can't be assured that for first time takers either.
When it comes to most test, especially test like the nclex, you cannot compare one individual to the next individual.
The reason i say that is because nobody gets the same test. One may pass the test because the questions that they get are questions in areas that they are strong in, where if questions were presented to them in areas that they are weak in they may end up failing.
Can anybody here go in a hospital and point out a nurse and tell who has passed on their first or 6th try, NO of course not.
What is important is not how many times it takes a person to pass. But how well the nurse performs in their area of expertise.
Would u choose a nurse who has just passed her boards the first time or a nurse who took three chances to pass the boards and has years of experience. As a patient i would choose the one who has the experience.
It took my sister on the third try to pass her boards, She is now a head nurse and she was even recognized in her states newspaper as a highly recognized nurse.
I truly think the concept of how many times it takes to pass the nclex is less important as how a nurse continues to improve themself and their skills. Oh and just to add, ive seen some nurses who passed their boards on their first try who i would never want to take care of anyone i love. :)
The reason i say that is because nobody gets the same test. One may pass the test because the questions that they get are questions in areas that they are strong in, where if questions were presented to them in areas that they are weak in they may end up failing.
I agree with your sentiment, but you are wrong here.
This test assigns each question a fractional value and then measures you getting it right or wrong and increases the difficulty value higher or lower, based on your wrong or right anwers, until it gets a very clear indication at what level of difficulty you are at and then assigns an internal scoring.
Currently, with -2.00 meaning the worst prepared and 2.00 being the best, you must place at -0.28 'logits' or higher to pass. Each question assessed determines where you are in relationship to -0.28. It asks at least 60 questions to ENSURE that any given question or two or ten doesn't skew that finding.
Not only that, but the test asks questions in multiple areas to ensure that no single weak area is the sole determination of your scoring.
It's just not true that you might 'fail' that test if you are 'unlucky' with the questions, or conversely, pass if you are 'lucky'. NCLEX-CAT is designed to provide an exact and highly accurate determination on where you stand preparation wise to perform as a nurse. There is no 'luck of the draw'.
If you are a statistics nerd and you really want to know the science behind NCLEX, it's based on the Rasch Model:
You might be interested to know that the passing standard for NCLEX-RN has been raised 4 times since it's widespread inception in 1994, from an original passing standard of -0.4766 logits to -0.43 logits in 1997 to -0.35 logits in 2000 to -0.28 logits in 2003. The test is re-evaluated every 3 yrs, so a new passing standard is due by year's end. My guess, based on the data discussed 3 yrs ago, is that the new standard will probably be near -0.26 logits, although if you look at historical tightening of the passing standard, the new standard would be closer to -0.22 logits.
what i would like to see is the old paper test being made an option for those who failed the computer test.
i don't agree with this. we are going further and further into the computer age in the nursing profession. by the time you get to boards you should have had some exposure to a computer. even if you have never touched a computer before, you know going into the nursing program that you will have to take boards on one.
students have alot of time to prepare themselves for taking boards. you know what types of questions are going to be asked and what areas to study. schools are designed to test using the principles used in the nclex. there are also many tools out there to help you prepare.
i will probably get flamed for this, but i am not so sure i buy into the "i am a poor test taker" theory. if you can make it through the many tests in nursing school then this one isn't all that different.
when i graduated in 1993, my class was one of the first classes in the state of texas to take computerized boards. no one fully knew what to expect at that time but we have come a long way since then.
i tend to agree that there should be some sort of limit. i like the idea of getting 2 chances then having some sort of refresher course required.
you can be sure of one thing, this debate will continue!
It is logical that students who never took the NCLEX would say that there should be no limit..And the nurses who are already RNs or LPNs would say that there should be a limit..The RNs and LPNs already passed so they dont really care and it would not effect them if people failed the NCLEX and never become nurses..
I have been reading the NCLEX boards often at this site because I take the NCLEX in two weeks for my first time..Most people who take the NCLEX are just guessing but they still passed..They always write about how they did not know the material and stuff like that..But the thing is that they passed..
Yes - keep in mind that the NCLEX is set up so that both passers and failers tend to get about 50% of their questions right, so it's an exam that is bound to create some uncertainty, even among people who did just fine.
Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN
12,126 Posts
I'd say (after thinking about it) that after 3 times there should be some sort of evaluation of sorts, to figure out what to do or whaht the problem is.