Taking the NCLEX multiple times

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So I wanted to write a post about those perspective nurses that can not seem to pass the NCLEX after multiple tries and multiple refresher courses. I recently made a post about the PVT trick and after 70 comments and turned to a weird topic of conversation about not wanting nurses to become nurses if they can't pass the NCLEX the FIRST time, which I believe is complete ********. Me personally I have worked with a bunch of nurses who have passed the first time and failed once and failed multiple times. I know nurses that passed the first time with 75 questions and shouldn't be allowed to empty a foley bag or take a blood pressure and I know nurses that passed it after the sixth attempt who I would allow to be a first assist in a cardiac surgery (just a metaphor). Bottom line is the NCLEX is just a test that measures competency at the time of the exam and does not predict whether a nurse will be good at their job or horrible. What is everyone's personal opinion on the unlimited amount of tries at the NCLEX. Do you agree with the refresher course requirement after the third attempt or do you feel it should be done after each attempt. I personally passed the NCLEX on my second attempt so I believe that the NCLEX doesn't represent a good or poor nurse and I also believe that a good nurse would encourage those who have difficulty passing the NCLEX and give them advice that helped them through it. Please don't put people down in the post that is not my objective but you are entitled to your own opinion so be honest at the same time.

Sorry my young friend but I won't. It took 1500 questions for us to prove we had a grasp on the material. There is absolutely no way 75 questions can do that. 75 questions per subject maybe but not for the entire exam.

It's even worse than that -- every NCLEX-RN exam includes 15 questions that are being tested for validity and are not scored. So people are getting licenses on the basis of having answered 60 questions (those who pass with 75 total questions) and having gotten "enough" of those 60 questions right (not all of them, mind you, but enough of them for the computer to decide they pass).

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I can agree in some perspective. I also believe that you should be given two initial attempts to pass because the first attempt your going in blind and don't know what to expect ...

What do you mean by "going in blind"? Every US nursing program is focused on preparing students to pass the NCLEX (some more so than they are on actually teaching nursing), students are tested throughout their program with "NCLEX-style" questions, schools provide test prep programs, there is an entire industry devoted to helping students prepare for the NCLEX; how can a student not know what to expect?? IMO, any new grad who doesn't know what to expect of the NCLEX is pretty darned clueless.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
What do you mean by "going in blind"? Every US nursing program is focused on preparing students to pass the NCLEX (some more so than they are on actually teaching nursing), students are tested throughout their program with "NCLEX-style" questions, schools provide test prep programs, there is an entire industry devoted to helping students prepare for the NCLEX; how can a student not know what to expect?? IMO, any new grad who doesn't know what to expect of the NCLEX is pretty darned clueless.

This is exactly why there should be a cut off for the amount of times someone should be allowed to take the NCLEX. You are amply prepared in nursing school, taught NCLEX style thinking & given every opportunity to pass. If you don't pass on the first, second or third try... Nursing isn't for you.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Neuro-trauma.

I passed my NCLEX in 75 questions on my first try and I feel as if that didn't give an adequate view on my own competency as a nurse. A good majority of my questions I found had very similar topics/themes and focused almost entirely on delegation/patient teaching. What about the other stuff? I had a girl in my class who BARELY passed school and was just horrible in clinical. Her passing was literally determined on the last test of the year and she passed her NCLEX in 75 questions and Self admitted to only studying twice. That was luck imho. As far as my views on number of attempts at NCLEX, I believe there should be a limit. 3 strikes and you're out. Another girl who I'm friends with has attempted her NCLEX 6 times. Doesn't study or remediate after each failure and then wonders why she cannot pass. That to me makes a very dangerous nurse.

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Specializes in Hospice.

I passes my NCLEX in 75 questions on the first time. I mainly had prioritization questions, what would you do first? Who would you see first? I feel that the only way I was able to do this was my preparation. I had a Lippencott Pass Point program and I literally did 5,000 practice NCLEX questions. I maintained a 4.0 gpa in school. I sacrificed a lot to do this. My point is that there are many factors behind passing the NCLEX. I do agree that there should be a refresher after the second failed attempt.

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Specializes in Emergency Care.
What do you mean by "going in blind"? Every US nursing program is focused on preparing students to pass the NCLEX (some more so than they are on actually teaching nursing), students are tested throughout their program with "NCLEX-style" questions, schools provide test prep programs, there is an entire industry devoted to helping students prepare for the NCLEX; how can a student not know what to expect?? IMO, any new grad who doesn't know what to expect of the NCLEX is pretty darned clueless.

The term going in blind meaning you don't know what the comprehensive test is going to be. Is going to be like the questions you practiced, are there going to be a lot of SATA questions, are you going to get slammed with pharm questions, I mean it in that sense... And I went to a school that is ranked as the top 25th nursing school in the country and the NCLEX questions I got on my test were nothing like the questions I practiced... The only way to not go in to the NCLEX blind is if your a cheater and have all of the thousands of questions the NCLEX has to offer memoriZed... I can almost guarantee that if I was to chose ten difficult questions at random with terms that are barely heard of more than 85% would only get 50% right. The way the NCLEX is set up is two people could both get a 50% and one pass and one fail which is called computer adaptive testing... You get the first two questions right then right wrong the remainder you will pass but get the two first questions wrong and follow the same pattern you will fail. Not to mention no two tests are alike some people get an entirely easy test and get lucky because they know the content to every question where others aren't as fortunate... I agree with PP that a 75 questions test (well honestly 60 questions bc 15 questions don't count) isn't enough to test competency in every area of nursing...

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I'm starting to think maybe they should bring it back to the old way & have it be 75 questions a section but on computer. I don't think a bare minimum of 75 questions is enough to tell that someone can practice safely. Especially with all the random questions that are in the NCLEX now.

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Specializes in Emergency Care.
I'm starting to think maybe they should bring it back to the old way & have it be 75 questions a section but on computer. I don't think a bare minimum of 75 questions is enough to tell that someone can practice safely. Especially with all the random questions that are in the NCLEX now.

I couldn't agree with you more!!!

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I passed my NCLEX in 75 questions on my first try and I feel as if that didn't give an adequate view on my own competency as a nurse. A good majority of my questions I found had very similar topics/themes and focused almost entirely on delegation/patient teaching. What about the other stuff? I had a girl in my class who BARELY passed school and was just horrible in clinical. Her passing was literally determined on the last test of the year and she passed her NCLEX in 75 questions and Self admitted to only studying twice. That was luck imho. As far as my views on number of attempts at NCLEX, I believe there should be a limit. 3 strikes and you're out. Another girl who I'm friends with has attempted her NCLEX 6 times. Doesn't study or remediate after each failure and then wonders why she cannot pass. That to me makes a very dangerous nurse.

How many tries did it take you to pass the NP exam?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

I am not sure I can really buy anxiety as a legit excuse to fail three, four...times.

I was hospitalized for anxiety issues and even had to repeat a course in nursing school. I still managed to pass in 75 questions the first time around ( in less than two hours!). At some point you have to wonder if the person is failing because they didn't learn what they needed to learn to pass.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I am not sure I can really buy anxiety as a legit excuse to fail three, four...times.

I was hospitalized for anxiety issues and even had to repeat a course in nursing school. I still managed to pass in 75 questions the first time around ( in less than two hours!). At some point you have to wonder if the person is failing because they didn't learn what they needed to learn to pass.

This!

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

And this is where I post one of my favorite Daniel Tosh quotes:

Don't you love it when people in school are like, 'I'm a bad test taker.' You mean you're stupid. Oh, you struggle with that part where we find out what you know? I can totally relate see, because I'm a brilliant painter minus my god awful brushstrokes. Oh, how the masterpiece is crystal up here but once paint hits canvas I develop Parkinson's.
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