Taking the NLE 10 years after graduation

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 29, 2019

Moved to the Philippine forum

Happy Life, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2019

Hi, I wanna ask first if you plan to work as a nurse in the Philippines? Do you need a PH license?

Suggestion, looking for a good review center is helpful since you've been out of school for a long time.

MyMia · Dec 5, 2019

Ziline,

I have been in your situation not too long ago. Here's a bit of my background:

I was SUPPOSE TO graduate back in 2008 but failed pharma during my third year (2007). Since I was so sick of nursing by then, I didn't enroll in pharma class for a retake during my last year and knew full well that I was not going to graduate with my batch mates in 2008. I also knew that my parents weren't going to be happy with me. Yup, I did not graduate because of that ONE class.

I immediately started a food kiosk business with my friend, joined bazaars until I realized that I needed a steady income. So I worked in the BPO industry for an airline account for 2 years.

In 2012, I decided to go back and retake the one pharma class I failed and graduated that same year, saved more money to finance my review classes.

I resigned from my BPO job on February 2014 to focus on my review classes to prepare myself for November 2014 NLE. I knew it wasn't realistic for me to take and pass the June 2014 NLE considering how long I've been away from anything that has to do with nursing. Basically, I spent all of 2014 studying 4 years worth of nursing stuff that I had forgotten.

From March-May 2014, I enrolled at my university's in-house review. I could not answer a single question on the practice exams since I had forgotten so much of the medical terminologies. So I made it my goal to familiarize myself with the terminologies I had forgotten and to familiarize myself with the basic concepts of funda, MS, psych, OB, pedia, CHN, etc all over again.

I also had to humble myself to the fact that I needed to enroll at a review center again, that one review won't be enough to pass. I had no job and was relying on my savings for my day-to-day expenses. I didn't want to go back to answering phones again, I had to pass this exam in one attempt. So I enrolled at another review center from Aug-Oct 2014. By the time I started at this second review center, I knew was ready for the board exam. I was able to answer the practice exams with good scores. During the weekends, I would review at the food court in Gateway mall. It was quiet before 12pm there and I would leave once the lunchtime crowd came in. No reviewing at Starbucks or any coffee shops for me due to my tight budget.

Come January 2015, the results arrived and I passed the NLE with 82%. I worked as a contractual nurse at St Luke's maternity ward and currently at the National Center for Mental health(NCMH) in Mandaluyong. I've been at NCMH for 2 years now. St. Luke's didn't want to renew my contract as a regular employee due to my BMI. Yes they're really strict about it.

So, to summarize my journey:

Failed pharmacology and didn't graduate in 2008 -->started a food cart business and failed--> worked in BPO industry for 2 yrs --> went back to college to finish BSN degree in 2012 while working --> resigned in 2014, spent ONE whole year (2014) studying/reviewing --> took NLE Nov. 2014 --> passed NLE with 82% rating --> trained/worked St. Luke's ---> psych nurse at NCMH for 2 yrs. now --> currently looking for work overseas and about to take IELTS exam.

So yes, it is possible. : )

You just need to focus and be humble enough to admit to yourself that you need to start over in terms of learning the material because you are pretty much back to square one since you have been out of school for so long. Don't be afraid to ask the lecturers and the other students who are much younger than you are if you don't understand something.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. ?

Ziline · Jan 10, 2020

Hello Mia! Wow! thank you for your response. Interestingly, I had been planning on doing just as you did - take review classes twice. I am all the more encouraged to pursue this. For the last 10 years I have worked in various industries in Canada - in healthcare, food, and also a short stint at a BPO. Now I manage the family business here in the Philippines. I am based here in Manila. I am not looking to practice actively- in fact friends and family feel I no longer need to take the boards as I have found my "call" in the business. However, taking the boards will somehow put an end to my perceived sense of failure, knowing I had not fully completed my nursing journey.

Thank you again for your encouragement. What an affirmation this was. I will start reviewing in March and will take the NLE in November.

Question: How did you manage your study time outside the review center? How did you schedule studying for the different topics? Tips would be so helpful! I am somewhat overwhelmed by the volume of material I need to pour over.

Blessings on your IELTS by the way! In which countries are you looking to apply?

Hope to "hear" from you again soon!

Nicole

Jewel · Mar 26, 2020

@Ziline I can relate to you. I graduated last 2008 as well but did not take the board exam and went overseas to work in the retail industry. I felt that it is not my calling at that time but somehow I feel incomplete and wanted to try to take an exam whether I fail or not just to put an end to this misery.

How about your clinical cases last time? I don't care about it then but did we really need to provide them to file for the NLE?

Aside to @MyMia, I have a soft copy of an IELTS reviewer just in case you need it.

Regards,

Jewel

Ziline · Mar 26, 2020

Hi Jewel,

It's good to know I am not alone in this situation. I have been in touch with my school and they said you still need a copy of you signed templates / clinical cases. This has become a dilemma for me as well because I may have already misplaced them, but will continue to search among my old files. I will talk to the dean to ask what steps I can take in the event these are not located. Let me know if you have more info about this.

I would love to connect with you so we can help each other on this journey. ?

Maynarg · May 9, 2020

Hello.

I graduated nursing 2008, I took and failed the board exam twice. Now it's been 11 years since the last time I took the exam. I got married and now have two kids. I wanted to face the unfished business. I want to take the philippine nursing board exam again. I understand I have to go through a refresher course or things like that. But my concern is my cases and documents. Year 2013, when our house was burnt down. The school where I graduated BSN from, removed the course. They're no longer offering BSN. I'm not sure if I can ask them for my records, or if the PRC will no longer ask me for that.

Does anyone here have the same experience?

Christina Parcon · Jul 2, 2021

I was planning to take the nursing licensure exam for the fourth times ,is it necessary to take on the refresher course .I failed the board exam for the 3rd time.

looking forward to your response.

Erika P · Jul 15, 2021

Need your feedback I graduated 2006 took the board same year and failed, retake it last 2013 and failed again. Same case with everyone felt like it is unfinished business that I needed to complete and to remove this sense of feeling that I'm a failure. Is it possible or Am I allowed to retake the NLE? If so what are the needed requirements? And what can you advise for me to do in order to pass it now, felt old to take it ?. I currently have a full time job and needed advise how can I start on this journey again.

Gail Sy · Nov 17, 2021

On 3/26/2020 at 4:24 PM, Ziline said:

Hi Jewel,

It's good to know I am not alone in this situation. I have been in touch with my school and they said you still need a copy of you signed templates / clinical cases. This has become a dilemma for me as well because I may have already misplaced them, but will continue to search among my old files. I will talk to the dean to ask what steps I can take in the event these are not located. Let me know if you have more info about this.

I would love to connect with you so we can help each other on this journey. ?

Hi,

So they didn't make you assist again in cases? Because I am in the same situation.. Graduated 2008 and never took the NLE and now I'm thinking of taking it but my concern is my cases because they told us before that they have an expiry date..

Jo Katherine Kiunisala · Dec 11, 2021

Hello! I hope this thread is still active as I am so eager to learn if you guys was able to file for the licensure exam without your clinical cases. I graduated last 2011 nd haven't taken the exam,. I also lost my clinical cases,. Let me know if you have infos about it. Thank you so much.