The Commuter(s), Any and All RN's What's the real deal?

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 17, 2013

Some advice: worry about getting into nursing school before thinking about the nclex. I don't mesn it to be harsh. Focus on acing your nursing classes and soaring in your clinicals so that when it IS time for you to think about the nclex, it won't be anything but a formality to get your license.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Dec 17, 2013

Just remember that the overwhelming majority of grads take the NCLEX once, pass and live happily ever after.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Dec 17, 2013

Over 80% of US educated nurses pass the NCLEX the first time.

Only ~35% of internationally educated nurses pass the NCLEX the first time. This may be due to a ESL, language comprehension issues, differences in training/education, variations in scope of practice from one nation to another, cultural issues or a combination of issues. Though a nurse educated in Europe is taught nursing to a European standard not US standard.

cee cee g · Dec 17, 2013

Thanks for the advice: ThePrincessBride First of all "worry" was no where mentioned in my discussion. Anyway, I am the one to own whatever I put my mind to and this journey right here right now,I own. Sorry if I hit a nerve that may have applied to you, though. It's all good. Live your life well, ThePrincessBride.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2013

Just my experience...what is tricky about the NCLEX is you have to choose the *most* correct answer. On many of the questions there are more than one answer that could work...it's not questions like "What drug would the nurse teach a pt to use for sudden sx of an acute asthma episode: a.) Advair, b.) albuterol, c.) Singluair, d.) prednisone." That said, most people do pass the first time. My school had a 96% pass rate; I passed w/ the minimum number of questions myself. I'd hold off on studying for it though. The questions won't make sense without the info you'll learn in your patho, pharm, assessment skills classes. Study hard but don't cram, and enjoy the journey!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2013

I completed an LPN program and passed NCLEX-PN on the first attempt. A few years later I completed an LPN-to-RN (ASN) program and passed NCLEX-RN on the first attempt.

NCLEX, in my opinion, is not as bad as people make it out to be. The vast majority of test takers pass on the first attempt, yet it is the people who repeatedly fail it who seem to capture our attention. FYI, some of the repeat test takers are IENs (internationally educated nurses), which may explain some issues.

Don't worry about NCLEX. You'll do fine if you prepare. Good luck to you!

ArtClassRN, ADN, RN · Dec 17, 2013

Good day to you all. I just first want to say that I love and appreciate allnurses.com. I've been on it since 2012 and I just turned in my ADN application for Fall 2014 (can't wait until April 1st to find out). I really want a true answer because this has been bothering me since I've been on the website. Seriously, what is it about the NCLEX that have people taking it 3, 4, 5 times just to pass? Are the skills and lessons we learn during nursing school have nothing to do with test or something? Maybe one study guide is better than others? Does some of the questions have more than one choice? WHAT IS IT??? lol It's really got me thinking about buying a NCLEX study guide right after I get my acceptance letter in April (I hope anyway). Thank you for your time.
And BTW: That's a lot of money too.

Go ahead and buy an NCLEX study guide. Might as well be in Japanese to you now.

The 4 and 5 time NCLEX takers, like many other unfortunate things, seem to exist primarily on Allnurses and not in actual reality.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2013

Good day to you all. I just first want to say that I love and appreciate allnurses.com. I've been on it since 2012 and I just turned in my ADN application for Fall 2014 (can't wait until April 1st to find out). I really want a true answer because this has been bothering me since I've been on the website. Seriously, what is it about the NCLEX that have people taking it 3, 4, 5 times just to pass? Are the skills and lessons we learn during nursing school have nothing to do with test or something? Maybe one study guide is better than others? Does some of the questions have more than one choice? WHAT IS IT??? lol It's really got me thinking about buying a NCLEX study guide right after I get my acceptance letter in April (I hope anyway). Thank you for your time.
And BTW: That's a lot of money too.

Strong words alert: If anyone is easily offended, thin-skinned, or uncomfortable with an incontrovertible truth, scroll on down. Don't say I didn't warn you.

OP, completely candidly, I have no idea why people who have allegedly passed a real nursing program cannot pass the basic entry-level examination to practice. But there are always some, just as anybody with minimal skills can pass driver's ed but a certain number of them have to take their driver's tests more than once for whatever reason.

I don't want to hear it about test anxiety, your learning disability, your grandmother died, your kid kept you up all night, you had to work 75 hours a week and didn't have time to study, your faculty was mean and didn't help you enough. While they may each, or all, be true, it won't matter when you have a real job and it doesn't matter now. It doesn't. If you want to be a licensed professional, you have to do what it takes to demonstrate you have the basic, entry-level cognitive and affective skills to be one. Nursing schools will, in fact, prepare you for that, but you have to do your part.

OP, you are clearly thoughtful and literate, which puts you welllllll above the multiple-failers we're talking about here. When you consider the number of people who take it, and that the pass rate nationwide is over 90%, that should make you feel a lot better. In answer to your question, nursing programs are well-aware that NCLEX is the gateway to licensure, and they teach and test with that in mind from the git-go. The people who can't pass don't have the excuse that they weren't prepared, since 9/10 of their classmates seem to have gotten the message. Good luck! We look forward to seeing you around the boards.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Dec 17, 2013

There are numerous factors that cause a graduate to not pass NCLEX on the first try:

1 Their program didn't prepare them effectively to pass NCLEX (exams may have not been NCLEX style questions)

2 They may wait months before taking it

3 They may not have studied for it before taking it

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 17, 2013

Thanks for the advice: ThePrincessBride First of all "worry" was no where mentioned in my discussion. Anyway, I am the one to own whatever I put my mind to and this journey right here right now,I own. Sorry if I hit a nerve that may have applied to you, though. It's all good. Live your life well, ThePrincessBride.

You haven't hit a nerve with me, dear. I'm already in nursing school and have taken NCLEX-styled questions and have over two years of experience in healthcare. Focus on getting into nursing school and doing well in your classes and the nclex will be a piece of cake.

You would do well to heed advice and not cop an attitude with those who have been there and done that and just trying to help out. Ok?

Have a nice day.

cee cee g · Dec 17, 2013

GrnTea, very well put. Thank you.