Volume, Pass Rates & First-Time Internationally Educated Candidates' Countries

suzanne4, RN · Sep 29, 2007

And you are leaving out the key phrase VOLUME. And that is very important here. The average rate of those that trained out of the country to pass the NCLEX exam is still about 45%. The table that you have listed above is just speaking about volume and passing, but not the percentages of those that pass the first time they took the exam.

And that opens it to a completely different story.

What about the countries that only had five to ten that wrote the NCLEX exam, they would have 100% based on the number that tested, but not on the volume.

This is just showing numbers that passed, but there still are not enough visas to cover those did in the entire year. Something else to think about.

Nurse!Nurse!Hello? · Sep 29, 2007

I believe you are misinterpreting the data, SilverSurfer.

The first chart indicates the volume and pass rates of NCLEX takers in general. The second chart indicates the volume (or number) of candidates from various countries who are sitting for the exam, without regard to the pass rate.

All it means is that the Philippines has the most people who sit for the exam (surprise, surprise) followed by India, etc.

Nothing to do with how well Filipinos actually perform on the exam.

Nurse!Nurse!Hello? · Sep 29, 2007

My interpretation is based on the following description of the tables, from the web page you cited, SilverSurfer:

These tables provide the most recent data on the NCLEX testing volume and the associated pass rates. In addition, NCSBN has listed the top five countries where nurses were educated outside the U.S. and who are taking the NCLEX

examination in hopes of obtaining nursing employment in the U.S.

Hoss · Oct 1, 2007

The second chart reveals another telling story for the hundreds of thousands of nurses training in the Philippines. Through the first 6 months, approx. 10,000 Filipinos Sat for the NCLEX. Extrapolated to the full year that means 20,000 Filipinos will sit for the NCLEX and with a 45% passing rate, 9000 TOTAL will be eligible for the next step of immigrating to the USA. (Remember, 10,000 visas a year MAX are given to ALL applicants with a BS degree, not just nurses, from ALL countries ).

In addition, in order to even sit for the NCLEX, those 20,000 grads have to have a legitimate offer of employment from a US emplyer. That is a far cry from the huge numbers of graduates that are in school on the promise of "demand for nurses in the USA" Advertisments to recruit new students. If there are 632,000 current nursing students, with MABEY 5,000 visas for nurses each year (Im being generous here...) the odds against these students ever getting to the USA are stupendous!! With 100 to 1 odds against these students, it looks very unlikely that their chances have much hope, without years of waiting for slots to open up. I can only suggest that the current grads and future grads have a choice of other countries for nursing employment.

suzanne4, RN · Oct 1, 2007

Not entirely correct, there is no reason to have a job offer to sit for that exam in the first place, it is not a requirement unless you need the agency to pay for the exam in the first place. Always better to do the exams on your own, they you do not get to be a possession of a company that will sell you to the highest bidder.

But you are right on with your interpretation of things.

Thank you.:balloons:

dave787 · Oct 1, 2007

lets not argue whatever theiterpretation of individual, we have to celebrate those who pass the exams.:balloons::balloons::balloons::balloons::balloons:

Hoss · Oct 2, 2007

Suzanne, thanks for the correction. I was under the impression you had to have an offer letter to get authorization to test for the NCLEX. I may have been thinking of an offer of employment to apply for green card instead?

Cheers!

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 2, 2007

Suzanne, thanks for the correction. I was under the impression you had to have an offer letter to get authorization to test for the NCLEX. I may have been thinking of an offer of employment to apply for green card instead?
Cheers!

Yes I think this is where people get confused. Anyone as long as they meet BON requirements can sit NCLEX. Most employers would prefer especially now with retrogression, that you have already passed NCLEX before they will offer a job. Saying that now with retrogression many are waiting to see what happens with it before they will accept foreign nurses.