Writing multiple times?

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OK I may get flamed big time for this and I am not trying to insult anyone but I have a question. Does anyone else ever think that some people should choose a different professional path when they read posts about having failed the NCLEX multiple times? I did read one post from someone who failed 14 times. I mean really? I will admit that I am Canadian and I have no experience with the NCLEX but do you really want a nurse that had to write dozen times before they could get a license? We get three shots and that's it you are done. I think three times is plenty. I can't imagine writing 10+ times and not questioning that maybe I shouldn't be a nurse. I know some people say it due to being a bad test taker but how did they get through school?

What does everyone else think?

There are rules for NCLEX on how long you must wait to retake the test. After a certain number of tries I would think you will have gone a very long time past graduation without employment. Eventually you will need to take a nursing refresher course or additional schooling in order to be employable. I think if I had to take NCLEX more than 2 or 3 times, I would pay for more schooling rather than paying to take 10 or more tests....a waste of time and money when the problem is lack of knowledge or preparation. I think NCLEX preparation courses (I took Kaplan's) are excellent preparation for the kinds of questions encountered on the NCLEX and strategies to maximize test performance. They are worth the extra cost.

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Specializes in CICU.

I passed the first time, with 75 questions in well under one hour. I don't know if this means I was better prepared than anyone else. I have ALWAYS been an excellent test-taker, and I generally always take my tests very quickly.

I couldn't say if NCLEX really demonstrates that one is minimally competent to be a nurse. Actually, I think I can say that it does not. Neither does how one performs in school. I think my actual nursing job is where I learned (and am still learning) to be a nurse.

All that being said, I do think there should be a limit. At some point, you just got to realize that it is not going to happen and figure out the next steps. I once wanted to be a ballerina, but I turned out to be a giant. Later, I wanted to be a pilot and go on to NASA, but I turned out to have terrible eyesight. Then, I wanted to be a professional musician, but it turned out I didn't have the chops.

Life is full of disappointments, and we don't always get what we want.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
I passed the first time, with 75 questions in well under one hour. I don't know if this means I was better prepared than anyone else. I have ALWAYS been an excellent test-taker, and I generally always take my tests very quickly.

I couldn't say if NCLEX really demonstrates that one is minimally competent to be a nurse. Actually, I think I can say that it does not. Neither does how one performs in school. I think my actual nursing job is where I learned (and am still learning) to be a nurse.

All that being said, I do think there should be a limit. At some point, you just got to realize that it is not going to happen and figure out the next steps. I once wanted to be a ballerina, but I turned out to be a giant. Later, I wanted to be a pilot and go on to NASA, but I turned out to have terrible eyesight. Then, I wanted to be a professional musician, but it turned out I didn't have the chops.

Life is full of disappointments, and we don't always get what we want.

Exactly.That was kind of my point when I started this thread.It's not about philosophising about school, teachers and economics.It's about the mentality that we should get everything just by the virtue of wanting it.This writing the exam repeatedly over a matter of years makes no sense.Do these people honestly think they are going to be successful as nurses if they are having such a struggle just to get the license? Why have we eliminated the word failure from our vocabulary? How much is the license really worth if we allow dozens of attempts?

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doctors who fail their tests rarely get a second chance to get a residency. And if they take it a second time they need to ace it.

They are allowed 2 times and after a long refresher course a 3rd and final time.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I responded to that thread and was given a hard time for not rooting that person on! I would be so mortified if I failed 14 times I would never have told the world. I think that person needs to listen to what the universe is saying this isn't for you. Move on!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
There is currently a thread in the NCLEX forum from one person who has written 7 times.There is also this thread:

https://allnurses.com/nclex-discussion-forum/took-nclex-14x-836801.html

Out of how many thousands of people who take the test every year? The vast majority of people pass the first or second try. This thread is making it out to look like this is common. It isn't.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
I responded to that thread and was given a hard time for not rooting that person on! I would be so mortified if I failed 14 times I would never have told the world. I think that person needs to listen to what the universe is saying this isn't for you. Move on!

No. You were given a hard time because you pulled up a three-month old thread just to be downright nasty to the op.

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Specializes in OR/Clinical Education.

Some people aren't born with the natural talent or genius intelligence. Those are the one's that have to work so much HARDER. I know because I am one of the one's that has to work harder and study harder than people that just pick things up in two seconds. I happened to pass the NCLEX on the first try. However I would never tell anyone to give up on their dream. Maybe that person that fails ten times just needs to learn what they need to do in order to pass and will use that determination and hard work to become a great nurse.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
Out of how many thousands of people who take the test every year? The vast majority of people pass the first or second try. This thread is making it out to look like this is common. It isn't.

That's true. I know it's not common.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

I would give an applicant two tries before making them undergo remediation of some sort. Failing the first time could be written off d/t testing anxiety. But failure to pass the second time points more towards not knowing or understanding the content.

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Specializes in Peds ED, Peds Stem Cell Transplant, Peds.

I posted about this about 6 months ago. I was amazed how hard people were saying the test was. I was told "I had it easier," I took it back in 1999. And people fail it because they struggle with English. So you're going to be a nurse in the US and you don't know English well enough to pass a test, and my sympathy is non existent. That makes me a bad person? Seriously strike 3 and you are out. That should be around the board for every state IMHO.

Anyway, just wondering where you all were when I was getting my head ripped off for being so mean last Spring? :ninja:

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Well KidRN911 I'm getting ripped up today for being vile & nasty. Why? Because I said if you have taken the test 14 times & failed then nursing isn't for you. Honestly, it doesn't hurt my feelings. I still feel that way...

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