Maripi Castillo : Nclex Passing Rates for International Nurses.

Hello nurses!

My name is Maria, I am from Spain. I recently passed Nclex with 75 question at the second try.

In this two videos I want to discuss with you a couple of topics:

In the first video, I will talk aboutthe “Nclex Statistics from NCSBN¨

In the second video, I want to explain you what I did different the second time that I took that I didn't the first time.

In addition, I will give you some advices to overcome the difficulties you have as a foreign nurse.

Well, before starting, I want to give you a breve advise: If you know nothing about the Nclex Statistics from NCSBN please, stop this video now and continue your study as you are doing. You don't need to know this. If you are just interested in my Nclex experience, go to the second video.

However, IF you already know about the Nclex Statistics please stay, I want to give you the reason why international nurses have difficulties for passing Nclex in contrast with the nurses educated in USA.

Before recording this video, I have been looking for information about what are the reasons that why international nurses struggle passing Nclex, in contrast with the nurses educated in USA. I found many opinions from nurses, but all of them are nurses educated in America. Some of them are nurses from abroad but they were still educated in the States.

What I mean is that I didn't found any international nurse talking about what it was her experience taking Nclex and what were the disadvantage that she or he thinks she had. For that reason, I am recording this video. I want to explain you the main problems that nurses from abroad have for passing Nclex.

According with the NCSBN, approximately the 85 percent of the nurses educated in USA pass Nclex at the first time. However, only approximately 30 percent of the nurses educated abroad pass Nclex the first try.

The articles that I read say that the reasons why nurses from abroad have difficulties for passing Nclex, are the language and the culture. But, I am not agree with this reasons and I will explain why.

Although the language can interfere in the test, it is not a reason for not passing the Nclex because, If you were able to passing TOEFL or IELTS you will be able to understand the most part of the test. Of course, you will find some words you don't know, and this can play against you during the test but, you will be able to understand the contest of the question in Nclex, at the same way, you understood the reading section during the TOEFL.

About the culture, I am also disagree with that because, all cultures have their own beliefs, also Americans, Spaniards.... This is something normal and it is fantastic. These beliefs pass from parents to children and they are part of the culture of the area. However, when you become a professional, you start to have your own point of view base in your knowledge. So, If you received the correct formation in your country, and CGFNS certified it, the culture and the beliefs in your country will not interfere in your performance during the test, neither during your career.

In my opinion, the most important reason why nurses from abroad struggle passing Nclex, is more simple. The reason is time. The time that passed since the individual finished the degree in their country and he/she takes the Nclex. In me case It passed 7 years since I finished my degree in Spain and I took Nclex. However, the nurses educated in USA when they finish the formation, some months later they take Nclex. In contrast, nurses from abroad must to have previous experience in their countries before being allowed to take Nclex, and the process before take Nclex can last years. For me it took 3 years passing the whole process.

Another important reason is strategies. Nurses educated in USA learn about strategies for delegation, vaporisation…. And many mnemonics to remember certainly information such a sentence to remember the Cranial Nerves or a word to remember the droplets contagious infection. However, the nurse educated in USA learn all those things during their degree because provably the talk about Nclex during the whole degree.

Another important reason why foreign nurses struggle for passing Nclex is the Role of the nurses in their countries. I mean, before being allowed to pass the Nclex, CGFNS must certify your formation. So, if they certify that the formation you received fulfill the American standards that means that you receive the necessary formation to become a nurse here. However, here, and also in Spain, (but I don't know in your country) nurse learn critical thinking. A very important skill necessary to pass the Nclex and also to develop your career as a competent nurse in USA. If you don't know what critical thinking is, I will give you a link, on the bottom of this publication where you will learn what it is and how to develop that skill.

According to the articles I read, the reason why nurses from abroad struggle for passing Nclex, in contrast of the nurses from USA , are two: The language and the culture. I am not agree with this two reasons and I will explain why.

Although the language can interfere in the test, it is not a reason for not passing the Nclex because If you were able to passing TOELF or ILTS you will be able to understand the most part of the test. Of course, you will find some words you don't know, and this can play against you during the test but, you will be able to understand the question base in the contest at the same way, you understood the reading section during the TOELF.

About the culture, I am also disagree with that because all cultures have their own believes, also Americans. That is normal and it is fantastics because, those beliefs passed from parents to children. However, when you become a professional, you develop your own point of view based in your knowledge. So, If you received the correct formation in your country, and especially if CGFNS certified your formation, the culture and the beliefs in your country will not interfere in your performance during the test, neither during your career.

With all this explanations I don't wanna say that the process that the foreign nurses must to pass is not necessary. The whole process took me 3 years but I was the time I needed to learn a whole new language and pass Nclex. Become a nurse is no easy for no one, educated or not in the States. Because all of us must provide a high quality care and provide that high quality care requires high training and strong knowledge. It doesnt matter where you received the education, we all must be prepare to provide a good service. This process is necessary to guarantee that all nurses has the same minimal skills to provide a quality care.