Test Results Show Increase in Failure of Nursing Exams

Sarasota, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – The NCSBN is a non-profit organization that includes nursing regulatory bodies in the U.S. The NCSBN is also responsible for developing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) that is used for testing nursing applicants to gain their certificate or license. The test includes categories such as management of medication and therapies, physiological adaptation, reduction of risk, infection protocols, health maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and basic care and comfort. 

According to a recent Medscape report, the NCLEX passing rates have dropped not only in the U.S., but in Canada as well. In the face of nursing shortages and burnout, the difficulty in which potential nurses are having in passing the NCLEX is creating quite a challenge. 

More than half of the nursing applicants that took the licensing exam in Canada in September failed. Quebec also has an integration program, and those applicants outside of the province failed at a higher rate than Quebec natives. What is interesting is that nursing professor Joseph Oujeil highlighted the fact that the majority of students who failed maintained good grades, and passed all tests in their schooling but yet still scored just below the passing rate of 55 percent on the NCLEX test. Oujeil also made note of the fact that he did not know of any student who scored higher than 60 percent. 

As a result, students are proposing that the passing score be lowed to 50 percent. Although those that failed can re-take the test in March, many have filed complaints, causing the Quebec licensing board to issue a statement supporting their standards in an effort to protect patients. 

In the U.S., although not as drastic as the September results in Quebec, the overall passing rates have decreased as well. In a statement to Medscape, NCSBN spokesperson Dawn Kappel indicated that the pass rates dropped from 73 percent to 69 percent for all applicants in 2021. Additionally, the first time pass rate for those candidates educated in the U.S. dropped from 88 percent to 82 percent. 

In comparing the 2022 results that include up through the end of September of last year, it would appear the trend may continue. From January through September 2022, the first time pass rate for U.S. educated applicants is 80.87 percent. The difference represents a 2 percent decrease. 

In comparing the overall average number of U.S. educated applicants that passed the NCLEX examination on first attempt, there is the potential that 2022 may see an increase in the number of successful applicants. In 2021, the average number of successful applicants per quarter was 46,266. For 2022, the average per quarter so far has been 55,452, which represents roughly a 20 percent increase.    

As with the Quebec licensing agency, the NCSBN issued a formal statement in December upholding their passing standards. 

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