Nova Scotia nursing grads can now take licensing exam multiple times

Nursing graduates will no longer face the prospect of not being able to practicebecause they've failed their licensing exama third time.

The College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotiahas eliminated the three-strikes-you're-out rule for thenew U.S.-based NCLEX-RN exam, which was introduced in most parts of Canada last year but has led to higher failure rates.

Erin Noel, a nurse at the Victoria General site in Halifax, passed the NCLEX exam the second time she took it. She said this is good news, but it doesn't change her opinion that the test, which costs $503.75 to take, is seriously flawed.

"I passed that exam and I do not think that that exam has any say on my nursing capabilities," she said. "Or whether I should be practising as an RN or not."

Noel said the computerized test is designed in such a way that if you answer a question wrong it keeps asking questions along the same linesuntil you get it right. She said it focusedon a student's weak points rather than testing their overall competencies.

"A" students failing test

"There were people in my class who were A students that would get 90s on all their tests and they failed the NCLEX dramatically," she said.

She said failing the test was a real blow to her confidence."It's really traumatic and depressing and stressful."

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Unlike a paper-based test, the computer-assisted NCLEXincludes multiple choice questions as well as the use of graphs, video and audio clips.

The test is not only more interactive, it's designed to offer harder or easier questions based on how the student is performing as they progress through the exam.

New rule 'fair and reasonable'

Heather Totton, director of professional conduct at the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia, said allowing students to retake the test multiple times should reduce the stress some grads have beenunder.

"Removing the limit on the number of attempts to pass the exam really is a fair and reasonable rule because of the design and format of this new exam," she said.

"We have confidence that even if someone were to attempt multiple times it is not going to increase their chances of passing the exam when maybe they're not competent to do so."

Test changes

Totton said the test is different each time, which means it doesn't become easier with repeat attempts. She said that should reassure the public that licensed nurses were competent and had the necessary skills to practice.

Noel agreed it would cut down on the anxiety, but remained unconvinced this is a fair assessment of nursing competency.

"I don't think it fixes the problem at all but I think it might make it a lot less stressful."