Nursing Graduates' Strategies for Success on the NCLEX-RN

Nursing Graduates' Strategies for Success on the NCLEX-RN

Abstract A nursing program has had difficulty from the years 2015-2022 consistently meeting the national pass rate requirement during students’ first attempts taking the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore perceptions of recent traditional and nontraditional nursing school graduates regarding which evidence-based learning strategies and resources were most effective in leading students to be successful during their first NCLEX-RN attempt. Knowles’ theory of andragogy was the conceptual framework for this study. Research questions involved traditional and nontraditional nursing graduates’ perceptions of which evidence-based strategies were successful for them. Using a population of 35 spring and summer 2020 graduates from this nursing program, purposeful sampling was employed to obtain eight participants, of whom four were traditional and four were nontraditional. Data were collected by conducting one-on-one private and semistructured interviews. Using Braun and Clark’s analysis, four themes were identified: effective classroom techniques, resources to prepare for the NCLEX-RN, consistent Health Education Systems Incorporated policies, and consistent faculty guidance. Based on these findings, a three-day professional development training program was created to review evidence-based teaching strategies that can promote learning for nursing students. Improving this school’s scores on the NCLEX-RN will lead to positive social change by increasing availability of nurses in growing communities and improving the reputation of the school via improved enrollment rates.

Section 1: The Problem The Local Problem The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEXRN) is the required licensure exam for all candidates who have completed an accredited nursing program and are seeking to work as registered nurses (RNs). Nursing programs are designed to prepare students for this exam as well as the workforce. A nursing program that has students who are not meeting recommended averages for passing the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt is at jeopardy of losing accreditation. This can be detrimental to communities where nurses are in high demand. This study was used to determine, based on perceptions of recent traditional and nontraditional nursing graduates, what evidence-based learning strategies and resources have been proven to help them be successful on the NCLEX-RN. Problem Statement There is a problem at a southeastern technical college’s associate degree nursing (ADN) program related to first attempt success rates on the NCLEX-RN. Pass rates on the NCLEX-RN were reported to be below the state’s average scores for the years 2015- 2019, except for 2018. The program has seen higher pass rates between 2020 and 2022 (southeastern state department of labor, licensing, and regulation, 2023). According to the southeastern state department of labor, licensing, and regulation (2023), “A deficient NCLEX pass rate means an annual pass rate of first-time takers on the NCLEX that is more than 5% below the annual national pass rate.” National, state, and nursing program NCLEX-RN pass rates between 2015 and 2022 are listed in Table 1.