A 15-Year Trend Study of Internationally Educated Nurses' NCLEX-RN Performance

AIM The aim of the study was to describe trends in internationally educated nurses' (IEN) National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurses (NCLEX (R)-RN) performance from 2003 to 2017 and to determine the odds of passing the exam based on country of nursing education. BACKGROUND IEN comprise 5.6 percent of US nurses; more than half come from the Philippines. There is a lack of research on IEN NCLEX-RN performance. METHOD Correlational research was used to determine the performance and likelihood of passing the NCLEX-RN based on country of nursing education using secondary data analysis. Odds ratios were estimated to express the odds of passing. RESULTS IEN NCLEX-RN applications and pass rates are decreasing. The odds of passing the NCLEX-RN among Philippine-educated nurses are lower compared to all other IEN. The odds of passing the Canadian NCLEX-RN are higher for all IEN. CONCLUSION The low NCLEX-RN pass rate of IEN reflects differences in nursing education and practice across countries.