Question:
Dear Donna,
I completed a nursing program in 2007, but never took my boards. Can I just take a refresher course before I take the NCLEX or do I have to retake the whole LPN program?
Never Took NCLEX
Dear Donna replies:
Dear Never Took NCLEX,
You should be eligible to take the NCLEX-Practical Nurse now, without doing anything further. Check on this with your state board of nursing. You would likely benefit from taking an NCLEX-PN review course, not a refresher course, to better prepare you to pass the exam.
Once you become a licensed LPN, then a refresher course with precepted clinical experience would be good in order to get your skills and knowledge up-to-date for practice.
In the interim, I recommend you look for volunteer work in a healthcare setting (free clinic, public health department, hospice or nursing home) to get reconnected to the field and build confidence. Even after you get your license, continue to do volunteer work until you find paid employment. Volunteering gives you recent experience, expands your professional network and helps to build confidence and skills. Also, it often leads to paid employment.
Best wishes,
Donna
