The experiences of internationally educated nurses while preparing for the NCLEX-RN

Abstract

<p>About 5.6% of the U.S. nursing workforce is composed of internationally educated nurses (IEN). Nurses from the Philippines comprise the majority of IEN applying for the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) but more than half of them fail the NCLEX-RN the first time. There is paucity of research on IEN and the NCLEX-RN, in general, and there are no published studies on IEN experiences while preparing for the NCLEX-RN.</p>

<p>This research described the experiences of IEN while preparing for the NCLEX-RN. It explored the facilitating and hindering factors of IEN NCLEX-RN preparatory experiences. Strategies were identified to overcome obstacles to IEN NCLEX-RN preparation.</p>

<p>The qualitative descriptive study research design was used in this study. Purposive sampling, online recruitment, and virtual interviews were done to collect data from 20 IEN from the Philippines working in the U.S. and internationally. Qualitative content analysis following Creswell and Creswell’s five-step recommendation was used for data analysis. The Nursing Universal Retention and Success (NURS) model was used as the theoretical framework.</p>

<p>IEN had both positive and negative experiences while preparing for the NCLEX-RN. IEN who passed the NCLEX-RN the first time had different experiences compared to those who failed the NCLEX-RN the first time. Facilitating and hindering factors of IEN NCLEX-RN preparatory experiences were organized in six themes: (1) Being Filipino, (2) Being Positive/Being Overwhelmed, (3) Learning Effectively/Ineffective Learning, (4) Training as a Global Nurse, (5) Regulating Nursing Practice, and (6) Living in a Better World. Four themes described the strategies to overcome the hindering factors: (1) Resource Management, (2) Management of Learning, (3) Psychological Preparation, and (4) Self-improvement.</p>

<p>Various individual, cultural, academic, environmental, and global factors influenced IEN NCLEX-RN preparatory experiences. IEN have unique contextual characteristics that shaped these experiences. The research findings provided preliminary data into understanding the NCLEX-RN preparatory experience from an IEN perspective, which have significant implications to individual IEN, international nursing education, and nursing practice. The findings, conclusions, and recommendations of this study provided direction for future research on IEN and the NCLEX-RN.</p>