Nursing – Nurse holding patient’s hand – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by sasirin pamai
In 2024, Florida had the lowest nursing test pass percentage in the country.
Why it’s important:
The state’s long-standing manpower crisis will worsen if fewer nurses pass the exam and work in hospitals.
According to a recent study from the Florida Center for Nursing (FCN), Florida’s success rates for the exams required for nurses to earn a license improved from 2023, but the state still ranks worst in the United States.
Between the lines:
To obtain a license, a new nurse must finish an approved program, fulfill state requirements, and pass a national exam. Practical and registered nurses must take different exams.
According to the Florida Hospital Association, there were over 16,000 available nurse positions in the state in 2024, representing a 7.8 percent nursing vacancy rate. Throughout the year, the nursing turnover rate was 17.6 percent.
The news is driven by the fact that Florida has been below the national average for more than ten years, with the gap widening in 2020.
The 2024 pass rate was the best since at least 2013, with 19,623 Florida residents taking the national exam last year.
According to Rayna Letourneau, executive director of the FCN, “Florida had the most test-takers in the country in 2024, but if they are not passing the test and entering the workforce, it’s not helping to close the gap,” the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
Zoom in:
Data is regionalized by the FCN. The West Central region is made up of the counties of Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee, DeSoto, and Highlands.
About 3,600 people took the test in the West Central region in 2024, which was Florida’s second-highest percentage. With 90 percent pass rates for registered and practical nurses, it came in second.
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
