Nursing students walking through hallway — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Monkey Business Images
Due to a rising scarcity, Florida is making an effort to attract and retain nurses; nevertheless, according to recent research, the state leads the nation in terms of nursing graduates failing their final exams.
For nursing students to obtain a license and begin working, they must pass the NCLEX.
Florida had the highest percentage of test-takers nationwide in 2023, according to the Florida Center for Nursing, however only 76 percent of test-takers in the state passed the NCLEX-RN, and 74 percent of test-takers in the NCLEX-PN.
The nationwide passing percentages for the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN are approximately 88 percent and 86 percent, respectively.
“If our graduates from Florida’s programs are not passing the NCLEX, they’re not able to enter the workforce. So it’s not helping to balance the supply and the demand for nurses right now,” said Rayna Letourneau, who is an educator and the executive director of the Florida Center for Nursing.
On Tuesday, Letourneau gave a presentation of the results to a few nursing educators at Valencia College. Her goal is to raise awareness.
“Our population continues to grow. We have visitors and a huge tourism industry and we need to make sure that our health care system is robust and can create healthy communities,” Letourneau said.
According to the FCN, the state’s failure rates have been declining over the past ten years.
Despite an uptick in pass rates between 2022 and 2023, Florida’s performance remains below the national average, according to the research.
“It’s a way for us to measure, are you getting a quality education? Are students being prepared to enter the nursing workforce?” Letourneau said.
The FCN is looking for ways to enhance the curriculum and increase the number of qualified faculty members in schools.
“The amount of clinical hours associated with the curricula can be considered,” Letourneau said. “The other barrier that our research indicated was for public schools in Florida, salary is the number one reason that nursing programs are not able to fill the faculty vacancies.”
She hopes that nursing instructors will be better equipped by the new report to assist graduates in crossing the finish line.
“Use the data from the Florida Center for Nursing to drive policy and decision-making,” Letourneau said.
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Born and raised in South Florida, Krystal is a recent graduate from the University of Miami with professional writing experience at the collegiate and national news outlet levels. She’s a foodie who loves all things travel, the beach, & visiting new places throughout Florida.