NCLEX test sites expanded

The CNMI’s competitiveness as a testing site for foreign nurses wishing to work in the United States continues to erode, with the plan of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to expand the number of sites that offer the NCLEX exams abroad.

The council’s board of directors affirmed the decision at its December 2005 meeting upon recommendations from the NCSBN Examination Committee, according to a council statement yesterday.

The new testing sites will be in Japan, Taiwan, Australia, India, Mexico, Canada, and Germany.

The council said that the exact location within each country has yet to be determined and, at this time, no schedule of implementation has been set. It is planned, however, that the new sites will begin to offer the exam sometime next year.

The current international sites for NCLEX examinations in London, England; Seoul, South Korea; and Hong Kong have been operational since January 2005.

The opening of these sites last year has had an impact on the number of nurses from the Philippines who come to Saipan just to take the NCLEX. Most of them decide to take the exam in Hong Kong, which is cheaper and offers more options as a tourist site. This has also affected a number of small hotels on the island that rely on these test-takers to fill in their rooms.

Donna Dorsey, president of NCSBN board of directors, said the council has been “extremely pleased” with the successful launch of NCLEX testing abroad and the decision was made to increase the number of sites where the examinations will be offered internationally.

“Adding additional sites with wide geographic dispersal helps to reduce barriers for qualified candidates who intend to apply for licensure in the United States and can potentially lessen the financial burdens and time constraints on applicants,” she said.

Intended for the purposes of domestic nurse licensure in U.S. states and territories, additional sites were chosen based on the same rigorous criteria that the three current sites were evaluated on.

The evaluation included security and geographic representation outside of the current member board of nursing locations. All security policies and procedures currently used to administer the NCLEX examination domestically will be fully implemented at these international locations.

“NCSBN providing NCLEX examinations abroad has allowed for greater customer service to nurses from other countries in support of the role of state boards of nursing without compromising the paramount goal of safeguarding the public health, safety and welfare of patients in the United States,” said Kathy Apple, executive director of NCSBN.

The council is a not-for-profit organization whose membership comprises the boards of nursing in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories—American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Composed of member boards, it provides leadership to advance regulatory excellence for public protection.

Technical inquiries about the NCLEX examination may be directed to the NCLEX information line at 1.866.293.9600 or nclexinfo@ncsbn.org. The NCSBN web site is http://www.ncsbn.org/. (Jayvee Vallejera and Market Wire)