My name is Jacqueline Hanson, and in 2018, I started my journey at Jersey College School of Nursing( Teterboro) with the dream of becoming a licensed nurse. Like many others, I dedicated myself to the rigorous coursework and clinical rotations, only to face an unexpected roadblock: the exit exam. Despite completing all the required courses and gaining hands-on clinical experience, I, along with countless others, have been prevented from sitting for the NCLEX simply because I couldn't pass this additional test which does not determine if you pass the NCLEX.

This isn't just my story. It's a shared experience among many nursing students across the United States who have successfully completed their programs, aced the academic challenges, and proven their competencies in real-world medical settings, only to be stopped by the exit exam policy. This exam, intended as a final checkpoint, should not determine a student's ability to take their licensing exams.

Here's why this matters: According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the NCLEX is designed to evaluate the entry-level knowledge and skills necessary for safe and effective nursing practice. The exit exam, however, is not consistently standardized across schools, leading to discrepancies in students' ability to qualify for the NCLEX. In essence, the exit exam gatekeeps students who have otherwise met all the educational and clinical requirements.

Adding an unnecessary barrier not only delays the initiation of our professional careers but also contributes to the nursing shortage affecting healthcare facilities nationwide. Eliminating the exit exam requirement will not only help expedite the entry of qualified nurses into the workforce but also ensure that those who have dedicated years of study and practice are not left behind due to one test.

I am calling on the Board of Nursing in every state to reassess the need for exit exams as a prerequisite for the NCLEX and allow students who were once in a nursing program, be granted permission to sit for NCLEX. There should be alternative pathways for students who have successfully completed their nursing education to demonstrate their readiness to enter the profession.

By signing this petition, you will help bring much-needed change to the system, ensuring that nursing students' hard work and potential are recognized and that our healthcare system gains the competent, caring professionals it needs. Please sign and support this initiative.