Korean Nurses' Experience of Preparing for and Taking the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses

Purpose This study explores the Korean nurses' experience of preparing for and taking the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) in order to provide a deeper understanding of their experiences. Method The study utilizes the qualitative research method, Colaizzi's phenomenological methodology. Twenty-six Korean nurses were interviewed using semi-structured research questions and their interviews were analyzed. Results Seven clusters of themes emerged: (a) motivation; (b) flow in studying, (c) expansion of nursing knowledge for nursing practice; (d) reflections of nursing practice and attitude toward themselves; (e) time management struggles; (f) increased self-confidence and self-esteem; (g) setting a new life direction and new challenges. In general, our analyses demonstrated that the nurses' experiences of preparing for and taking the NCLEX-RN showed positive impacts on the nurses, psychologically, intellectually and interpersonally. Conclusion The results suggest that developing NCLEX-RN preparation programs is needed to promote global capabilities for nurses and nursing students. Further studies on the effect of exposure to the NCLEX-RN exam while nursing school for nurses is recommended.