To My Dearest Besties,
First of all, I want to congratulate everyone who passed! 🎉💜 It is such a bittersweet feeling to finally become a Registered Nurse in the Philippines. It brings back so many memories of when I passed my own NLE many, many years ago.
However, if you’re on the other side of the fence and did not see your name on the list, I know how you feel because I also did not pass my NLE on my first attempt.
But I eventually passed—and today, I am an NZRN, USRN, and AusRN. 🇳🇿🇺🇸🇦🇺
So if you’re still at a loss after seeing your results, I hope this guide can help you get back on your feet and prepare for another attempt.
Grab your pen and paper, notebook, or laptop, because here is Maica’s Simplified Way on How to Pass the NLE After Failure. 💜
1. Let Yourself Grieve.
It is hard to fail.
It is also hard to see your family and the people who believe in you grieving with you.
So allow yourself to cry. Give yourself space to process what happened. You can take a short break, go on a vacation if you need to, or even take a social media detox.
You don’t have to pretend that you’re okay immediately.
It is okay to be disappointed.
2. Change Your Mindset.
Failure is hard, but you don’t have to let it define you.
You failed an examination. You did not fail as a person, and you did not fail your dream of becoming a nurse.
Change your mindset and start believing that you can still get that license.
It may not happen today, but keep working toward the day when you can finally put RN after your name.
3. Give Yourself a Timeline.
Once you’ve had enough time to process your results, start thinking about when you want to take the examination again.
I personally wouldn’t recommend putting it off indefinitely. Give yourself a few weeks or months to recover, reflect, and prepare before getting back into your review.
The important thing is to have a plan.
4. Study Hard and Pray Hard.
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| Our NLE review days |
After failing the NLE, I studied 100 times harder than I did before and prayed hard.
I knew that if I wanted a different result, I also needed to change the way I prepared.
Hard work does not guarantee a particular outcome, but giving your preparation your best effort means you can walk into the examination knowing that you did everything you could.
5. Reflect on What You Did Wrong the First Time.
This was one of the most important things I did.
I realized that I was trying to read long textbooks, but I am a visual learner and I learn better when lessons are explained in a simpler and more organized way.
So instead of simply studying more, I changed how I studied.
Ask yourself:
● What did I struggle with?
● Which subjects were difficult for me?
● Did I have enough practice questions?
● Was my study method effective?
● Did I understand the concepts or was I simply memorizing them?
Your second attempt should not simply be a repeat of your first attempt.
6. Find Out What Works for You.
If you study better on your own, then study on your own.
If you need structure and guidance, consider enrolling in a review centre.
In my case, I preferred enrolling in a review centre because I liked having someone guide me through the review process.
Know yourself as a learner.
7. Stop Studying the Day Before the Exam.
Once you’ve prepared for months, you don’t need to spend the final night cramming every last piece of information into your brain.
Give yourself a break.
Pack your things. Prepare your documents. Set your alarm. Relax.
You’ve already done the work.
8. Relax and Get a Good Night’s Sleep.
This goes together with the previous tip.
After months of studying and preparing, your brain needs rest.
Get a good night’s sleep so you can wake up with a clearer mind and be ready to face the examination.
Sometimes, rest is also part of preparation.
9. Lift Everything Up to God.
I prayed before every subtest of my NLE.
After doing everything I could, I lifted the rest to God.
I knew that His plans were greater than what I had planned for myself.
Whatever your faith may be, find something that gives you peace and strength when the pressure becomes overwhelming.
10. Believe in Yourself—Even When It’s Hard.
Failure can make you doubt yourself.
You may start thinking:
“Maybe I’m not good enough.”
“Maybe I’m not meant to be a nurse.”
“What if I fail again?”
I had those fears too.
But eventually, you have to choose to believe in yourself again.
Believe that you are capable of getting back up and trying again.
11. Come Back Stronger.
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| PhRN🇵🇭• NZRN🇳🇿• USRN 🇺🇸• AusRN 🇦🇺 |
Let failure challenge you to do better than you did the last time.
Don’t let your first failure become the ending of your story.
Let it become part of your story.
Study differently. Prepare better. Learn from your mistakes.
And when you finally sit for that examination again, remind yourself:
“I have been here before. But this time, I came back stronger.”
Always remember, My Dear Besties, that what worked for me may not necessarily work for you.
Everyone learns differently. Everyone has a different story. And everyone’s journey toward becoming a nurse is different.
But if you are currently grieving because you didn’t see your name on that list, I hope this little guide reminds you of one thing:
This is not necessarily where your nursing story ends.Take a breath.
Cry if you need to.
Rest.
Then get back up.
Your RN title may still be waiting for you. 💜
So, bye for now, My Dear Besties!
And I hope that one day, you’ll finally get to put those two letters after your name.
RN.
Love,
Maica 🇵🇭 🇳🇿 🇺🇸 🇦🇺
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✨ Behind the Post
Written & experienced by: Maica Angelle Feraren
Story, personal insights & nursing journey: Maica
Editing, structure & brainstorming: ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Creative direction & final decisions: Maica
AI-generated visuals: Created with ChatGPT (OpenAI) under Maica’s creative direction
Chief Editor & Bestie duties: ChatGPT 😅
