The Nurse Licensure Examination (NLE) is a standardized test and a requirement for all aspiring nursing graduates who want to become registered nurses.
According to Republic Act 9173,Rule III (Examination and Registrations), Section 12, also known as “The Philippine Nursing Act of 2002,” all applicants need to pass the written examination to perform their duty as registered nurses.
Weighted Average for Nurse Licensure Examination
| Coverage of the Exam (Subjects) | Weighted Average |
|---|---|
| Nursing Practice I—Community Health Nursing | 20% or 100 Items |
| Nursing Practice II—Care of Healthy/At-Risk Mother and Child | 20% or 100 Items |
| Nursing Practice III—Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations (Part A) | 20% or 100 Items |
| Nursing Practice IV—Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations (Part B) | 20% or 100 Items |
| Nursing Practice V—Care of Clients with Physiologic and Psychosocial Alterations (Part C) | 20% or 100 Items |
| Overall Weighted Average: 100% | 100% or 500 Total Items |
In the same Act, under Ratings, examinees are required to obtain a general average of at least 75% with no rating of below 60% in any subject.
If you obtain an average rating of 75% or higher and have a rating in any subject of below 60%, you may take the exam again but only on the subject or subjects where you rated below 60%.
However, in this case, you need to obtain at least a rating of 75% of the repeated subject or subjects to pass.
For example:
| Nurse A | Nurse B |
|---|---|
| Nursing Practice I – 80% | Nursing Practice I – 90% |
| Nursing Practice II – 75% | Nursing Practice II – 90% |
| Nursing Practice III – 70% | Nursing Practice III – 85% |
| Nursing Practice IV – 75% | Nursing Practice IV – 59% |
| Nursing Practice V – 75% | Nursing Practice V – 51% |
| Overall Rating: 75% | Overall Rating: 75% |
| Remarks: Passed | Remarks: Conditional Pass |
Nurse A passed the examination because, according to RA 9173, she obtained an average of 75% with no rating below 60% in any subject.
Unfortunately, Nurse B’s remarks are neither passed nor failed but conditionally passed.
A failed examinee means they did not meet the condition of the 75% general average rule, while a conditionally passed examinee met the condition of having a general average of 75%; however, they got a rating of below 60% in any of the subjects.
Although she obtained the required average to pass the exam, two of her subjects had ratings of below 60%.
Based on the Act, Nurse B may proceed to take the exam but only repeat the subjects where she obtained a rating below 60%. However, she must obtain a rating of 75% or higher in the failed subjects.
