Angry nurses: A major failure in the professional exam

Amid a shortage of nurses, nursing students are angry with their professional order after a high number of people fail the exam to be granted the right to practise.

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“I’m in shock,” says Lorien Cole-Dorian, 23, a class president who averaged an 85% passing grade in three years of college.

She is part of a group of nurses who passed the Professional Examination of Nurses of Quebec (OIIQ) at the end of September 2022. The success rate was more than 51%.

Without passing this exam, they cannot practice as a nurse. These numerous failures also come at a time when Quebec is facing staffing shortages, forcing many hospitals to cut services.

However, over three years, the pass rate for the same exam has fluctuated from 96 to 71% for previous cohorts. “It’s unfair, it’s not normal for one out of two people to drown,” Ms Cole-Dorian continues.

“It doesn’t reflect the reality on the ground, not what we learn in school,” Jossian Georges said in tears about his defeat.

The 40-year-old mother devoted dozens of hours a day to studying for the exam, paying for extra tutoring and taking time off from her hospital job to increase her chances of passing.

But she got only 52%… 55% to pass.

Joëlle Girard, 22, started an online petition after failing to denounce the situation. First, she wants to lower the pass mark to 50% because she knows colleagues who have failed with 51 to 54% marks.

More than 1500 people have already signed.

The student at Sorrel-Tracy explains that the order’s selection uses “medical judgment” with the choice of answers. He argues that many choices are “good,” but only one is “best,” according to the order.

However, many nurses interviewed by Le Journal felt disconnected from their reality on the exam field.

“We’re not dangerous, we know what we’re doing,” Ms. Girard continues, adding that all candidates for the exam have previously passed their studies and are already working in hospitals.

As of press time, OIIQ is yet to comment. The Journal will be speaking to them this afternoon.

More details to come…