General nursing training exam not passed - this affects 10-15% of all trainees. After three years of training, it's a shock, but no reason to panic. You have two retake attempts per exam part, and most pass on the second try.
This article explains the retake regulations for written, oral, and practical exams, why so many fail the practical exam, and your options after final failure.
Key takeaways
- 2 retake attempts per exam part (written, oral, practical)
- Only failed parts must be retaken
- Retake must take place within 1 year
- Practical exam has the highest failure rate (12-15%)
- After 3 failures: Training definitively not passed
The three examination parts of general nursing training
The final exam consists of three parts, all of which must be passed individually. Each part must be graded with at least "sufficient" (grade 4.0):
The overall grade is calculated from the average of all three exam parts. However: Each part must be passed individually - a good grade in one part cannot compensate for failure in another.
Exam not passed - what then?
If you fail one or more exam parts, you have two retake attempts per exam part. This means a total of three attempts per part.
Only the failed parts must be retaken. Passed parts remain valid and do not have to be taken again. The first retake must take place within one year of the first failure at the latest. If a part is failed three times, the entire training is considered not passed.
Practical examples
To illustrate this, here are concrete scenarios:
- Only failed written exam: You retake the 3 written exams. Oral and practical exams remain valid.
- Only failed practical exam: You only retake the practical exam with the patient.
- Failed written AND practical exam: You retake both parts separately.
- Failed written exam twice: You have one last attempt for the written exam.
Similar to other apprenticeships, there are clear legal regulations for retake examinations.
Why do so many fail the practical exam?
The practical exam has the highest failure rate at 12-15%. The most common reasons:
1. Nervousness with a real patient
Unlike dummy exercises, the practical exam is conducted with real patients. The exam situation plus responsibility for a real person often leads to blackouts. Many trainees can perform the maneuvers perfectly in training but fail under exam pressure.
2. Insufficient nursing documentation
Many fail not in the practical execution, but in the written documentation. The nursing plan must be complete, technically correct, and understandable. Those who neglect documentation during the exam often fail - even with perfect practical performance.
3. Time management
The practical exam takes about 4 hours. Those who do not manage their time properly do not complete important steps or document incompletely. Time management must be intensively practiced beforehand.
4. Lack of patient-centered communication
Communication with the patient is assessed. Those who merely "work through" without explanations, empathy, and patient-centered communication often fail. Examiners pay attention to how you interact with the patient.
Forgetting or incorrectly performing hygiene measures, incomplete or incorrect documentation, no patient-centered communication, not adhering to the time schedule, inability to justify nursing measures, misjudging emergency situations.
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Learn moreWritten exam not passed
The written exam consists of three exams on different competence areas. Failure rate: 8-10%. Most common reasons:
- Gaps in specialized knowledge: Especially in nursing processes, nursing planning, and legal foundations
- Time pressure: 120 minutes per exam is tight - time management is crucial
- Misunderstanding of tasks: Open questions are answered too superficially or off-topic
- Lack of exam preparation: Those who have not practiced old exams often fail due to the exam format
Important: If you fail the written exam, you must retake all three exams - even the ones you passed. This is because the exams build on each other thematically and form an overall assessment.
Failed 3 times - what then?
After failing an exam part three times, the entire training is considered definitively not passed. You cannot complete the general nursing training.
Restarting nursing training with a different provider is usually not possible, as the exam is valid nationwide. You must reorient your career.
Alternatives after final failure
- Nursing assistant training: 1-year training as a health and nursing assistant - no state examination
- Other health professions: Medical assistant, paramedic, physiotherapy training
- Career changer jobs: With 3 years of nursing experience, often good opportunities in nursing homes without a degree
- Career reorientation: As with dropping out of university, there are many paths to reorientation
Important: Even if you definitively fail, your three years of training are not in vain. Practical experience and specialized knowledge are valued by many employers in the healthcare sector.
Successfully mastering the retake
- Obtain and analyze detailed exam feedback from the examination board
- Targeted learning of failed areas with tutoring or remedial courses
- Simulate the practical exam multiple times with colleagues and instructors
- Work through old exams under realistic time pressure
- Seek professional psychological help for severe exam anxiety
- Intensively practice time management - especially for the practical exam
Typical mistakes during the retake
Many repeat the same mistakes: starting preparation too late, focusing incorrectly (detailed knowledge instead of basics), not conducting exam simulations. Those who use the same learning strategy for the second attempt as for the first often fail again.
Conclusion: General nursing training exam not passed
- 2 retake attempts per exam part - a total of 3 attempts
- Only failed parts must be retaken
- Practical exam has the highest failure rate (12-15%)
- Retake must take place within 1 year
- After 3 failures: Training definitively not passed
- Alternatives: Nursing assistant, other health professions, reorientation
A failed nursing exam is not the end of the world. Most pass on the second attempt if they specifically address their weaknesses and prepare better for the exam situation. Especially the practical exam can be significantly improved through intensive practice and simulation.
"In nursing, not only specialized knowledge counts, but also empathy and calmness under pressure. The retake is your chance to show exactly that."
