General nursing training exam failed – 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 definitively failing.
Key points at a glance
- 2 retake attempts per exam part (written, oral, practical)
- Only failed parts need to be retaken
- Retake must occur within 1 year
- Practical exam has the highest failure rate (12-15%)
- After failing 3 times: training definitively failed
The three exam parts of general nursing training
The final examination consists of three parts, all of which must be passed individually. Each part must be graded at least "sufficient" (grade 4.0):
The overall grade is calculated from the average of all three exam parts. But: Each part must be passed individually – a good grade in one part cannot compensate for failing in another.
Exam failed - 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 need to be retaken. Passed parts remain valid and do not need to be repeated. The first retake must take place no later than one year after the first failure. If a part is failed three times, the entire training is considered definitively failed.
Practical Examples
To illustrate this, here are specific scenarios:
- Only failed written: You retake the 3 written exams. Oral and practical exams remain valid.
- Only failed practical: You only retake the practical exam with the patient.
- Failed written AND practical: You retake both parts separately.
- Failed written 2 times: 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 real patients
Unlike exercises on a dummy, 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. Deficient nursing documentation
Many fail not at the practical execution, but at the written documentation. The nursing plan must be complete, technically correct, and comprehensible. Those who neglect documentation during the exam often fail – even with perfect practical performance.
3. Time Management
The practical exam lasts about 4 hours. Those who do not manage their time correctly do not complete important steps or document incompletely. Time management must be intensively practiced beforehand.
4. Lack of patient-oriented communication
Communication with the patient is evaluated. Those who merely "work through" without explanations, empathy, and patient-oriented address often fail. Examiners pay attention to how you interact with the patient.
Forgetting or incorrectly performing hygiene measures, incomplete or erroneous documentation, lack of patient-oriented communication, not adhering to the schedule, inability to justify nursing measures, misjudging emergency situations.
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Learn moreWritten exam failed
The written exam consists of three exams covering different competency 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 a tight schedule – time management is crucial
- Misunderstanding of tasks: Open questions are answered too superficially or off-topic
- Lack of exam preparation: Those who haven't practiced past 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 failed. You cannot complete the general nursing training.
Another nursing training with a different provider is usually not possible, as the examination is valid nationwide. You must reorient yourself professionally.
Alternatives after definitive 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
- Professional reorientation: As with dropping out of college, there are many paths to reorientation
Important: Even with definitive failure, your three years of training are not in vain. The practical experience and specialist 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 a refresher course
- Simulate the practical exam multiple times with colleagues and instructors
- Work through past exams under realistic time pressure
- Seek professional psychological help for severe exam anxiety
- Intensively train time management - especially for the practical exam
Typical mistakes during repetition
Many repeat the same mistakes: starting preparation too late, focusing incorrectly (detail 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 failed
- 2 retake attempts per exam part - a total of 3 attempts
- Only failed parts need to be retaken
- Practical exam has the highest failure rate (12-15%)
- Retake must occur within 1 year
- After failing 3 times: training definitively failed
- 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."
