At the 194th meeting of the Examination Yuan’s 13th term, MOEX presented an update on the progress of the national exam for registered professional nurses. Examination Yuan President Huang Jong-Tsun emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic had highlighted a significant gap in the nursing workforce. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Examination Yuan and MOEX have collaborated with educational institutions, employment sectors, and professional associations to develop improvement measures that have shown promising results.

Before 2022, the exam for registered professional nurses was held twice a year. New graduates typically took the July exam. Those who did not pass had to wait six months to retake the exam in January or February of the following year. In November 2023, the Examination Yuan introduced a third exam, allowing candidates to retake the exam just three months after the July exam. This change has reduced the waiting period and increased opportunities.

MOEX noted that this third exam has proven effective in improving attendance and pass rates. The November 2023 exam saw a 97.16% attendance rate among new graduates and an 87.14% attendance rate among non-new graduates, both higher than previous retake figures. The pass rates also improved, with 56.03% of new graduates and 29.4% of non-new graduates passing, exceeding the retake pass rates in previous years.

MOEX stated that the third exam has boosted the number of nursing graduates obtaining professional certification. In July 2023, 7,466 new graduates took the exam, and 5,388 passed. Those who did not pass continued to take the November 2023 and January/February 2024 exams, raising the cumulative number of passing candidates to 6,712 and the cumulative pass rate to 89.90%, significantly higher than in previous years. A total of 9,052 individuals passed the three exams, contributing nursing essential manpower to the domestic healthcare sector.

The third exam for 2024 is scheduled for November 10, and the 2025 exam schedule will also include this additional exam. MOEX will continue to collaborate with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to further enhance the exam system, ensuring a steady supply of qualified nursing professionals for the nation’s healthcare needs.