OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT NCLEX ExAM
Before examining Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) content, it is important to understand the structure and goals of the
... [Show More] current NCLEX exam. It is, among other things, an endurance test. The NCLEX exam is like a marathon—if you don’t prepare properly or approach it with confidence and rigor, you’ll quickly lose your composure.
Here is a sample test-like question:
As you can see, the style and content of the NCLEX exam is unique. It’s not like any other exam, even those taken in nursing school. The content in this book was prepared by the experts on the Kaplan Nursing team, the world’s largest provider of test prep courses for the NCLEX exam. By using Kaplan’s proven methods and strategies, you will be able to take control of the exam, just as you have taken control of your nursing education and career preparation for this incredibly challenging and rewarding field.
The first step is to learn everything you can about the current exam.
WHAT Is THE NCLEX ExAM?
NCLEX-RN stands for National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, and NCLEX-PN stands for National Council Licensure Examination for Practical/Vocational Nurses. The NCLEX exams are prepared and administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), whose members include the boards of nursing in each of the 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. territories American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These boards have a mandate to protect the public from unsafe and ineffective nursing care, and each board has been given responsibility to regulate the practice of nursing in its respective state or territory. In fact, the NCLEX exam is often referred to as “The Boards” or “The State Boards.”
The NCLEX exam has only one purpose: to determine if it is safe for you to begin practice as an entry-level nurse. It tests both your knowledge and your ability to make competent nursing judgments. To define entry-level practice of nursing, the National Council conducts a job analysis study every three years investigating what entry-level nurses do on the job. They examine the clinical settings where beginning nurses work, the types of care they provide, and their primary responsibilities. Based on the results, the National Council adjusts the content and difficulty level of the test to accurately reflect what is happening in the workplace.
In order to obtain a license to practice as a nurse, each state requires you to pass the NCLEX. The designation of registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical/licensed vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) indicates that you have proven to your state board of nursing or regulatory body that you can deliver safe and effective nursing care.
To clarify what the NCLEX exam is not:
• It is not a test of achievement or intelligence.
• It is not designed for nurses who have years of experience.
• It does not include questions that involve high-tech clinical [Show Less]