Have you ever asked yourself what does NCLEX stand for as a nursing student? While it is almost certain you have come across this term since it is an exam you must do, do you fully understand what it entails? NCLEX basically means the National Council Licensure Examination. It is a standardized exam that nursing graduates have to pass to get their nursing license and start practicing. Whether you wish to become a practical nurse or a registered one, NCLEX assesses your skills, abilities, and knowledge to ascertain that you can provide safe and efficient patient care.
Understanding NCLEX
As mentioned, this exam is administered to recently graduated nursing students to verify if they are able to practice nursing safely. Typically, aspiring nurses have to pass this exam to receive a license to practice nursing. There are two NCLEX tests you can expect to encounter, including the NCLEX-PN and the NCLEX-RN. The NCLEX-PN is for licensed practical nurses, while the NCLEX-RN is for registered nurses. These exams test students’ critical thinking skills and how they apply the information acquired from their learning. But what is the goal of NCLEX exams? It aims to ensure that nursing graduates can provide safe patient care and make informed judgments in the clinical setting. That is why students need to fully grasp the best strategies on how to prepare for the NCLEX exam. Passing the exam proves that the graduates are qualified to offer safe patient care.
NCLEX Eligibility
To be eligible for the NCLEX exam, candidates must meet some demands. One must have graduated from an accredited BSN or ADN program, especially for the NCLEX-RN candidates. The NCLEX-PN candidates must have a degree from an accredited LVN program. For eligibility, candidates must also have graduated from an accredited program from any of the two bodies below:
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Accreditation is still essential if you return to school to advance your nursing career since acceptance to any higher learning institution requires a certificate from an accredited program.
Registering for NCLEX Exams
Registering for the NCLEX in any top-rated nursing school entails two simple processes. First, the candidate must submit their application for registration and licensure to the NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing). The second step involves registering for the exams via Pearson VUE and paying the fee. The Pearson VUE is the testing body that administers the exam. Candidates can register via their phone or online in a simple process. The registration fee depends on the type of exam you are applying for and your country. In the case of eligibility denial by NCSBN, candidates can forfeit their exam fee and the registration process and register later on.
Next Gen NCLEX
It is an essential update to the typical NCLEX exam. This new generation test is designed better to assess the candidate’s decision-making skills and clinical judgment. The latest update encompasses the evolving demands of the nursing profession, ensuring that newly licensed nurses are capable and have the requisite expertise and knowledge for patient care. Below is an overview of the Next Gen NCLEX:
More Focus on Clinical Judgment
Recent studies have shown that many newly licensed nurses find it challenging to make the proper clinical judgment in the real world. The next-gen NCLEX was created to address this issue by focusing more on evaluating candidates’ decision-making abilities in clinical settings. By assessing and enhancing better decision-making, the tests improve patient safety and recovery, which is the core business of nursing practice.
New Question Types
The exam also covers various new question types to comprehensively test and ensure the candidates can start practicing nursing. The questions include:
- Extended multiple responses – they allow students to pick several correct answers from a given list.
- Case studies – the exam also entails case studies that offer real patient scenarios and issues that require the candidates to make decisions on how to go about the situation.
- Highlighting – these questions ask the candidates to highlight some relevant information in a given text such as key patient data in a patient chart.
- Drag-and-drop – here, the candidates are supposed to categorize information by dragging and dropping steps or procedures in the correct sequence.
Clinical judgment measure model
The Next Gen NCLEX is centered around the CJMM model that clearly outlines the nurses’ decision-making process. This model includes the following:
- Recognizing cues – The candidate must be able to identify the correct information from the patient’s data
- Analyzing cues – looking for clues in the context of the patient’s condition
- Creating meaningful hypothesis – here, the candidate must come up with the most correct explanation for the patient’s ailment.
- Creating solutions – identify the proper actions to address the patient’s condition comprehensively.
- Actualizing – it involves implementing the chosen solution to the patient’s needs.
Subject Areas for NCLEX
After answering the question, what does NCLEX stand for? Consider looking at the subject areas from which questions are most likely. The test plan centers around four “client needs” categories. Below are the categories and percentages expected during the exam:
- Effective and safe care environment – infection control and safety (10%-16%), care management (15-21%)
- Psychosocial integrity (6-12%)
- Health promotion and maintenance (6-12%)
- Physiology integrity – physiological adaptation (11-17%), reduction of risk potential (9-15%), primary care and comfort (6-12%), pharmacological and parenteral therapies (13-19%)
How is the Exam Administered?
Typically, the test takers have around 5 hours to complete the paper. The candidates can complete the exam much earlier, depending on their speed and accuracy. Ensure you take your time to read and understand the questions in the NCLEX exam since some can be pretty confusing. Keep in mind that when you select and submit your answer, there is no going back to correct it, so be extra careful when answering.
Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)
It is an interactive testing system where the computer estimates the candidate’s ability based on the difficulty of the question and the previous answers they gave. After this, the CAT determines the next question to ask the candidate. The computer offers candidates a 50% chance of getting the correct answer while obtaining as much information about the candidate’s level of comprehension as possible. Candidates should answer as many questions as possible so that the CAT can accurately estimate their nursing ability.
Conclusion
Many nursing students ponder what does NCLEX stand for even though they have to sit for the exam to be licensed. Luckily, this article explains what the initials mean and what you can expect to find when you sit for that exam. Ensure you make the necessary preparations before sitting for the exam to have a chance at getting your practicing license.