For what purpose is the NCLEX-PN exam administered?
The National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) is the exam necessary to acquire a license as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN). It is intended to assess basic understandings, skills, and abilities needed to deliver safe and efficient patient care. Every nurse must pass this exam. It ensures that the candidates have the competencies required for safe nursing practices.
Format of the exam
Computerized adaptive testing (CAT
The NCLEX-PN exam is administered using computerized adaptive testing, which modulates the test’s question difficulty in response to the test taker’s answer. You will receive a more difficult question if you answer a question right, and a simpler one if you answer it incorrectly. There are between 80 and 150 questions on the NCLEX-PN exam.
Questions type
Multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blanks, hotspot, calculations, audio, graphics, tables.
Time limit
The exam typically lasts between 5 and 6 hours.
Content areas
The exam is divided into several major content areas:
- Health promotion and maintenance.
- Psychosocial integrity.
- Physiological integrity.
- Safety and infection control.
- Coordinated care.
- Basic care and comfort.
- Pharmacological treatments.
- Reduction of risk potential.
Test scoring
The score of NCLEX-PN is calculated in “logits’’.
A Logit scoring system is used to evaluate whether a test-taker passes or fails the exam because it is computer adaptive. If your logit score is -0.18 or above, you passed the test since you answered enough questions correctly. You have failed the exam if your logit score is less than -0.18, which indicates that you did not correctly answer enough questions.
The number of questions you must answer on the test varies because this logit is continually updated based on your responses to each question. The exam will conclude if you complete the required minimum of 75 questions and the computer system can accurately identify, with an accuracy rate of 95%, whether you passed or failed.
PREPARATION FOR THE TEST
A lot of review books, practice questions, online resources, and study guides are there to prepare for the NCLEX-PN exam. There are many review courses specifically designed to prepare for the NCLEX-PN exam.
Best books for NCLEX-PN preparation
Kaplan NCLEX-RN Prep Plus
It contains a summary of all the important concepts making, it an effective way of learning. To prepare the best content, it provides an extensive review guide including all concepts.
Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination
The information in this book is offered in a way that makes it great for visual learners and gives you the exact amount of the information required without any extraneous details. It also contains graphics, tables, and charts that aid in preparation.
NCLEX-RN Questions & Answers Made Incredibly Easy
It contains a lot of questions with practice exam formats. A wide range of challenging questions with the best quality of the text and content makes it the best choice for the candidate.
HESI Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination
It provides clear and concise information with the help of tables, charts and graphics. Well-explained and well-presented content including summaries of different topics is given.
Flashcards
- Kaplan NCLEX-PN flashcards and Saunders NCLEX-PN flashcards are useful to memorize important terms, medications, and different concepts.
- You can also customize your own flashcards based on your written notes.
Review programs and online study courses
Different online courses including video lectures, practice questions, and learning tools are available, such as:
- ATI Nursing Education
- NCLEX-PN Review from Hurst Review Services
Practice exams and study guides
Full-length practice exams and guides with essential concepts and test strategies are available to prepare for the exam.
NCLEX-PN Test preparation strategies
If you want a significant difference in your performance in the exam, you should take effective test-taking strategies.
Understand the test format
You should know how CAT adjusts the difficulty of the questions and should know the types of questions given in the test and prepare well for the test.
Create a study plan
Organize your study time to give your attention to all content areas based on your strengths and weaknesses. Also set achievable goals.
Focus on core areas
Master key contents and pay attention to commonly tested topics.
Manage your time
Keep track of time. Don’t take too much time to attempt a single question.
Practice regularly
Practice regularly to understand the format and the type of questions that you will encounter in the test. Read each question with full attention and then answer it.
Review your results
It provides clear and concise information with the help of tables, charts and graphics. Well-explained and well-presented content including summaries of different topics is given.
Impact of the NCLEX-PN exam on career
The NCLEX-PN exam has a very important impact on the nursing career as it is the vital first step towards obtaining professional licensure. Passing this exam provides validity about the abilities and competencies of the candidate and opens a wide range of job opportunities in healthcare sectors. This exam also enhances a candidate’s professional credibility and competitiveness in the job market, which verifies their adherence to national standards.