Setting the REx-PN Passing Standard
To ensure that the passing standard for REx-PN accurately reflects the amount of nursing ability currently required to practice competently at the entry level, the REx-PN Practical Nurse Exam Committee (PNEC) and the Registrar & CEO of the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) and the Executive Director & CEO of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) will evaluate the passing standard every five years when the test plans are reviewed. The methodology for setting the standard consists of a representative panel of experts using a well-respected and widely used criterion-referenced standard setting method with additional statistical procedures providing supplemental information.
REx-PN Passing Standard
In July 2021, the PNEC recommended and the Registrar & CEO of BCCNM and Executive Director & CEO of CNO approved the passing standard for the REx-PN Examination. The passing standard is -0.32 logits. The passing standard took effect Jan. 4, 2022 and will remain in effect through Dec. 31, 2026.
CAT Definitions
- Candidate Ability: The level of entry-level nursing knowledge, skills and abilities that the candidate has.
- Ability Estimate: The level of entry-level nursing knowledge, skills and abilities that the computer has determined that the candidate has.
- Passing Standard: A cut point along an ability range that marks the minimum ability level requirement. For REx-PN, it is the minimum ability required to safely and effectively practice nursing at the entry level.
- Logit: A unit of measurement to report relative differences between candidate ability estimates and item difficulties.
For any questions regarding the passing standard for the REx-PN, please contact:
CNO: RExPN@cnomail.org
BCCNM: PNExam@bccnm.ca
